Before describing the temple's furnishings, the writer talks about the construction of Solomon's palace complex. Building this complex took almost twice as long (thirteen years) as building the temple (seven years, 1 Kings 6:38). The entire project lasted twenty years (1 Kings 9:10). Although construction details are brief, archaeological finds of two of Solomon's buildings give us an idea of the palace's appearance. Despite its grandeur, Solomon's palace is not the main focus; the author is more interested in the temple, where God resides.