1 Kings 8:2 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

All the men of Israel; not only the chief men who were particularly invited, but a vast number of the common people, as being forward to see and to join in this great and glorious solemnity. At the feast: understand either, first, The feast of tabernacles. Or rather, secondly, The feast of the dedication, to which Solomon had invited them, which was before that feast; for that began on the 15th day of the 7th month, Leviticus 23:34, but this began at the least seven days before that feast; for Solomon and the people kept the feast for fourteen days, here, 1 Kings 8:65, i.e. seven days for the dedication of the temple, and seven other days for that of tabernacles; and after both these were finished, he sent all the people to their homes on the twenty-third day of the month. See 2 Chronicles 7:9,10. Which is the seventh month; which time he chose with common respect to his people's convenience, because now they had gathered in all their fruits, and now they were come up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of tabernacles. Quest. The temple was not finished till the eighth month, 1 Kings 6:38, how then could he invite them in the seventh month Answ. This was the seventh month of the next year; for although the house in all its parts was finished the year before, yet the utensils of it, described 1Ki 7, were not then fully finished, but took up a considerable time afterward; and many preparations were to be made for this great and extraordinary occasion.