1 Reyes 8:22

Oración de Salomón

22 A continuación, Salomón se puso delante del altar del SEÑOR y, en presencia de toda la asamblea de Israel, extendió las manos hacia el cielo

1 Reyes 8:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 8:22

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 ^F25, 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 ^F26, were called "ansae"; and lifting up or spreading the hands towards heaven was a proper gesture with the Greeks and Romans ^F1.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Macrob. Saturnal. l. 3. c. 2. Vid. Sperling. de Baptism. Ethiac, c. 6. p. 103.
F26 Varro Rer. Divin. l. 5. apud ib.
F1 Homer. Iliad. 3. ver. 275. & 6. ver. 301. Vid. Barth. Animadv. ad Claudian. in Rufin. l. 2. ver. 205.

1 Reyes 8:22 In-Context

20 »Ahora el SEÑOR ha cumplido su promesa: Tal como lo prometió, he sucedido a mi padre David en el trono de Israel y he construido el templo en honor del SEÑOR, Dios de Israel.

21 Allí he fijado un lugar para el arca, en la cual está el pacto que el SEÑOR hizo con nuestros antepasados cuando los sacó de Egipto».

22 A continuación, Salomón se puso delante del altar del SEÑOR y, en presencia de toda la asamblea de Israel, extendió las manos hacia el cielo

23 y dijo:«SEÑOR, Dios de Israel, no hay Dios como tú arriba en el cielo ni abajo en la tierra, pues tú cumples tu pacto de amor con quienes te sirven y te siguen de todo corazón.

24 Has llevado a cabo lo que le dijiste a tu siervo David, mi padre; y este día has cumplido con tu mano lo que con tu boca le prometiste.