John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt , etc.] The Tyrian writers make it five hundred sixty years from hence; but this no doubt is tightest, which Junius reckons thus; forty years Israel were in the wilderness, seventeen under Joshua, two hundred ninety nine under the judges, eighty under Eli, Samuel, and Saul, forty under David, add to which the four years of Solomon, and they make four hundred eighty f87 ; they are somewhat differently reckoned by others from the coming out of Egypt to Joshua forty years, from thence to the first servitude under Cushan twenty five, from thence to the death of Abimelech two hundred fifty six, under Thola twenty three, from thence to the Ammonitish servitude four, under that eighteen, under the judges, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, thirty one, Samuel and Saul forty, David forty, and Solomon three, in all four hundred eighty; in the, fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel ; when he was clear of all disturbers of his government, and had got all things ready for the building of the temple, and had gathered together gold and silver enough of his own to defray the expenses; for, as for what David gave him, he put that into the treasury of the Lord’s house, (see 1 Kings 7:51); in the month Zif, which [is] the second month ; and so must be Jiar, for Abib or Nisan was the first, and Jiar was the second, which answered to part of our April and part of May; called Zif either from the splendour of the sun, being now higher, and so the greater; or from the trees and flowers of the field being in all their glory; and so the Targum here calls it, the month of splendour of flowers: and it was on the second day of it, that he began to build the house of the Lord : and a very fit and proper season of the year it was to begin it in, (see 2 Chronicles 3:2).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - The temple is called the house of the Lord, because it was directed an modelled by him, and was to be employed in his service. This gave in the beauty of holiness, that it was the house of the Lord, which wa far beyond all other beauties. It was to be the temple of the God of peace, therefore no iron tool must be heard; quietness and silence sui and help religious exercises. God's work should be done with much car and little noise. Clamour and violence often hinder, but never furthe the work of God. Thus the kingdom of God in the heart of man grows u in silence, Mr 5:27.
Original Hebrew ויהי1961 בשׁמונים8084 שׁנה8141 וארבע702 מאות3967 שׁנה8141 לצאת3318 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 מארץ776 מצרים4714 בשׁנה8141 הרביעית7243 בחדשׁ2320 זו2099 הוא1931 החדשׁ2320 השׁני8145 למלך4427 שׁלמה8010 על5921 ישׂראל3478 ויבן1129 הבית1004 ליהוה׃3068
