1 Kings 5:14

14 And Solomon sent them into the Lebanon, ten thousand by each month by whiles, so that in two months by whiles they were in their houses; and Adoniram was on such a sum. (And Solomon sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand each month by turn, and then for two months by turn, they went back to their own houses; and Adoniram was in charge of them all.)

1 Kings 5:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 5:14

And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses,
&c.] In their turns; these are the servants of his he proposed to be with Hiram's servants, assisting in cutting down the trees, and squaring the timber in Lebanon, ( 1 Kings 5:6 ) ;

a month they were in Lebanon, [and] two months at home;
that they might not be overworked; for they wrought but four months in the year in the hard service in Lebanon, the rest of their time was spent in managing their domestic affairs; these were Israelites:

and Adoniram [was] over the levy:
the same that was over the tribute or the collectors of the tax, ( 1 Kings 4:6 ) ; and, according to the Targum, these were such persons.

1 Kings 5:14 In-Context

12 Also the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he spake to him; and peace was betwixt Hiram and Solomon, and both they smote together (a) bond of peace. (And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he said he would; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they struck a covenant together.)

13 And king Solomon chose workmen (out) of all Israel; and the sum was thirty thousand of men.

14 And Solomon sent them into the Lebanon, ten thousand by each month by whiles, so that in two months by whiles they were in their houses; and Adoniram was on such a sum. (And Solomon sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand each month by turn, and then for two months by turn, they went back to their own houses; and Adoniram was in charge of them all.)

15 And so seventy thousand of them, that bare burdens, were to Solomon, and fourscore thousand of masons in the hill(s), (And so working for Solomon were seventy thousand men who carried loads, and fourscore thousand stonemasons in the hills,)

16 without the sovereigns, that were masters of all the works, by the number of three thousand and three hundred, commanding to the people, and to them that made work. (besides the sovereigns, or the foremen, who were masters over all the work, three thousand and three hundred in number, commanding the people who did the work.)