I Kings 5:14-18 · Bible study
1 Kings 5:14-18 Commentary: Organizing the Temple Workforce
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Solomon's massive workforce for the temple: 30,000 Israelites rotating monthly, 150,000 foreign laborers, and the wisdom behind the one-month-on,
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon organized three tiers of workers for the temple, Israelite conscripts on a rotating schedule, foreign laborers in permanent service, and skilled Phoenician artisans, each contributing their part under wise leadership.
- Key words: “Levy” (mas, forced labor); “by courses” (rotating shifts); “Gebalites” (stoneworkers from Gebal); “costly stones” (large, valuable foundation blocks).
- Main debate: Whether the 30,000 Israelite workers were conscripted for national service or voluntary (commentators agree they were a levy, not slaves); and the discrepancy between 3,300 and 3,600 overseers in Chronicles.
- Theological theme: God’s house is built through ordered, shared, sacrificial labor, with rest built in, and gifts welcomed from all peoples.
- Best use: Teaching on the dignity of labor, the importance of rest in service, and the unity of diverse peoples in God’s mission.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
14He sent them to Lebanon in monthly shifts of 10,000 men, so that they would spend one month in Lebanon and two months at home. And Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor.
15Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains,
16not including his 3,300 foremen who supervised the workers.
17And the king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.
18So Solomon’s and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the construction of the temple.
WEB World English Bible 2000
14He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: for a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor.
15Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains,
16besides Solomon’s chief officers who were over the work: three thousand three hundred who ruled over the people who labored in the work.
17The king commanded, and they cut out large stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone.
18Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.
KJV King James Version 1769
14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
15And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
16Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
17And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
18And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the men subject to taskwork.
15And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains;
16besides Solomon’s chief officers that were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
17And the king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with wrought stone.
18And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
14and he sendeth them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month, by changes, a month they are in Lebanon, two months in their own house; and Adoniram is over the tribute.
15And king Solomon hath seventy thousand bearing burdens, and eighty thousand hewing in the mountain,
16apart from the heads of the officers of Solomon, who are over the work, three thousand and three hundred, those ruling over the people who are working in the business.
17And the king commandeth, and they bring great stones, precious stone, to lay the foundation of the house, hewn stones;
18and the builders of Solomon, and the builders of Hiram, and the Giblites hew, and prepare the wood and the stones to build the house.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, two months at home; and Adoniram was over the levy.
15And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens, and eighty thousand stone-masons in the mountains;
16besides the overseers whom Solomon had set over the work, three thousand three hundred, who ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
17And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
18And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Giblites hewed them, and prepared timber and stones to build the house.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
14And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand every month, by turns, so that two months they were at home: and Adoniram was over this levy.
15And Solomon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty thousand to hew stones in the mountain:
16Besides the overseers who were over every work, in number three thousand and three hundred, that ruled over the people, and them that did the work.
17And the king commanded that they should bring great stones, costly stones, for the foundation of the temple, and should square them:
18And the masons of Solomon, and the masons of Hiram, hewed them: and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the house.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage presents a carefully ordered workforce for the temple. The 30,000 Israelite men served in a rotating system: one month on Lebanon, two months at home. Gill, Keil and Delitzsch, and others note this protected them from continuous hard labor, allowing time for their own farms. These conscripts were free Israelites, in contrast to the 150,000 permanent workers. As Barnes and Clarke explain, citing 1 Kings 9:20-22, the 70,000 burden bearers and 80,000 stonecutters were non-Israelite residents, “strangers” left from the Canaanite nations, whom Solomon pressed into service. The 3,300 overseers supervised the work; the number differs slightly from the 3,600 in 2 Chronicles 2:18, probably reflecting a different counting principle. The Gebalites (Giblites), mentioned in verse 18, were skilled Phoenician masons from Gebal (Byblos), known for their stoneworking expertise (Barnes, Cambridge, Clarke). The large, costly stones laid in the foundation, some still visible at the Temple Mount, represent the scale and permanence of the house being built. The rotation stands as a mark of wisdom: Solomon mobilized an immense labor force while keeping the burden on his own people tolerable.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Compassionate leadership view: The rotation schedule (one month on, two off) is highlighted by most commentators as evidence that Solomon protected his own people from oppressive labor while still achieving the project. Verse 14 plus the complaints in 1 Kings 12:4 are cited.
- Exploitative system view: The same passage describes 150,000 foreign slaves doing permanent heavy labor. The word 'levy' (mas) implies conscription. Some see this as the beginning of the oppression that led to the kingdom's division.
- Numerical discrepancy view: The difference between 3,300 (Kings) and 3,600 (Chronicles) overseers leads some to question the historical precision of the numbers, though harmonizations exist.
What is clear: Solomon assembled an enormous, organized workforce to prepare materials for the temple, and the Israelite conscripts worked in a one-month-on, two-months-off rotation that provided regular rest.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Number of overseers (3,300 vs 3,600) | The passage describes officers who supervised the work. Kings records 3,300; Chronicles gives 3,600. | Some see a copyist error; others argue different counting bases (e.g., 3,300 direct supervisors plus 300 chief officers, or 3,600 including all levels). Both numbers fit the total workforce of 153,600 foreigners. |
| Rotation schedule for Israelites (one month on, two months off) | All commentators recognize this as a merciful arrangement that prevented continuous labor and allowed men to tend their own land. | Some question whether the rotation applied only to the 30,000 or also to the 150,000 foreigners. Most hold that the foreigners served permanently, as they were slaves, while the Israelites returned home. |
| Identity of the 'Gebalites' | The term refers to inhabitants of Gebal (Byblos), a Phoenician city, known as skilled stonemasons. | Older translations (AV) rendered 'stonesquarers' because the Targum paraphrased it as masons. Modern versions favor 'Gebalites' as a proper noun, citing Ezekiel 27:9. |
| Nature of the Israelite levy (forced vs voluntary) | The 30,000 were a 'levy' (mas), conscripted labor, not voluntary. The rotation showed care for their welfare. | Later, in 1 Kings 12, the people complain about this levy as oppressive. Some see Solomon's system as initially wise but later abused. Others note that the forced labor was only on the Canaanites, while Israelites were merely conscripted for seasonal service. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The passage sits within the peace treaty between Solomon and Hiram of Tyre (1 Kings 5:12). With no war, Solomon could focus his administration on the temple project. The system of forced labor (‘mas’ or tribute workers) had Old Testament roots: David had conscripted resident aliens for building projects (1 Chronicles 22:2). Solomon extended it dramatically. The 30,000 Israelite men were drafted from all the tribes, sent to Lebanon in shifts to cut timber. The rotation, one month in the mountains, two months at home, was unusual. Most ancient kingdoms required continuous corvée labor on royal projects. By limiting the term and providing regular rest, Solomon avoided the exhaustion that later sparked rebellion (1 Kings 12:4). Gill observes the Israelites worked only four months per year, managing their land the rest of the time.
The 150,000 foreigners (70,000 bearers, 80,000 hewers) came from the surviving Canaanite populations. These were not volunteer workers. As Barnes notes, they were condemned to permanent servitude. The Gebalites (inhabitants of Gebal, a Phoenician city north of Beirut) brought specialized skills in stone cutting and ship caulking (Ezekiel 27:9). The presence of multiple nationalities, Israelites, Tyrians, Gebalites, working together on the temple was unprecedented. The foundation stones were enormous: Barnes cites stones 38 feet long, weighing roughly 100 tons, still embedded in the Temple Mount’s southwestern wall. The land was at peace, the resources were abundant, and the organization was precise. Every detail of the workforce shows Solomon applying the wisdom God gave him (1 Kings 5:12) to a project that would become the spiritual center of Israel.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note several textual variants. Verse 16 gives 3,300 overseers, while 2 Chronicles 2:18 reports 3,600. The Septuagint at 1 Kings 5:16 reads 3,600, matching Chronicles. The Cambridge Bible and Gill suggest the extra 300 may have been chief officers over the 3,300, or a different counting method. In verse 17, the verb translated “they brought” in the AV may be read as “they hewed out” (Cambridge). The Hebrew verb nasa usually means “to pull up tent pegs” and is used in Ecclesiastes 10:9 for quarrying. The Targum favors the hewing sense, making the verse about stone extraction rather than transport. No other significant variants are noted among the supplied sources.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read as a model of ordered, just labor for divine purposes. Early Christian interpreters saw the rotation system as a type of the balance between work and rest in the life of faith, one month of intensive service followed by two months of home life reflected the rhythm of Sabbath. The massive workforce, 150,000 foreigners doing the heaviest labor, Israelites serving limited terms, raised questions about justice in God’s kingdom. Reformers like Matthew Henry emphasized Solomon’s wisdom in the fair arrangement. The large foundation stones were taken by many preachers as a figure of Christ (1 Peter 2:4-6). The Gebalites’ inclusion showed that God draws on gifts from outside his covenant people to build his house, a theme echoed in the New Testament as Gentiles are built into the spiritual temple. More recently, the passage has been used in discussions of faith and work, emphasizing that all labor, even the quarrying and hauling of stones, is service to God when directed toward his purposes.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Wisdom in the rotation. The one-month-on, two-months-off schedule prevented oppression. Solomon honored the dignity of his own people while accomplishing a national project. God’s wisdom shows not only in grand vision but in fair administration.
- The cost of worship. The 150,000 laborers, the enormous stones, the skilled artisans from multiple nations, preparation for the temple demanded resources and sacrifice. Worship always comes at a cost, whether of time, treasure, or effort.
- A picture of unity. Israelites, Phoenicians, and Gebalites worked together. The house of God gathered contributions from many peoples and skills. The church today is similarly built by diverse hands united under one Lord.
Five-point outline
- Spiritual lessons from the rotation. Rest is not a reward after work; it is built into the rhythm of service. The two months at home were as much part of God’s design as the month on the mountain.
- Leadership as weighted responsibility. Adoniram oversaw the forced labor; the 3,300 foremen ruled the workers. Authority exists to organize, not exploit. The burden weighs heaviest on those who lead.
- Foundations matter. The great, costly, hewn stones at the base of the temple, largely hidden from view, were laid with the same care as visible parts. What is unseen in our spiritual lives, prayer, character, repentance, supports everything else.
- Giftedness from unexpected places. The Gebalites were outsiders to Israel yet essential to the temple. God gives gifts to the whole human family, and his people receive them gladly.
- Preparation precedes glory. Years of cutting, hauling, and shaping timber and stone came before the first day of temple worship. Seasons of hidden preparation prepare the way for God’s glory to be revealed.
Illustration hooks
- Rotating shift patterns. A hospital schedules nurses in 12-hour shifts, three days on, four days off. Workers stay fresh. Solomon’s schedule anticipated modern fair labor practices by centuries.
- Coordinating a large event. A wedding or conference needs volunteers for setup, work, cleanup. Someone plans the shifts so no one burns out and everything gets done. Solomon’s planning was on a far bigger scale, with eternal significance.
- Skilled outsiders. A church hires a nonmember architect to design a sanctuary. She is not a believer but her craft serves God’s house. The Gebalites were architects of the temple, and God received their work.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God care about my rest and limits, or should I sacrifice everything for ministry?
- Is it right that the heavy labor fell on the Canaanite survivors? Does the Bible condone forced labor?
- What is the point of such a huge, ornate building when God does not live in houses made by hands?
Leading a Discussion
This passage describes the immense workforce that prepared materials for the temple. It is easy to skip over names and numbers, but the details reveal something about God’s heart for order, justice, and community. The rotation system especially stands out. As you discuss, watch for what the passage says about work, rest, and the contributions of different peoples.
Discussion questions
- These verses list many roles: conscripts, stonecutters, burden bearers, overseers, Gebalite craftsmen. Which group stands out to you, and why?
- Look at the rotation schedule: one month in Lebanon, two months at home (v. 14). What does this arrangement suggest about Solomon’s attitude toward his own people? What does it suggest about God’s concern for workers?
- The 70,000 burden bearers and 80,000 stonecutters were “strangers” in Israel, descendants of the Canaanites. Compare with 1 Kings 9:20-22. How do you reconcile this forced labor with the justice of God?
- Verse 17 mentions large, costly, hewn foundation stones. The foundation is usually hidden from view after construction. Why might the king and workers still invest such care in it? What does that suggest about hidden spiritual work?
- The Gebalites came from a non-Israelite city and were known for shipbuilding (Ezekiel 27:9), yet here they prepare stone for the temple. What does this collaboration say about God’s ability to use all people for his purposes?
- The numbers in this passage differ slightly from the parallel in 2 Chronicles 2:17-18 (3,300 vs. 3,600 overseers). How do you handle such differences? Do they affect your confidence in Scripture?
- If the church building project you are involved in required rotating shifts and years of preparation, what would that tell you about the importance of the work? How does this passage shape your view of the time and effort it takes to build something for God?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 4:6 | Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor. |
| I Kings 4:19 | Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer who was in the land. |
| I Chronicles 27:1 | Now the children of Israel after their number, the heads of fathers’ households and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served the king in any matter of the divisions which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year—of every division were twenty-four thousand. |
| I Chronicles 27:15 | The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel. In his division were twenty-four thousand. |
| I Kings 9:20 | As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel— |
| I Kings 9:22 | But of the children of Israel Solomon made no bondservants; but they were the men of war, his servants, his princes, his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen. |
| II Chronicles 2:17 | Solomon counted all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, after the census with which David his father had counted them; and they found one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred. |
| II Chronicles 2:18 | He set seventy thousand of them to bear burdens, eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred overseers to assign the people their work. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that Solomon conscripted the remaining Canaanite peoples as permanent slave laborers for his building projects. He notes that the number of overseers is stated consistently across Kings and Chronicles, though one book categorizes them by nationality and the other by rank. Some of the enormous stones those workers cut, he adds, are still visible in Jerusalem's modern wall.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the word translated "brought" actually means "to hew out" from its root sense of pulling up tent pegs, making "they hewed out great stones" the better reading. He also argues that "stonesquarers" is properly a proper name, "the Gebalites," referring to skilled workers from the Phoenician city of Gebal. The differing numbers between Kings and Chronicles are resolved by reading 3,600 overseers from the LXX.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes highlight the careful organization of Solomon's massive workforce, with 10,000 men rotating monthly between Lebanon and home. They also draw attention to the specific numbers of laborers, overseers, and the costly stones brought for the temple's foundation, showing the grandeur and order of the project.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes the careful division of labor: Israelites served only one month in three in Lebanon, while a larger force of 150,000 strangers did the burdensome work of carrying and hewing stones. He reconciles the differing numbers of officers by explaining that 300 chief supervisors ruled over the 3,300 overseers. This greater proportion of Gentile laborers, for Gill, prefig
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the great stones for the temple foundation were a specific hard, white limestone from Lebanon, hewed and polished by both Jewish and Tyrian builders. He adds that enormous bevelled stones matching this description, some twenty to thirty feet long, are still visible in the substructures of the ancient temple site.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch carefully distinguishes Solomon's 30,000 Israelite laborers, who served in rotation and remained free, from the 150,000 Canaanite bond-slaves who did the heavy work. The commentators also reconcile the differing overseer totals in Kings and Chronicles as two ways of classifying the same 3,850 supervisors, some Israelite, some Canaanite.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange cautions against reading Hiram's praise of Jehovah as a conversion to monotheism. In a polytheistic worldview, he explains, each nation's god can be honored without rejecting others. Hiram acts as a grateful pagan who sees divine favor at work, not as a worshiper of Israel's God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that both parties kept their word in the trade agreement, showing that justice must govern every bargain. He also notes that God's gift of wisdom to Solomon secured the peace and lasting league between Hiram and Israel.