Lectionary Calendar
Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

New American Standard Bible (1995)

1 Kings 8:22

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Prayer;   Sin;   Thompson Chain Reference - Ask;   Christ;   Church;   Dedication;   Family;   Importunity;   Prayer;   Secret Prayer;   Solomon;   United Prayer;   Unwise Prayers;   Wicked, the;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Dedication;   Prayer;   Temple, the First;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dedication;   Prayer;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Jesus Christ, Name and Titles of;   Psalms, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Gestures;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hand;   Israel;   Prayer;   Solomon;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Gestures;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jerusalem;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Attitudes;   Gesture;   Presence;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Attitudes;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Adoration, Forms of;   Priest;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.
Hebrew Names Version
Shlomo stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Yisra'el, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;
King James Version
And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
English Standard Version
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven,
New Century Version
Then Solomon stood facing the Lord 's altar, and all the Israelites were standing behind him. He spread out his hands toward the sky
New English Translation
Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward the sky.
Amplified Bible
Then Solomon stood [in the courtyard] before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.
New American Standard Bible
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and he spread out his hands toward heaven.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Salomon stoode before the altar of the Lorde in the sight of all the Congregation of Israel, and stretched out his handes towarde heauen,
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh before all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.
Contemporary English Version
Solomon stood facing the altar with everyone standing behind him. Then he lifted his arms toward heaven
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Shlomo stood before the altar of Adonai in the presence of the whole community of Isra'el, spread out his hands toward heaven,
Darby Translation
And Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of the whole congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward the heavens.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Solomon stood in front of whole assembly of Israel and faced the Lord 's altar. Solomon spread his hands and looked toward heaven
George Lamsa Translation
And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven and prayed;
Good News Translation
Then in the presence of the people Solomon went and stood in front of the altar, where he raised his arms
Lexham English Bible
Then Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all of the assembly of Israel, and he spread out his hands to the heavens,
Literal Translation
And Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah, across from the assembly of Israel, and spread his hands toward the heavens;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Salomon stode before the altare of the LORDE in the presence of the whole congregacion of Israel, and helde out his handes towarde heauen,
American Standard Version
And Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;
Bible in Basic English
Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Solomon stoode before the aulter of the Lorde in the sight of all the congregation of Israel, and stretched out his handes toward heauen, and sayde:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;
King James Version (1611)
And Solomon stood before the Altar of the Lord, in the presence of all the Congregation of Israel, and spread foorth his handes toward heauen:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Solomon stood up in front of the altar before all the congregation of Israel; and he spread out his hands toward heaven:
English Revised Version
And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
Berean Standard Bible
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Salomon stood bifoor the auter of the Lord, in the siyt of the chirch of Israel; and he helde forth hise hondis ayens heuene,
Young's Literal Translation
And Solomon standeth before the altar of Jehovah, over-against all the assembly of Israel, and spreadeth his hands towards the heavens,
Update Bible Version
And Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;
Webster's Bible Translation
And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands towards Heaven:
World English Bible
Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;
New King James Version
2 Chronicles 6:12-39">[xr] Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven;
New Living Translation
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel. He lifted his hands toward heaven,
New Life Bible
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord. And in front of all the people of Israel he lifted his hands toward heaven.
New Revised Standard
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh, in the presence of all the convocation of Israel, - and spread forth his hands towards the heavens;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in the sight of the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands towards heaven,
Revised Standard Version
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;
THE MESSAGE
Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took a position before the Altar, spread his hands out before heaven, and prayed, O God , God of Israel, there is no God like you in the skies above or on the earth below who unswervingly keeps covenant with his servants and relentlessly loves them as they sincerely live in obedience to your way. You kept your word to David my father, your personal word. You did exactly what you promised—every detail. The proof is before us today! Keep it up, God , O God of Israel! Continue to keep the promises you made to David my father when you said, "You'll always have a descendant to represent my rule on Israel's throne, on the condition that your sons are as careful to live obediently in my presence as you have."

Contextual Overview

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.23 He said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, 24 who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You have promised him; indeed, You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand as it is this day. 25 "Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him, saying, 'You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way to walk before Me as you have walked.' 26 "Now therefore, O God of Israel, let Your word, I pray, be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David. 27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! 28 "Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today; 29 that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, 'My name shall be there,' to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. 30 "Listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and forgive. 31 "If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

2 Chronicles 6:12, Ezra 9:5, Job 11:13, Psalms 28:2, Psalms 63:4, Isaiah 1:15, 1 Timothy 2:8

stood before the altar: 1 Kings 8:54, 2 Kings 11:14, 2 Kings 23:3, 2 Chronicles 6:12, 13-42

spread forth: Exodus 9:29, Exodus 9:33

Reciprocal: Exodus 33:10 - worshipped 1 Kings 8:38 - spread forth 2 Chronicles 4:1 - an altar Nehemiah 9:5 - Stand up Psalms 44:20 - stretched Psalms 68:31 - stretch Lamentations 1:17 - spreadeth Ezekiel 46:2 - he shall worship

Cross-References

Genesis 8:8
Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land;
Genesis 8:9
but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself.
Genesis 8:11
The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth.
Genesis 8:12
Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again.
Genesis 8:16
"Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you.
Genesis 8:17
"Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth."
Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 45:6
"For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
Exodus 34:21
"You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest.
Jeremiah 5:24
'They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord,.... The altar of the burnt offering in the court of the priests, where he prayed the following prayer; and which altar was typical of Christ, who is always to be in sight in prayer, and through whom all sacrifices of prayer and praise become acceptable to God. In 2 Chronicles 6:13 he is said to stand upon a scaffold of brass, five cubits long, five broad, and three high, which stood in the midst of the court; it was a sort of a pulpit, round, as a laver, for which the word is sometimes used, and on which he kneeled:

in the presence of all the congregation of Israel; who stood in the great court before him, called the court of Israel:

and spread forth his hands toward heaven; and hence it appears, that though Solomon stood before the altar, he did not lay hold on it with his hands, as the Heathens did when they prayed; for they say y, that prayer alone does not appease the Deity, unless he that prays also lays hold on the altar with his hands; hence altars, at first, as we are told z, were called "ansae"; and lifting up or spreading the hands towards heaven was a proper gesture with the Greeks and Romans a.

y Macrob. Saturnal. l. 3. c. 2. Vid. Sperling. de Baptism. Ethiac, c. 6. p. 103. z Varro Rer. Divin. l. 5. apud ib. a Homer. Iliad. 3. ver. 275. & 6. ver. 301. Vid. Barth. Animadv. ad Claudian. in Rufin. l. 2. ver. 205.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The margin reference shows that the king was so placed as to be seen by all present, and that, before beginning his prayer, he knelt down upon his knees (compare 1 Kings 8:54).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 8:22. Stood — He ascended the brazen scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and then kneeled down upon his knees, with his hands spread up to heaven, and offered up the following prayer: see 1 Kings 8:54, and 2 Chronicles 5:12-13.

And spread forth his hands toward heaven — This was a usual custom in all nations: in prayer the hands were stretched out to heaven, as if to invite and receive assistance from thence; while, humbly kneeling on their knees, they seemed acknowledge at once their dependence and unworthiness. On this subject I have spoken elsewhere. In the Scriptures we meet with several examples of the kind: Hear my voice-when I LIFT UP MY HANDS toward thy holy oracle; Psalms 28:2. LIFT UP YOUR HANDS in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord; Psalms 134:2. Let my prayer be set forth-and the LIFTING UP OF MY HANDS as the evening sacrifice; Psalms 141:2. And see 1 Timothy 2:8, c.

In heathen writers examples are not less frequent:


SUSTULIT exutas vinclis ad sidera PALMAS.

Vos aeterni ignes, et non violabile vestrum

Testor numen, ait.

VIRG. AEn. lib. ii., ver. 153.

Ye lamps of heaven, he said, and LIFTED HIGH

HIS HANDS, now free thou venerable sky,

Inviolable powers!


And that they kneeled down when supplicating I have also proved. Of this too the Scriptures afford abundant evidence, as do also the heathen writers. I need add but one word: -


Et GENBIUS PRONIS supplex, similisque roganti,

Circumfert tacitos, tanquam sun brachia, vultus.

OVID, Met. lib. iii., f. 3, ver. 240.


Indeed, so universal were these forms in praying, that one of the heathens has said, "All men, in praying, lift up their hands to heaven."


 
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