1 Kings 5 · Verse 13

1 Kings 5:13

And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
1 Kings 5:13, King James Version

1 Kings 5:13 in other translations

BSBThen King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.
WEBKing Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
ASVAnd king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
YLTAnd king Solomon lifteth up a tribute out of all Israel, and the tribute is thirty thousand men,
DARBYAnd king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
BBEThen King Solomon got together men for the forced work through all Israel, thirty thousand men in number;
WebsterAnd king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

What does 1 Kings 5:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel--The renewed notice of Solomon's divine gift of wisdom (1Ki 5:12) is evidently introduced to prepare for this record of the strong but prudent measures he took towards the accomplishment of his work. So great a stretch of arbitrary power as is implied in this compulsory levy would have raised great discontent, if not opposition, had not his wise arrangement of letting the laborers remain at home two months out of three, added to the sacredness of the work, reconciled the people to this forced labor. The carrying of burdens and the irksome work of excavating the quarries was assigned to the remnant of the Canaanites (1Ki 9:20; 2Ch 8:7-9) and war prisoners made by David--amounting to 153,600. The employment of persons of that condition in Eastern countries for carrying on any public work, would make this part of the arrangements the less thought of.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 The levy was thirty thousand men - We find from the following verse that only ten thousand were employed at once, and those only for one month at a time; and having rested two months, they again resumed their labor. These were the persons over whom Adoniram was superintendent, and were all Israelites.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 5:10-18

The temple was chiefly built by the riches and labour of Gentiles, which typified their being called into the church. Solomon commanded, and they brought costly stones for the foundation. Christ, who is laid for a Foundation, is a chosen and precious Stone. We should lay our foundation firm, and bestow most pains on that part of our religion which lies out of the sight of men. And happy those who, as lively stones…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 5:10-18 →

1 Kings 5:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּ֨עַלvai.Ya.'aland he raisedH5927
הַמֶּ֧לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
שְׁלֹמֹ֛הshe.lo.MohSolomonH8010
מַ֖סmasforced laborH4522
מִכָּל\־mi.kolfrom allH3605
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
וַיְהִ֣יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
הַמַּ֔סha.Masthe forced laborH4522
שְׁלֹשִׁ֥יםshe.lo.ShimthirtyH7970
אֶ֖לֶף'E.lefthousandH505
אִֽישׁ\׃'IshmanH376

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 5:13

  • 1 Kings 9:15

    And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

  • 1 Kings 4:6

    And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
levy. Heb. tribute of men.
4:6
the levy.
9:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 5:12

    And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

  • 1 Kings 5:13

    And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

  • 1 Kings 5:14

    And 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.

Read all of 1 Kings 5

1 Kings 5:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el rey Salomón impuso tributo á todo Israel, y el tributo fué de treinta mil hombres:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il parla sur les arbres, depuis le cèdre qui est sur le Liban, jusqu’à l’hysope qui sort du mur; et il parla sur les bêtes, et sur les oiseaux, et sur les reptiles, et sur les poissons.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der König Salomo hob Fronarbeiter aus ganz Israel aus, und der Fronarbeiter waren 30000 Mann.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Elegitque rex Salomon operarios de omni Israël, et erat indictio triginta millia virorum.