1 Kings 9:23

23 These were the chief officers over Solomon's work: five hundred fifty had charge of the people who did the work.

1 Kings 9:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 9:23

These were the chief of the officers over Solomon's work
In building the above houses and cities:

five hundred and fifty which bore rule over the people that wrought
in the work;
in ( 2 Chronicles 8:10 ) they are said to be but two hundred and fifty; now it may be observed, as is by the Jewish writers, that there were three sorts of those rulers; the lowest rank and order of them consisted of 3300, the next of three hundred which were over the 3300, and being numbered with them made 3600, ( 2 Chronicles 2:18 ) and the highest rank of them were two hundred and fifty, and the middlemost and highest being joined together, as they are here, made five hundred and fifty. Abarbinel reconciles the places thus, the two hundred and fifty were only over those that wrought in the temple; and the five hundred and fifty here were those that were over such that were employed in the various parts of the kingdom.

1 Kings 9:23 In-Context

21 that is, the descendants of such people who were still in the land because the Israelites weren't able to wipe them out—Solomon forced into the labor gangs that are still in existence today.

22 However, Solomon didn't force the Israelites to work as slaves; instead, they became warriors, his servants, his leaders, his officers, and those in charge of his chariots and cavalry.

23 These were the chief officers over Solomon's work: five hundred fifty had charge of the people who did the work.

24 When Pharaoh's daughter went up from David's City to the palace he had built for her, Solomon built the stepped structure.

25 Three times a year Solomon would offer entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices on the altar that he had built for the LORD. Along with this he would burn incense to the LORD. In this way, he completed the temple.