Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 7:1-12
Never had any man so much of the spirit of building as Solomon had, nor to better purpose; he began with the temple, built for God first, and then all his other buildings were comfortable. The surest foundations of lasting prosperity are those which are laid in an early piety, Mat 6:33. 1. He built a house for himself (Kg1 7:1), where he dwelt, Kg1 7:8. His father had built a good house; but it was no reflection upon his father for him to build a better, in proportion to the estate wherewith God had blessed him. Much of the comfort of this life is connected with an agreeable house. He was thirteen years building this house, whereas he built the temple in little more than seven years; not tha…
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Building his own house - This house is said to have been situated in Jerusalem, and probably was, what some call it, his winter's residence. It is called the king's house, Kg1 9:10.
John Gill on 1 Kings 7:1
But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years,.... He made more haste with the house of God than with his own, for that was but seven years in building; which showed greater regard to the honour of God then to his own glory, or even convenience; nor was this built till after that:
and finished all his house; or houses he undertook to build, the singular for the plural; even the house of God, his own palace, and that for the daughter of Pharaoh, and that which is next mentioned, which were in all twenty years building, 1 Kings 9:10.
Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Kings 7:1-12
Erection of the royal palace. - Kg1 7:1 is closely connected in form with Kg1 6:38, and contains a summary account of the building, which is more minutely described in Kg1 7:2-12. "And Solomon built his house (his palace) in thirteen years, and finished (in that time) all his house." The thirteen years are to be reckoned after the completion of the temple in seven years, so that the two buildings were executed in twenty years (Kg1 9:10). The expression כּל־בּיתו is used, because the palace consisted of several buildings connected together; namely, (1) the house of the forest of Lebanon (Kg1 7:2-5); (2) the pillar-hall with the porch (Kg1 7:6); (3) the throne-room and judgment-hall (Kg1 7:7);…
