1 Kings 5:15

“And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, etc.] Seventy thousand to carry the stones from the mountains out of which they were dug, and which were near Jerusalem, to the city; these were strangers in Israel, as were those that follow: and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains: eighty thousand that dug the stones out of the quarries, and squared them; these, with the others, made 150,000, (see <140217>2 Chronicles 2:17); according to Jacob Leon f83, the number of workmen at the temple for seven years was 163,600, and some make them more.”

“That bare burdens ... - Compare the marginal references. These laborers, whose services were continuous, consisted of “strangers” - “the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites” - whom Solomon, following the example of his father 1 Chronicles 22:2, condemned to slavery, and employed in this way. return to 'Top of Page'”

“threescore: These were all strangers, or proselytes, dwelling among the Israelites, as we learn from the paralled place in 2Chr. Kg1 9:20-22; Ch2 2:17, Ch2 2:18, Ch2 8:7-9; Ezr 2:58; Neh 7:57, Neh 7:60 3 Kings (1 Kings) 5:16”

“And Solomon had 70,000 bearers of burdens and 80,000 hewers of stone on the mountains (of Lebanon). חצב is understood by the older translators as referring simply to hewers of stone. This is favoured both by the context, since Kg1 5:18 speaks of stone-mason's work, and also by the usage of the language, inasmuch as חצב is mostly applied to the quarrying and cutting of stones ( Deu 6:11; Isa 5:2; Pro 9:1; Kg2 12:13), and only occurs in Isa 10:15 in connection with the cutting of wood. The hewing and preparing of the wood were amply provided for by 30,000 Israelites. That the 150,000 bearers of burdens and hewers of stone were not taken from the Israelites, is evident from the fact that they…”