The Temple: 60 cubits by 20 cubits; total project time – 7 years.
Solomon’s house: House of the Forest, 100 cubits by 50 cubits; Hall of Pillars, 50 cubits by 30 cubits; plus other buildings including a similar residence for Pharaoh’s daughter; total project time - 13 years.
Because the description of Solomon’s house is sandwiched between two accounts of the construction and furnishing of the Temple, we cannot avoid the comparisons. Yes, his court functioned differently than the Temple did, and yes, there does seem to be a priority given to the Temple, but we must remember that the king is not to acquire much silver or gold (Deut. 17:17). In building a house greater than the Temple, Solomon seems to violate that charge. Such opulence in the royal court will be the catalyst that causes the kingdom to split.
