Verse 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 , 2 Chronicles 5:13 .
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; Psalm 28:2 . Lift Up Your Hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord; Psalm 134:2 . Let my prayer be set forth - and the Lifting Up of My Hands as the evening sacrifice; Psalm 141:2 . And see 1 Timothy 2:8 , etc.
In heathen writers examples are not less frequent:
Sustulit exutas vinclis ad sidera Palmas.
Vos aeterni ignes, et non violabile vestrum Testor numen, ait
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