Thirty thousand men] These were probably taken from native Israelites (cp. the prediction in 1 Samuel 8:11); whereas the 150,000 labourers mentioned in 1 Kings 5:15 were 'strangers that were in the land of Israel' (2 Chronicles 2:17 : cp. 1 Kings 9:20; 1 Kings 9:2). David seems to have imposed forced labour upon the latter only (1 Chronicles 22:2); and the different practice of his son caused the discontent that eventually rent the kingdom in two (1 Kings 12:4). 14. By courses] i.e. by turns or shifts. Adoniram] see 1 Kings 4:6, the Adoram of 1 Kings 12:18.

17. Great stones] Some of these perhaps still remain, for stones 30 ft. long and 7J ft. high have been found (it is said) 'at the SW, angle of the wall of the Haram area in the modern Jerusalem.'
18. The stonesquarers] RV 'Gebautes': the inhabitants of Gebal or Byblus, a maritime town at the foot of Lebanon.

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