2 Chronicles 6:29

[Then] what prayer [or] what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:

Then what prayer {H8605} or what supplication {H8467} soever shall be made of any man {H120}, or of all thy people {H5971} Israel {H3478}, when every one {H376} shall know {H3045} his own sore {H5061} and his own grief {H4341}, and shall spread forth {H6566} his hands {H3709} in this house {H1004}:

then, regardless of what prayer or plea anyone among all your people Isra'el makes -for each individual will know his own plague and his own pain -and the person spreads out his hands toward this house;

then may whatever prayer or petition Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple—

what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, who shall know every man his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread forth his hands toward this house:

2 Chronicles 6:29 is part of King Solomon's profound dedicatory prayer for the newly completed Temple in Jerusalem. This verse highlights the deeply personal and corporate nature of prayer, particularly in times of distress and affliction, anticipating that individuals and the nation would turn to God in His holy dwelling.

Context

This verse is embedded within Solomon's lengthy prayer found in 2 Chronicles 6:12-42. Having just dedicated the magnificent Temple, Solomon is outlining its purpose as a focal point for Israel's relationship with God. He envisions various scenarios—such as war, famine, plague, or personal suffering—where the people would come to this house to seek God's face. Verse 29 specifically addresses the intimate, personal struggles that would drive individuals or the collective nation to prayer within the Temple.

Key Themes

  • Individual and Corporate Supplication: Solomon acknowledges that both "any man" and "all thy people Israel" would approach God. This illustrates God's attentiveness to both personal cries and the collective needs of His people.
  • Honest Confession of Affliction: The phrase "when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief" speaks to a deep, often painful, self-awareness. It suggests that true prayer arises from an honest recognition of one's personal troubles, sins, or deep-seated sorrow. The Hebrew word for "sore" (nega) can imply a plague, wound, or affliction, while "grief" (mak'ob) denotes pain or anguish, underscoring profound personal suffering.
  • Seeking Divine Intervention: The act of spreading forth hands is a common biblical posture of earnest prayer, signifying supplication, humility, and an open appeal to God for help and mercy. It is an outward expression of an inward spiritual posture.
  • The Temple as a Place of Prayer: The Temple was consecrated as a place where God's name would dwell and where He would hear the prayers of His people. Solomon's prayer here is a blueprint for how Israel should relate to God through this sacred space, anticipating the divine response promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses "sore" and "grief" to translate Hebrew words that convey intense personal suffering. Nega (sore) can denote a divinely sent affliction or a physical malady, while mak'ob (grief) refers to deep inner pain or sorrow. Together, they paint a picture of comprehensive distress—physical, emotional, or spiritual—that drives an individual to seek divine solace. The act of "spreading forth his hands" (Hebrew: paras yadaw) is a universally recognized gesture of prayer and appeal in ancient Near Eastern cultures, signifying profound earnestness and submission.

Practical Application

While the physical Temple no longer stands, the principles of this verse remain profoundly relevant for believers today. God still invites us to bring our deepest "sores" and "griefs" to Him in prayer. This verse encourages:

  • Personal Honesty: Acknowledging our true condition, whether it be sin, suffering, or distress, is the first step toward genuine communion with God.
  • Earnest Supplication: We are called to pray with sincerity and earnestness, knowing that God hears and cares.
  • God's Accessibility: Through Christ, believers now have direct access to God's throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), making every place a potential "house of prayer" where our supplications are heard. Just as Solomon envisioned God hearing from heaven, so too does God listen to the heartfelt prayers of His people today.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 91:15

    He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I [will be] with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

  • Psalms 33:12

    ¶ Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the LORD; [and] the people [whom] he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

  • Psalms 33:13

    The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

  • 2 Chronicles 6:12

    ¶ And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:

  • 2 Chronicles 6:13

    For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,

  • Psalms 142:1

    ¶ Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.

  • Psalms 142:2

    I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
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