Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
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).
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
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).
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
And Solomon had seventy thousand that bore burdens, and eighty thousand stone-masons in the mountains;
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand that were hewers in the mountains;
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains,
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.
Then he had seventy thousand for the work of transport, and eighty thousand stone-cutters in the mountains;