1 Kings 5:13

“And King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel, etc.] Not of money, but of men, as follows: and the levy was thirty thousand men; for what purpose, and how they were employed, (<110514>1 Kings 5:14) shows.”

“SOLOMON'S WORKMEN AND LABORERS. (Kg1 5:13-18) Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel--The renewed notice of Solomon's divine gift of wisdom (Kg1 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…”

“A levy out of all Israel - This was, apparently, the first time that the Israelites had been called upon to perform forced labor, though it had been prophesied 1 Samuel 8:16. David had bound to forced service “the strangers” 1 Chronicles 22:2; but hitherto the Israelites had escaped. Solomon now, in connection with his proposed work of building the temple, with the honor of God as an excuse, laid this burden upon them. Out of the 1,300, 000 able-bodied Israelites 2 Samuel 24:9, a band of 30,000 - one in forty-four - was raised, of whom one-third was constantly at work in Lebanon, while two-thirds remained at home, and pursued their usual occupations. This, though a very light form of task…”

“The levy - Which were to be employed in the most honourable and easy parts of the work relating to the temple; and these were Israelites; but those fifteen hundred thousand mentioned Kg1 5:15, were strangers. If it seem strange, that so many thousands should be employed about so small a building as the temple was; it must be considered, that the temple, all its parts being considered, was far larger than men imagine; that it is probable, they were employed by turns, as the thirty thousand were, Kg1 5:14, else they had been oppressed with hard and uninterrupted labours. that the timber and stone hewed and carried by them, was designed, not only for the temple, but also for Solomon's own…”

“5:13-18 This passage describes Solomon’s work force and the division of labor. Forced labor was a common practice in the ancient Near East (see study note on 4:6). 5:13 Aliens with permanent residency in Israel comprised the bulk of Solomon’s labor force. Native Israelites were apparently temporary supervisors for Solomon’s building projects (9:22-23; 11:28).”

“levy: Heb. tribute of men, Kg1 4:6 the levy: Kg1 9:15 3 Kings (1 Kings) 5:14”

“The tributary labourers out of Israel. - Kg1 5:13, Kg1 5:14. Solomon raised a tribute (מס, tribute-labourers, as in Kg1 4:6) out of all Israel, i.e., out of the whole nation (not "out of the whole territory of Israel," as Ewald supposes), 30,000 men, and sent them up to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in rotation; one month they were on Lebanon (doing tribute work), two months at home (looking after the cultivation of their own ground). ויּעל, from העלה, does not mean in tabulas referre, in support of which appeal is made to Ch1 27:24, though on insufficient ground, but ascendere fecit, corresponding to the German ausheben (to raise). He raised them out of the nation, to send the up Lebanon (cf. Kg1…”