Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.
Parallel translations
- WEB He stood before Yahweh’s altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands
- KJV And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:
- NKJV Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands
- NASB Then he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.
- NLT Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel, and he lifted his hands in prayer.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Solomon stood before the altar in front of all Israel and spread out his hands. He took the posture of public prayer on behalf of the nation.
Overview
Before the whole assembly, Solomon stretched out his hands in prayer, acting as intercessor for his people. His public, bodily expression of dependence on God modeled humble petition. This royal intercession anticipates Christ, the King who ever lives to intercede for his people before the Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 63:4So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift my hands.
- Exod 9:33Then Moses departed from Pharaoh, went out of the city, and spread out his hands to the LORD. The thunder and hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured down on the land.
- Isa 50:10Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
- Job 11:13As for you, if you direct your heart and lift up your hands to Him,
- Ps 143:6I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah
- Ps 68:31Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.
- Ps 29:1–2A Psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
- 1 Kgs 8:22–53Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
- 2 Kgs 11:14And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
- 2 Kgs 23:3So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.
- 1 Tim 2:8Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.
- Ps 141:2May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering.
- Ps 28:2Hear my cry for mercy when I call to You for help, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 6:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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