And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.

2 CHRONICLES 2:17KJV
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2 Chronicles 2:17 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 2:17 mean?

2 Chronicles 2:17 describes how King Solomon counted all the foreigners living in Israel, following a similar census that his father David had done before him. The total number of these foreigners was found to be 153,600.

Solomon is preparing for the massive building project of the temple, and he needs to know how many non-Israelite workers are available for labor. The verse shows Solomon’s careful organization and his continuation of David’s administrative practices. The focus is on the practical step of numbering people for a specific purpose, not on their status or worth.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 2:17

  • The word for “strangers” is גֵּרִים (gerim), from גֵּר (ger, H1616), which often means foreigners or resident aliens—people living in Israel but not native Israelites. This highlights that Solomon is counting a specific group, not the whole population.
  • The verb “numbered” is סָפַר (safar, H5608), which means to count or take a census. This is a deliberate, organized act, not just an estimate, showing the administrative care taken.
  • The phrase “after the numbering” uses פְּקֻדָּה (pekuddah, H5610), which refers to an official registration or census, connecting Solomon’s action directly to David’s previous census.

Why 2 Chronicles 2:17 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Solomon relied on the work and records of his father David, showing continuity in leadership and planning between the two kings.
  • The focus on foreigners (gerim) reveals that much of the labor for the temple would come from non-Israelites, which is important for understanding the social and workforce structure of ancient Israel.
  • By showing the exact number of people counted, the verse emphasizes the scale of Solomon’s building project and the administrative effort involved.

Where else these words appear

“strangers” Hebrew H1616 · used in 83 verses

  • Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
  • Leviticus 25:35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
  • Deuteronomy 26:13 Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:

“fifty” Hebrew H2572 · used in 141 verses

  • Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
  • Numbers 4:30 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
  • 2 Kings 21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.