1 Kings 5:16

“Besides the chief of Solomon’s officers which [were] over the work, etc.] Over the whole work, preparatory for the building of the temple; though it seems chiefly to have respect to that of hewing the stones, and bringing them to the city: three thousand and three hundred which ruled over the people that wrought in the work; to keep them to their work, and to see that they performed it well: in (<140218>2 Chronicles 2:18); they are said to be 3600, which is three hundred more than here; those three hundred are the chief officers mentioned in the former part of this verse, which were over the whole work, and even over the 3600 overseers, and with them made up the sum of 3600; so Jacob Leon…”

“Comparing this verse and 1 Kings 9:23 with 2 Chronicles 2:18; 2 Chronicles 8:10, the entire number of the overseers will be seen to be stated by both writers at 3,850; but in the one case nationality, in the other degree of authority, is made the principle of the division. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Three thousand &c. - Whereof three thousand were set over the fifteen hundred thousand, expressed Kg1 5:15, each of these, over fifty of them, and the odd three hundred were set over these three thousand, each of these to have the oversight of ten of them, to take an account of the work for them. But in Ch2 2:18, these overseers are said to be thirty - six hundred. The three thousand added in Ch2 2:2, might be a reserve, to supply the places of the other three thousand: yea, or of the thirty - three hundred, as any of them should be taken off from the work by death, or sickness, or weakness, or necessary occasions; which was a prudent provision, and not unusual in like cases. And so there…”

“5:16 3,600 foremen: In 2 Chronicles (2 Chr 2:2, 17-18; 8:10) the foremen total 3,600 non-Israelite and 250 Israelite chief supervisors. The numbers in the Hebrew text of 1 Kgs 5:16 and 9:23 are 3,300 foremen and 550 chief supervisors. It is possible that 250 of the chief supervisors were Israelites, with 300 non-Israelites holding the same rank.”

“three thousand: In the parallel passage of Chronicles, it is "three thousand six hundred," which is also the reading of the Septuagint here. Kg1 9:23; Ch2 2:2 3 Kings (1 Kings) 5:17”

“"Beside (לבד), i.e., without reckoning, the princes, Solomon's officers, who were over the work (i.e., the chiefs appointed by Solomon as overlookers of the work), 3300, who ruled over the people who laboured at the work." הנּצּבים שׂרי, as Thenius correctly observes, cannot be the chief of the overlookers, i.e., the head inspectors, as there is no allusion made to subordinate inspectors, and the number given is much too large for head inspectors. נצּבים, which is governed by שׂרי in the construct state, is to be taken as defining the substantive: principes qui praefecti erant (Vatabl.; cf. Ewald, 287, a.). Moreover, at the close of the account of the whole of Solomon's buildings ( Kg1…”