1 Kings 6:7

stone made readybefore it was broughtthither] The R.V. renders made ready at the quarry with a margin on the last three words -when it was brought away." The final Hebrew word מַסָּע on which the various reading is given is from the root of the verb rendered doubly in 1 Kings 6:17 -to hew" or -to bring away." The best authorities incline to make it a noun signifying -the place of hewing," -the stonequarry." The LXX. gives λίθοις ἀκροτόμοις, which implies that the stones were made of their necessary shape at the quarry. The idea of this preparation at a distance, so that there might be as little noise as possible while the building was in progress, was probably derived from the command (Exodus 20:25; Deuteronomy 27:5) that no iron tool should be used in the erection of the altar. This previous exact preparation must have made the transport a matter of serious care.

On the Jewish fables about the worm -Shamir" by which Solomon caused the stones to be cut, see Buxtorf, Lex. Chald.p. 2455 s.v. שׁמיר.