And David commanded to gather together the strangers. — The word rendered “to gather together” (kânas) is different from the terms used in 1 Chronicles 15:3-4; 1 Chronicles 19:7, and is late in this sense.
The strangers (gêrîm). — Sojourners, or resident foreigners, such as Israel had been in Egypt (Genesis 15:13). The Canaanite population are meant, who lived on sufferance under the Israelite dominion, and were liable to forced service if the government required it. (See 2 Chronicles 8:7-8, and 1 Kings 9:20-21.) Solomon found them by census to be 153,600 souls. The census was a preliminary to apportioning their several tasks. (See 2 Chronicles 2:17-18.) David, probably on the present occasion, had held a similar census of the Canaanite serfs (2 Chronicles 2:17).
And he set. — Appointed (1 Chronicles 15:16-17); literally, caused to stand.
Masons. — Hewers; selected, apparently, from among “the strangers.”
Wrought stones. — “Saxum quadratum,” square stones (1 Kings 5:31; Isaiah 9:9).
To build the house — i.e., for building it hereafter. It is not said that the work was begun at once, but only that the organisation of the serf labour originated with David.