Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Kings 6:36

"And he built the inner court with three courses of hewn stone, and a course of cedar beams." — 1 Kings 6:36 (ASV)

The inner court - An outer court is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 4:9. The inner court is probably the same as the “higher court” mentioned in Jeremiah 36:10, as it was raised above the outer court, just as the inner courts of Assyrian palaces sometimes were. The court seems to have surrounded the temple. Its dimensions can be reasonably presumed to be double those of the tabernacle's court—that is, 100 cubits on each side of the temple and 200 cubits at the ends, or about 720 feet long by 360 feet wide.

With three rows of hewn stone - This phrase could refer to either a fence enclosing the court or the foundation of the court itself. The foundation may have been formed by three layers of hewn stone placed one on top of the other and then covered on top with cedar planks. Such a construction would undoubtedly be elaborate, but if the goal was to elevate the inner court above the outer one, this is how it would likely have been done. The temple, like Assyrian palaces, would be placed on an artificial platform. Since this platform was considered part of the sacred building, it would have been built with the best materials.