And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe [nor] any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
Ver. 7. Was built of stone.] Tam artificiose non tantum sine deformi cicatrice vulneris, sed et sine subtilissimae suturae notis, ut imponerent oculo spectatoris … quasi tota moles in tantam magnitudinem ex unico ingenti lapide tam magnifice consurgeret: i.e., so artificially were the stones of the temple polished and cemented together, as if the whole fabric had been but one entire stone.
Made ready before it was brought thither; ] Hewn and hammered in the mount, not so taken out of quarry, - so God had ordered it, - that there needed no tool of iron to fit them, as Procopius and Glycas imagined, because it followeth,
So that there was neither hammer nor axe, &c.] In the house indeed no tool was heard, no noise was made, to show that there should be no contentions in the Church militant, and that there shall be no afflictions or sufferings in the Church triumphant. Haec vita est officina in qua lapides templi aeterni scalpantur ac dedolentur, ut recists aut resectis depravatae naturae vitiis, caelesti aedifico perficiendo cum honore ac decore adhiberi et aptari possint: Here the saints are hewed and squared by God's word, Hos 6:5 and by his strokes, Isa 27:9 that they may be fitted for the heavenly temple.