13 Now King Solomon levied forced laborers from all Israel ; and the forced laborers numbered 30,000 e men . 14 He sent them to Lebanon , 10,000 e a month in relays ; they were in Lebanon a month and two months at home . And Adoniram was over the forced laborers . 15 Now Solomon had 70,000 e transporters e , and 80,000 e hewers of stone in the mountains , 16 besides e Solomon's 3,300 e e e chief deputies who were over the project and who ruled over the people who were doing the work . 17 Then the king commanded , and they quarried great stones , costly stones , to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones . 18 So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 5:13-18
Commentary on 1 Kings 5:10-18
(Read 1 Kings 5:10-18)
The temple was chiefly built by the riches and labour of Gentiles, which typified their being called into the church. Solomon commanded, and they brought costly stones for the foundation. Christ, who is laid for a Foundation, is a chosen and precious Stone. We should lay our foundation firm, and bestow most pains on that part of our religion which lies out of the sight of men. And happy those who, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, for a habitation of God through the Spirit. Who among us will build in the house of the Lord?