1 Kings 8:22

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,

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,

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."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.

Contextual Overview

²² And Solomon standeth before the altar of Jehovah, over-against all the assembly of Israel, and spreadeth his hands towards the heavens, ²³ and saith, `Jehovah, God of Israel, there is not a God like Thee, in the heavens above, and on the earth beneath, keeping the covenant and the kindness for Thy servants, those walking before Thee with all their heart, <sup>24</sup> who hast kept for Thy servant David my father that which Thou spakest to him; yea, Thou speakest with Thy mouth, and with Thy hand hast fulfilled [it], as [at] this day. <sup>25</sup> `And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, keep for Thy servant David my father that which Thou spakest to him, saying, There is not cut off to thee a man from before Me, sitting on the throne of Israel -- only, if thy sons watch their way, to walk before Me as thou hast walked before Me. ²⁶ `And now, O God of Israel, let it be established, I pray Thee, Thy word which Thou hast spoken to Thy servant, David my father. <sup>27</sup> But, is it true? -- God dwelleth on the earth! lo, the heavens, and the heavens of the heavens do not contain Thee, how much less this house which I have builded! <sup>28</sup> `Then thou hast turned unto the prayer of Thy servant, and unto his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken unto the cry and unto the prayer which Thy servant is praying before Thee to-day, ²⁹ for Thine eyes being open towards this house night and day, towards the place of which Thou hast said, My Name is there; to hearken unto the prayer which Thy servant prayeth towards this place. ³⁰ `Then Thou hast hearkened unto the supplication of Thy servant, and of Thy people Israel, which they pray towards this place; yea, Thou dost hearken in the place of Thy dwelling, in the heavens -- and Thou hast hearkened, and hast forgiven, ³¹ that which a man sinneth against his neighbour, and he hath lifted up upon him an oath to cause him to swear, and the oath hath come in before Thine 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
And he sendeth forth the dove from him to see whether the waters have been lightened from off the face of the ground,

Genesis 8:9
and the dove hath not found rest for the sole of her foot, and she turneth back unto him, unto the ark, for waters [are] on the face of all the earth, and he putteth out his hand, and taketh her, and bringeth her in unto him, unto the ark.

Genesis 8:11
and the dove cometh in unto him at even-time, and lo, an olive leaf torn off in her mouth; and Noah knoweth that the waters have been lightened from off the earth.

Genesis 8:12
And he stayeth yet other seven days, and sendeth forth the dove, and it added not to turn back unto him any more.

Genesis 8:16
every living thing that [is] with thee, of all flesh, among fowl, and among cattle, and among every creeping thing which is creeping on the earth, bring out with thee;

Genesis 8:17
and they have teemed in the earth, and been fruitful, and have multiplied on the earth.'

Genesis 8:20
And Noah buildeth an altar to Jehovah, and taketh of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and causeth burnt-offerings to ascend on the altar;

Genesis 45:6
`Because these two years the famine [is] in the heart of the land, and yet [are] five years, [in] which there is neither ploughing nor harvest;

Exodus 34:21
`Six days thou dost work, and on the seventh day thou dost rest; in ploughing-time and in harvest thou dost rest.

Jeremiah 5:24
And they have not said in their heart, `Let us fear, we pray you, Jehovah our God, who is giving rain, The sprinkling and the gathered, in its season, The appointed weeks of harvest He keepeth for us.'

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."