1 Reyes 5:17

17 Y mandó el rey que trajesen grandes piedras, piedras de precio, para los cimientos de la casa, y piedras labradas.

1 Reyes 5:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 5:17

And the king commanded, and they brought great stones
Not in quality, but in quantity, large stones, fit to lay in the foundation; strong, and durable against all the injuries of time, as Josephus says F9:

costly stones;
not what are commonly called precious stones, as gems, pearls but stones of value, as marble, porphyry, &c.

[and] hewed stones;
not rough as they were taken out of the quarry, but hewed, and made smooth:

to lay the foundation of the house;
which, though out of sight, was to be laid with goodly stones for the magnificence of the building; so the church of Christ, its foundation is said to be laid even with sapphires and other precious stones, see ( Isaiah 54:11 ) ( Revelation 21:19 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 3. sect. 2.

1 Reyes 5:17 In-Context

15 Tenía también Salomón setenta mil que llevaban las cargas, y ochenta mil cortadores en el monte;
16 Sin los principales oficiales de Salomón que estaban sobre la obra, tres mil y trescientos, los cuales tenían cargo del pueblo que hacía la obra.
17 Y mandó el rey que trajesen grandes piedras, piedras de precio, para los cimientos de la casa, y piedras labradas.
18 Y los albañiles de Salomón y los de Hiram, y los aparejadores, cortaron y aparejaron la madera y la cantería para labrar la casa.
The Reina-Valera Antigua (1602) is in the public domain.