They — That is, thy servants. And this assistance which these Gentiles gave to the building of Solomon's temple, was a type of the calling of the Gentiles, and that they should be instrumental in building and constituting Christ's spiritual temple. Cedar — trees — Which for their soundness, and stre... [ Continue Reading ]
Rejoiced — Being a faithful friend to David and his house, and tho' it is not probable he was a sincere proselyte, yet he had sufficient information concerning the nature and excellency of the God of Israel, and had honourable thoughts of him.... [ Continue Reading ]
The sea — The mid — land sea. Floats — Or, rafts. It is thought the timber were tied together in the water, as now is usual, and so by the help of boats or ships, conveyed to the appointed place, which was at no great distance. Household — My family and court, which most properly is called his house... [ Continue Reading ]
Measures — Heb. twenty cors pure oil; but in 2 Chronicles 2:10, it is twenty thousand baths of oil. To which there is added twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine. Either therefore, first, he speaks of several things. Or, secondly, he speaks there of what Solomon offer... [ Continue Reading ]
The levy — Which were to be employed in the most honourable and easy parts of the work relating to the temple; and these were Israelites; but those fifteen hundred thousand mentioned 1 Kings 5:15, were strangers. If it seem strange, that so many thousands should be employed about so small a building... [ Continue Reading ]
Three thousand &c. — Whereof three thousand were set over the fifteen hundred thousand, expressed 1 Kings 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... [ Continue Reading ]
Great and costly — Marble and porphyry, or other stones of great size and value. The foundation — Where they could not afterward be seen: and therefore that this was done, is mentioned only as a point of magnificence, except it was intended for a type, or mystical signification of the preciousness o... [ Continue Reading ]
Stone — squarers — Heb. the Giblites, the inhabitants of Gebel, a place near Zidon, famous for artificers and architects, Joshua 13:5. These are here mentioned apart, distinct from the rest of Hiram's builders, as the most eminent of them.... [ Continue Reading ]