1 Kings 5 13

1 Kings 5:13 kjv

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

1 Kings 5:13 nkjv

Then King Solomon raised up a labor force out of all Israel; and the labor force was thirty thousand men.

1 Kings 5:13 niv

King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel?thirty thousand men.

1 Kings 5:13 esv

King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men.

1 Kings 5:13 nlt

Then King Solomon conscripted a labor force of 30,000 men from all Israel.

1 Kings 5 verses

1 Kings 5 13 Meaning

This verse details King Solomon's initiation of a system of forced labor or national conscription from across all of Israel to gather the immense workforce needed for his building projects, notably the Temple in Jerusalem. A staggering total of thirty thousand Israelite men were drafted into this labor levy, showcasing the massive scale of royal mobilization and authority during his reign.

1 Kings 5 13 Context

This verse appears in 1 Kings Chapter 5, which outlines the comprehensive preparations undertaken by King Solomon for the construction of the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. After securing wisdom and administrative prowess from the Lord (Chapter 3) and establishing a vast and prosperous kingdom with an intricate governmental structure (Chapter 4), Solomon turns his attention to fulfilling his father David's desire to build a dwelling place for God. Having established a cooperative agreement with King Hiram of Tyre for valuable cedar and cypress timber, along with skilled craftsmen (1 Kgs 5:1-12), Solomon now mobilizes his own people. Verse 13 details this internal conscription of manpower, highlighting that the monumental undertaking of building the Temple required a national effort, which, while impressive in scale, also initiated a burdensome policy that would later sow seeds of discontent among the Israelite tribes. Historically, large-scale corvée labor was a standard practice for ancient Near Eastern empires to undertake massive public works, aligning Solomon's methods with powerful contemporary rulers.

1 Kings 5 13 Word analysis

• King Solomon: Refers to שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ (Shelomo ha-melekh). Solomon, "man of peace," was the renowned son of King David, chosen by God to build the first Temple. His reign represents a zenith of prosperity and wisdom in Israel's united monarchy.
• drafted: From the Hebrew וַיַּעַל (vayyaʿal), meaning "and he raised" or "he brought up." This verb signifies an active, authoritative act of levying or conscription by the king, denoting his power to mobilize human resources.
• forced labor: The key Hebrew term is מַס (mas). This refers to compulsory service or tribute, specifically corvée labor.
  • Significance: Mas signifies a state-imposed burden, distinguishing it from voluntary or paid employment. While some scholars debate the extent of its severity for Israelites compared to foreign populations, its presence implies an obligation under the central monarchy, a new development for unified Israel.
  • Nuance: In 1 Kgs 9:22, it states Solomon "made no slaves" of Israelites, implying the mas for them was likely a rotational, perhaps compensated, national service rather than permanent chattel slavery, unlike the enduring, more oppressive mas imposed on conquered Canaanites (1 Kgs 9:20-21). This distinction is vital for understanding the nature of the levy.
• out of all Israel: מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל (mi-kol-Yisraʾel). This emphasizes the nationwide reach of the conscription, demonstrating Solomon's centralized authority extending over every tribe. It underlines that the cost and effort of these grand projects were borne by the entire populace.
• and the draft: Again, מַס (mas). The repetition emphasizes the system of forced labor itself, reiterating its official establishment as a significant royal policy.
• was a total of: Implies "amounted to" or "totaled."
• 30,000 men: שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף אִישׁ (shĕloshim ʾelef ʾish). This specific number indicates the sheer scale of the operation and the extensive manpower required.
  • Rotational System: 1 Kgs 5:14 immediately clarifies these 30,000 Israelites worked in 10,000-man shifts, one month on duty (in Lebanon) and two months at home, making it a form of rotational civic service rather than perpetual enslavement.
  • Contrast: These 30,000 were distinct from the 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters (1 Kgs 5:15), who were predominantly non-Israelite and engaged in more strenuous, continuous labor.

• "King Solomon drafted forced labor": This phrase succinctly presents the new reality of centralized monarchical power in Israel. Solomon's authority enabled him to initiate a massive system of labor conscription, essential for building state infrastructure and the Temple, reflecting practices common among powerful Near Eastern empires.
• "out of all Israel": This highlights the national burden placed on the entire population, rather than specific regions or merely conquered peoples. While reflecting the united kingdom's strength under Solomon, it also alludes to the strain and resentment this imposition would later cause across the tribal territories, becoming a key factor in the kingdom's division.
• "and the draft was a total of 30,000 men": The specific large number underlines the monumental scale of Solomon's vision and the sophisticated organization required to manage such a vast workforce. It underscores both the impressive capacity of the Solomonic administration and the considerable human effort demanded from the Israelite populace for the unprecedented building projects of the era.

1 Kings 5 13 Bonus section

• Adoniram, the Man of the Levy: The chief official responsible for Solomon's mas was Adoniram (also called Adoram or Hadoram). He held this position from David's time and tragically became a symbol of the people's resentment. In 1 Kings 12:18, during Rehoboam's reign, Adoniram was stoned to death by the Israelites, explicitly demonstrating the severe grievance the mas system provoked, eventually leading to the northern tribes' secession.
• Theological Nuance in Temple Building: While the Temple's construction was God's will and purpose (2 Sam 7), the means Solomon employed, particularly the large-scale mas, reflects a worldly royal model, sometimes utilizing methods that strained the principles of equity within the covenant community. The biblical narrative subtly critiques such royal ambition and its reliance on human strength (taxes, labor) as opposed to pure divine provision, a theme that contributes to the eventual unraveling of the united monarchy.
• Contrast with Exodus: This conscription of Israelite labor echoes, yet starkly contrasts with, Israel's experience under Egyptian forced labor (Exo 1:11). While one was liberation from oppression and the other a domestic levy for a holy purpose, the shared element of "burden" is notable, and prophetic voices would later critique Israelite leaders for similar exploitation (Jer 22:13).
• Royal Taxation vs. Service: Ancient kingdoms typically levied taxes in kind (produce) or in service (labor). Solomon chose the latter on a grand scale, integrating his populace into a centralized state system that resembled broader ancient Near Eastern patterns, further demonstrating Israel's transition into a full-fledged kingdom with centralized administrative capacities and accompanying responsibilities.

1 Kings 5 13 Commentary

1 Kings 5:13 succinctly captures King Solomon's mobilization of 30,000 Israelite men into a system of "forced labor" (mas) for his monumental building projects, chief among them the Temple. While "forced labor" sounds harsh, the immediate follow-up in 1 Kings 5:14 reveals a crucial detail: these Israelite laborers operated on a rotational basis (one month on, two months off), distinguishing their service from the full-time, arguably more servile, work imposed on the larger contingent of foreign laborers (1 Kgs 5:15). Nevertheless, this royal prerogative to draft citizens represented a significant governmental shift from earlier tribal structures, demonstrating Solomon's vast authority and ambition. Though vital for the Temple's construction, this mas was ultimately a heavy burden, fueling resentment that later directly contributed to the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam (1 Kgs 12). The verse thus portrays a powerful king executing God's command through means that, while effective, created a legacy of discontent among his people.

Practical usage examples:

• The Cost of Grand Projects: Reminds us that ambitious endeavors often demand significant, sometimes burdensome, contributions from individuals or a community.
• Leadership and Leverage: Illustrates how great leadership can mobilize vast resources, but also carries the risk of imposing heavy burdens if not balanced with wisdom and compassion for the led.
• Consequences of Policy: Highlights how seemingly practical governmental policies can have long-lasting societal repercussions, demonstrating the interconnectedness of grand vision, implementation, and future stability.