Furthermore, the description of Solomon’s temple combined precious metals with botanical features like wood-carved “gourds and open flowers” (1 Kgs. 6:18), “palm trees” (1 Kgs. 6:29, 32), “pomegranates” (1 Kgs. 7:18–20), “a lily design” (1 Kgs. 7:22), rows of “gourds” (1 Kgs. 7:24–26, 42), and lampstands resembling a grove of trees with blossoms (1 Kgs. 7:49–50). Significantly, later Judaism spoke of Solomon’s temple as a “field” (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan 7:27; Pesiqta Rabbati Piska 39).

18 The cedar within the house was carved in the form of gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was seen.

29 Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. 30 The floor of the house he overlaid with gold in the inner and outer rooms.

32 He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid them with gold and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

18 Likewise he made pomegranates in two rows around the one latticework

22 And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work.

24 Below the rim, gourds encircled it

Paul’s point is simply that some endure in fire (gold, silver, costly stones), while others are consumed (wood, hay, straw). If the former are worthy of the foundation, the latter are not.

2 So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble.

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.