I Kings 5:17

And the king had large, costly stones broken, "to lay the foundation of the house with hewn stones." יקרות does not mean heavy (Thenius), for this would be a perfectly superfluous remark, inasmuch as large stones are always heavy, but costly, valuable stones, qui multa pecunia constabant (Cler.); compare Kg1 10:2, where the word stands for precious stones. ליסּד, i.e., to lay the foundation for the temple, by which we are to understand not merely the foundation for the temple-house, but the magnificent substructions for the whole of the temple area, even though the strong walls which surrounded the temple mountain, and which Josephus describes in his Antiquities, viii. 3, 9, and xv. 11, 3, and in his de Bell. Jud. v. 5, 1, may not have been all completed by Solomon, but may have been a work of centuries. For further remarks on this subject, see at Kg1 6:38. גזית אבני are squared stones, according to Kg1 7:10, of ten and eight cubits.

The great work which Solomon was raised up to do was the building of the temple; his wealth and wisdom were given him to qualify him for that. In this, especially, he was to be a type of Christ, for "he shall build the temple of the Lord," Zac 6:12. In this chapter we have an account of the preparations he made for that and his other buildings. Gold and silver his good father had prepared in abundance, but timber and stones he must get ready; and about these we have him treating with Hiram king of Tyre. I. Hiram congratulated him on his accession to the throne (Kg1 5:1). II. Solomon signified to him his design to build the temple and desired him to furnish him with workmen (Kg1 5:2-6). III. Hiram agreed to do it (Kg1 5:7-9). IV. Solomon's work was accordingly well done and Hiram's workmen were well paid (Kg1 5:10-18).

5:17-18 Large blocks of high-quality stone were probably cut to size (see 7:10) in a quarry near Jerusalem (6:7). The need to handle these massive stones is probably what led Solomon to institute forced labor. The craftsmen included men from . . . Gebal (Byblos), a port known for exporting timber, according to ancient Egyptian inscriptions.