And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth 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
- BSB Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out 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 63:4Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
- Exod 9:33And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
- Isa 50:10Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.
- Job 11:13If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;
- Ps 143:6I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
- Ps 68:31Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.
- Ps 29:1–2Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
- 1 Kgs 8:22–53And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
- 2 Kgs 11:14And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.
- 2 Kgs 23:3And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
- 1 Tim 2:8I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
- Ps 141:2Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
- Ps 28:2Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
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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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