2 Chronicles 8:10

[See comments on 2 Chronicles 8:6].

And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people. These were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.

2 Chronicles 8:10 And these [were] the chief of king Solomon’ s officers, [even] two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people. Ver. 10. See on 1 Kings 9:23.

(b) THE FORCED LABOUR OF THE (2 Chronicles 8:7-10). With this section comp. 1 Kings 9:20-23, and the Notes there. In Kings it stands in more obvious connection with what precedes; for there the account of Solomon’s buildings is headed by the words, “And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, for to build the house of the Lord,” &c. (1 Kings 9:15). (7) As for all the people that were left.—The verse agrees with 1 Kings 9:20. (8) But.—Omit. The of also is wanting in 1 Kings 9:21. So Syriac, but not LXX. and Vulgate. Consumed not.—1 Samuel 15:18. Kings, “were not able to exterminate.” The chronicler’s reading is probably due to the fading of letters in his MS. authority. Them did Solomon make to pay tribute.—On them did Solomon levy a tribute. Kings has the fuller expression, mas ‘τbηd, “tribute of labourers.” “Solomon en fit de levιes pour la corvιe” (Reuss).(9) But of the children of Israel.—See 1 Kings 9:22. The Heb. text has the relative (‘asher) after “children of Israel.” But some few MSS., and the ancient versions, omit it. It is, perhaps, an accidental repetition from the beginning of 2 Chronicles 8:8. According to Diod. Sic. i. 56, Sesostris (Rameses II.), the great Egyptian monarch, was wont to inscribe over the temples he built, “No native hath laboured hereon.” After “men of war,” Kings adds, “and his servants,” which is omitted here as unsuitable, after the preceding statement. It means, however, courtiers and officers. Chief of his captains.—Heb., captains of his knights; which appears to be incorrect. Read, “his captains and his knights,” or “aides-de-camp.” as in Kings. LXX., καὶἄρχοντεςκαὶδυνατοὶ.(10) The chief of king Solomon’s officers.—“Captains of the overseers,” or “prefects,” i.e., chief overseers, or inspectors of works (Comp. 1 Chronicles 18:13, and 2 Chronicles 17:2, for the word n’ηξbξm, prefects.) The Heb. margin suggests niηηabξm, the word used in Kings. King Solomon’s.—Literally, Who were to king Solomon. Kings, who were over the work for Solomon. Clearly the latter has been corrupted into the form presented by our text through a confusion of mĕ ?lβkβh, “work,” with mθlek, “king.” Two hundred and fifty.—See 2 Chronicles 2:17, and 1 Kings 9:23. In the latter place 550 is the number. The number here is an error of transcription, γπ, i.e., 550, having been mistaken for επ, i.e., 250 (Kennicott). Bare rule.—They were taskmasters. (Comp. Syriac, “who made the people work who were working at the works.”) The people—i.e., the Canaanite remnant (2 Chronicles 8:7). Kings adds, who were labouring at the work. (See Syriac.)

10. And these were the chief] After this preface (cp. 1 Kings 9:23) we expect both here and in 1 Kin. a list of these persons; cp. 1 Chronicles 11:10 ff; 1 Chronicles 12:1 ff. Possibly the text of 1 Kin. suffered at an early date, and the list was missing when the Chronicler wrote. two hundred and fifty] According to 1 Kings 9:23, five hundred and fifty. On the other hand the under-overseers are reckoned at three thousand six hundred in 2 Chronicles 2:18 as against three thousand three hundred in 1 Kings 5:16. The total number therefore of overseers of all kinds is given both in 1 Kin. and 2 Chr. as 3850.

On the number compare 1 Kings 5:16 note.