John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon , etc.] Besides the temple, his own palace, and the queen’s; so called, not because it was built on Mount Lebanon, which lay at the northern border of the land, at a great distance from Jerusalem, whereas this was both a magazine of arms, and a court of judicature, ( 1 Kings 7:7); (see 1 Kings 10:17 Isaiah 22:8); neither of which can be supposed to be far from Jerusalem; but because not only it was built of the cedars of Lebanon, but in a situation, and among groves of trees which resembled it; it seems to have been a summer house; and so the Targum calls it, a royal house of refreshment: the length thereof [was] an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty and the height thereof thirty cubits ; so that it was in every measure larger than the temple; and, there was good reason for it, since into that only the priests entered; whereas into this went not only Solomon’s family but his courtiers and nobles, and all foreign ambassadors, and whoever had any business with him, which required various rooms to receive them in: upon four rows of cedar pillars ; or piazzas: with cedar beams upon the pillars ; which laid the floor for the second story.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-12 - All Solomon's buildings, though beautiful, were intended for use Solomon began with the temple; he built for God first, and then his other buildings. The surest foundations of lasting prosperity are lai in early piety. He was thirteen years building his house, yet he buil the temple in little more than seven years; not that he was more exact but less eager in building his own house, than in building God's. We ought to prefer God's honour before our own ease and satisfaction.
Original Hebrew ויבן1129 את853 בית1004 יער3293 הלבנון3844 מאה3967 אמה520 ארכו753 וחמשׁים2572 אמה520 רחבו7341 ושׁלשׁים7970 אמה520 קומתו6967 על5921 ארבעה702 טורי2905 עמודי5982 ארזים730 וכרתות3773 ארזים730 על5921 העמודים׃5982
