1 Kings 9:23

1 Kings 9:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
• New International Version (NIV)They were also the chief officials in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.
• English Standard Version (ESV)These were the chief officers who were over Solomon's work: 550 who had charge of the people who carried on the work.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Others were chiefs of the officials who were over Solomon’s work: five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people who did the work.

Context of 1 Kings 9:23

21The Israelites had not been able to remove all of these people, so their descendants remained in the land. So Solomon made them do hard work as his slaves. They are still slaves of the Israelites today. 22But Solomon did not make any of the Israelites do the hard work. Instead, they served him as his soldiers, government officers and army officers. Some of the soldiers drove chariots and some were leaders of the chariot drivers. There were also officers who had authority over the slaves who did the work. There were 550 officers who led the work. 24Solomon had built a palace for his wife, Pharaoh's daughter. When the palace was ready, she came up from the City of David. After that, Solomon built the Millo. 25Three times every year Solomon offered burnt offerings and friendship offerings as sacrifices to the Lord. He did this on the altar that he had built for the Lord. With these offerings, he also burned incense to worship the Lord. So the temple became the place to worship the Lord.

1 Kings 9:23 word by word

אֵ֣לֶּה׀ שָׂרֵ֣י הַנִּצָּבִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַל־הַמְּלָאכָה֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֑וֹת הָרֹדִ֣ים בָּעָ֔ם הָעֹשִׂ֖ים בַּמְּלָאכָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• the chiefשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of the officersנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
• over Solomon’sשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
• workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
• hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• and fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
• which bare ruleרָדָהrâdâh · to ruleH7287
• over the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• that wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for 1 Kings 9:23

• 1 Kings 5:16He also had 3,300 officers who told the workers what they should do.
• 2 Chronicles 2:18He chose 70,000 of them to carry things for the buildings and 80,000 of them to cut rocks in the hills. He also chose 3,600 of them to lead the workers, to make sure that they finished the work properly.
• 2 Chronicles 8:10King Solomon had 250 Israelite officers who had authority over the workers.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 9:23

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Five hundred and fifty - See 1 Kings 5:16 note.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-28Verses 15-28 Here is a further account of Solomon's greatness. He began at the right end, for he built God's house first, and finished that before he began his own; then God blessed him, and he prospered in all his other buildings. Let piety begin, and profit follow; leave pleasure to the last. Whatever pains we take for the glory of God, and to profit others, we are likely to have the advantage. Canaan, the holy land, the glory of all lands, had no gold…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-23Solomon's conscripted workers included early Canaanite settlers. There were 550 chief supervisors, and 250 of them were Israelites, overseeing the laborers (2 Chronicles 8:9–10; see 1 Kings 5:15–16 with 2 Chronicles 2:17–18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2415-24. this is the reason of the levy--A levy refers both to men and money, and the necessity for Solomon making it arose from the many gigantic works he undertook to erect. Millo--part of the fort of Jerusalem on Mount Zion (2Sa 5:9; 1Ch 11:8), or a row of stone bastions around Mount Zion, Millo being the great corner tower of that fortified wall (1Ki 11:27; 2Ch 32:5). the wall of Jerusalem--either repairing some breaches in it (1Ki 11:27), or extending…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Levy
• Solomon
• Jerusalem
• Kings, Books of
• Solomon's Servants

Commentaries on 1 Kings 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings