John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 7:2
He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon ,.... 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 ; 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... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 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, Matt. 6:33. 1. He built a house for himself (1 Kgs. 7:1), where he dwelt, 1 Kgs. 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... read more