71 Solomon was thirteen years building a house for himself till it was complete. 2 And he made the house of the Woods of Lebanon, which was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high, resting on four lines of cedar-wood pillars with cedar-wood supports on the pillars. 3 And it was covered with cedar over the forty-five supports which were on the pillars, fifteen in a line. 4 There were three lines of window-frames, window facing window in every line. 5 And all the doors and windows had square frames, with the windows facing one another in three lines. 6 And he made a covered room of pillars, fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide, and ... with steps before it. 7 Then he made a covered room for his high seat when he gave decisions; this was the covered room of judging; it was covered with cedar-wood from floor to roof. 8 And the house for his living-place, the other open square in the covered room, was made in the same way. And then he made a house like it for Pharaoh's daughter, whom Solomon had taken as his wife.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 7:1-8
Commentary on 1 Kings 7:1-12
(Read 1 Kings 7:1-12)
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 laid in early piety. He was thirteen years building his house, yet he built 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.