What is the meaning of 1 Kings 5:15? Solomon had Solomon, the God-appointed king whose wisdom was “greater than all the men of the East” (1 Kings 4:30), personally took responsibility for staffing the massive temple project. • His direct oversight reflects Proverbs 16:3—“Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.” • It also fulfills David’s charge in 1 Chronicles 28:20, where the former king told his son, “Be strong and courageous and do the work… the LORD God… will not fail you.” By stating flatly that “Solomon had,” Scripture underscores that the workforce was not an ad-hoc crowd but a deliberately organized labor force under covenant leadership. 70,000 porters Porters (or burden-bearers) hauled timber, stone, and supplies from forest and quarry to the construction site. • 2 Chronicles 2:17-18 notes that Solomon “assigned 70,000 to carry loads,” confirming the headcount and emphasizing administrative precision. • Nehemiah 4:10 reminds us that “the strength of the burden-bearers is failing,” showing how physically demanding such service could be. • Their sheer number highlights the monumental scale of the temple—far beyond any private shrine, anticipating Jesus’ later words about the temple being “great” (Matthew 24:1-2). Though unseen on the final day, these laborers illustrate 1 Corinthians 12:22: “The members that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” and 80,000 stonecutters Stonecutters shaped the limestone blocks so perfectly that “no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built” (1 Kings 6:7). • Exodus 35:31-33 shows that God fills craftsmen “with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,” grounding their skill in divine gifting. • 1 Chronicles 22:2 records David gathering “stonecutters to dress stones for building the house of God,” linking father and son in one continuous plan. • Their 80,000 headcount testifies to the temple’s permanence; stones signal stability (Psalm 18:2) and foreshadow Christ as the “chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). in the mountains The mountains of Lebanon and the Judean highlands supplied quality quarried stone (cf. 1 Kings 5:6). • Working “in the mountains” demanded courage and perseverance, echoing Psalm 121:1—“I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?” • The elevated site pictures believers “being built up as a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5), hewn from the rough world and fitted for God’s dwelling. • The location also fulfilled practical wisdom: quarries away from the city kept noise and debris from the sacred precinct, an early example of orderly worship (1 Corinthians 14:40). summary 1 Kings 5:15 spotlights the vast, organized labor Solomon marshaled for God’s house: 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 skilled stonecutters toiling in mountain quarries. The verse magnifies the king’s wise administration, the people’s united service, and the temple’s grandeur—each part echoing God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises through dedicated, coordinated work. |
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