1Ki 5:18
With 1Ki 5:18 the account of the preparations for the building of the temple, which were the object of Solomon’s negotiations with Hiram, is brought to a close. “Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders, even the Giblites, hewed and prepared the wood and the stones for the building of the house.” The object to יפסלוּ is not the square stones mentioned before, but the trees (beams) and stones mentioned after ויּכנוּ. והגּבלים is to be taken as explanatory, “even the Giblites,” giving a more precise definition of “Hiram’s builders.” The Giblites are the inhabitants of the town of Gebal, called Byblos by the Greeks, to the north of Beirut (see at Jos 13:5), which was the nearest to the celebrated cedar forest of the larger Phoenician towns. According to Eze 27:9, the Giblites (Byblians) were experienced in the art of shipbuilding, and therefore were probably skilful builders generally, and as such the most suitable of Hiram’s subjects to superintend the working of the wood and stone for Solomon’s buildings. For it was in the very nature of the case that the number of the Phoenician builders was only a small one, and that they were merely the foremen; and this may also be inferred from the large number of his own subjects whom Solomon appointed to the work. Building of the Temple - 1 Kings 6
The account of the building of the temple commences with a statement of the date of the building (1Ki 6:1); and this is followed by a description of the plan and size of the temple-house (1Ki 6:2-10), to which there is also appended the divine promise made to Solomon during the erection of the building (1Ki 6:11-13). After this we have a further account of the internal fittings and decorations of the sanctuary (vv. 14-36), and in 1Ki 7:1-12 a description of the royal palace which was built after the temple; and, finally, a description of the pillars of the court which were executed in metal by the Tyrian artist, and of the different vessels of the temple (1 Kings 7:13-51)..
We have a parallel to this in 2 Chron 3 and 4, though here the description is differently arranged. In the Chronicles the external building of the temple-house is not separated from the internal decoration and furnishing; but after the period of erection and the size of the temple-house have been given in 2Ch 3:1-3, there follows a description, a. of the court (2Ch 3:4); b. of the Holy Place with its internal decorations (2Ch 3:5-7); c. of the most Holy Place, with special reference to its size and decorations, also of the colossal cherubim placed therein and the curtain in front of it, which is not mentioned in our account (2Ch 3:8-14); d. of the brazen pillars in front of the court (2Ch 3:15-17); e. of the altar of burnt-offering (2Ch 4:1), which is passed over in the account before us; f. of the brazen sea (2Ch 4:2-5); g. of the brazen lavers, the golden candlesticks, the tables of shewbread, and the golden basons (2Ch 4:6-8); and h. of the courts (2Ch 4:9). The account is then closed with a summary enumeration of the different vessels of the temple (2Ch 4:10-22), which agrees almost word for word with 1Ki 7:40-50.