1 Kings 5:18

18 and that they should make those square; which stones the masons of Solomon and the masons of Hiram hewed. And [the] men of Byblos made ready [the] trees and stones, to the house to be builded (And the men of Byblos prepared the wood and the stones, needed to build the Temple).

1 Kings 5:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 5:18

And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew [them],
&c.] The stones; for it seems Solomon had not only hewers of wood, but of stone, from Hiram:

and the stonesquarers;
or rather the Giblites, the men of Gebal, which were under the jurisdiction of Tyre, and were skilful in this sort of work, as some of them were in others, see ( Ezekiel 27:9 ) ;

so they prepared timber and stones to build the house;
both Solomon's and Hiram's builders, and the large number of workmen, both Israelites and strangers; which latter were an emblem of the Gentiles concerned in the building of the spiritual temple, the church of Christ, ( Zechariah 6:15 ) ; and whereas the number of strangers that wrought for the building was far greater than that of the Israelites, it may denote the greater number of Gentiles in the Gospel church state mentioned besides these: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year: so long as the building lasted, and the workmen were employed; but Abarbinel thinks that he gave it to him as long as he lived, out of his great munificence and liberality.

1 Kings 5:18 In-Context

16 without the sovereigns, that were masters of all the works, by the number of three thousand and three hundred, commanding to the people, and to them that made work. (besides the sovereigns, or the foremen, who were masters over all the work, three thousand and three hundred in number, commanding the people who did the work.)

17 And the king commanded, that they should take great stones, and precious stones/heavy stones, into the foundament of the temple, (And the king commanded, that they should cut great fine stones/great heavy stones, for the foundation of the Temple,)

18 and that they should make those square; which stones the masons of Solomon and the masons of Hiram hewed. And [the] men of Byblos made ready [the] trees and stones, to the house to be builded (And the men of Byblos prepared the wood and the stones, needed to build the Temple).