And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
Brought great stones. The stone of Lebanon is 'hard, calcareous, whitish, and sonorous, like freestone' (Shaw). The same white and beautiful stone is to be gotten in every part of Syria and Palestine.
Hewed stones - or neatly polished, as the Hebrew word signifies (Exodus 20:25). Both Jewish and Tyrian builders were employed in hewing these great stones.