5:2, 3 When David offered to build a Temple, God said no through the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 7:1-17). God wanted a peacemaker, not a warrior, to build his house of prayer (1 Chronicles 28:2, 3).
5:8 Solomon asked Hiram to send cedar and fir (or cypress) wood for the Temple because these were precious woods considered the best for building. They were coarse-grained, very hard, and rot resistant. Equally important, they were beautiful and had a fragrant scent. The logs were tied into rafts and floated down the seacoast from Tyre to a port in Israel, from which they were carried overland to Jerusalem.
5:13, 14 Solomon drafted three times the number of workers needed for the Temple project and then arranged their schedules so they didn’t have to be away from home for long periods of time. This showed his concern for the welfare of his workers and the importance he placed on family life. The strength of a nation is in direct proportion to the strength of its families. Solomon wisely recognized that family should always be a top priority. As you structure your own work or arrange the schedules of others, watch for the impact of your plans on families.