1)
What is "Gadol v'Haflei"?
1.
Radak: It was big; its great size was wondrous.
2)
He already said (verse 4) that he will build a big house for Hashem!
1.
Malbim: Now he refers to the house he will build for himself 1 . It is clear from verse 11 that Chiram understood that Shlomo intends to build also a royal house.
1
It says here Gadol v'Haflei, but not above. If Shlomo's house was bigger (needed more materials) than Beis Hashem, why was he praised for building the Mikdash quicker than his house (refer to 1:18:1:1**)? Perhaps Beis Hashem was bigger; it says here Gadol v'Haflei, for one would never expect a person's house to be so big.(PF)
