And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;

1 KINGS 5:15KJV
Know the Bible

1 Kings 5:15 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 5:15 mean?

1 Kings 5:15 describes how King Solomon organized a massive workforce for his building projects, specifically mentioning seventy thousand people who carried burdens and eighty thousand who cut stone in the mountains. This verse highlights the scale and labor required for Solomon’s construction efforts, especially for the temple in Jerusalem.

In the context of 1 Kings, these numbers are part of a larger description of Solomon’s preparations to build the temple, a major event in Israel’s history. The verse shows the practical steps Solomon took, including recruiting and assigning thousands of workers to different tasks. The mention of “hewers in the mountains” points to the hard labor of quarrying stone, while “bare burdens” refers to those who transported materials.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 5:15

  • "bare burdens" (נֹשֵׂא, nosé and סַבָּל, sabbal): The phrase refers to those who carried heavy loads, likely stones and other materials, from the mountains to the building site. This highlights the physically demanding nature of their work.
  • "hewers" (חָצֵב, chotzev): This word means “stonecutters” or “quarrymen,” describing those who cut and shaped the stones directly from the mountains. Their skilled labor was essential for preparing the materials needed for construction.
  • "mountains" (הָרִים, harim): The use of “mountains” shows that the stone was sourced from rugged, elevated areas, not just nearby fields, emphasizing the effort and organization required.

Why 1 Kings 5:15 matters

  • This verse helps clarify the sheer scale and organization behind Solomon’s building projects, showing that the temple’s construction was a national effort involving tens of thousands of workers.
  • The detail about “hewers in the mountains” connects to the quality and effort involved in sourcing the best materials, not just using what was most convenient.
  • By listing the different types of workers, the verse sets up the following passages, which further describe Solomon’s preparations and the cooperation between Israel and neighboring nations like Tyre.

Where else these words appear

“burdens” Hebrew H5449 · used in 5 verses

  • 2 Chronicles 2:2 And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.
  • 2 Chronicles 2:18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.
  • 2 Chronicles 34:13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.

“hewers” Hebrew H2672 · used in 22 verses

  • Deuteronomy 6:11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
  • 2 Chronicles 24:12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.
  • Isaiah 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

“fourscore” Hebrew H8084 · used in 37 verses

  • Genesis 5:25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:
  • 2 Samuel 19:35 I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
  • 2 Chronicles 14:8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.

“ten” Hebrew H7657 · used in 90 verses

  • Genesis 4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
  • Numbers 7:73 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
  • 2 Chronicles 2:2 And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.