II Chronicles 6:12-23 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 6:12-23 Commentary: Solomon's Dedication Prayer
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the Chronicler emphasizes Solomon's posture in his dedication prayer, and how it shapes the temple's role as a place of prayer.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Solomon dedicates the temple as a place where God will hear prayers directed toward Him, rooted in covenant faithfulness.
- Key words: covenant (berit), loving devotion (hesed), prayer (tefillah), forgive (salach).
- Main debate: Whether the Davidic promise is conditional (v. 16: 'if only your children take heed') or unconditional, the Chronicler explicitly makes it conditional.
- Theological theme: Divine transcendence (God cannot be contained) meets divine immanence (God chooses to dwell among His people).
- Best use: Teaching on the posture and theology of prayer; showing how worship spaces function as places of meeting, not confinement.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
12Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.
13Now Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
14and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
15You have kept Your promise to Your servant, my father David. What You spoke with Your mouth You have fulfilled with Your hand this day.
16Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’
17And now, O LORD, God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant David.
18But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
19Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You.
20May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.
21Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.
22When a man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple,
23then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
WEB World English Bible 2000
12He stood before Yahweh’s altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands
13(for Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the middle of the court; and he stood on it, and knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven).
14Then he said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants who walk before you with all their heart;
15who have kept with your servant David my father that which you promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is today.
16“Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, ‘There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’
17Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David.
18“But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house which I have built!
19Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you;
20that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place where you have said that you would put your name, to listen to the prayer which your servant will pray toward this place.
21Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Yes, hear from your dwelling place, even from heaven; and when you hear, forgive.
22“If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house,
23then hear from heaven, act, and judge your servants, bringing retribution to the wicked, to bring his way on his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
KJV King James Version 1769
12And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:
13For 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,
14And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:
15Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
16Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.
17Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.
18But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
19Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:
20That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.
21Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
22If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;
23Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
12And he stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands
13(for Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, 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 assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven);
14and he said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven, or on earth; who keepest covenant and lovingkindness with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart;
15who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day.
16Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as thou hast walked before me.
17Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David.
18But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have builded!
19Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee;
20that thine eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place.
21And hearken thou to the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yea, hear thou from thy dwelling-place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
22If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he come and swear before thine altar in this house;
23then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, requiting the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
12And he standeth before the altar of Jehovah, over-against all the assembly of Israel, and spreadeth out his hand, --
13for Solomon hath made a scaffold of brass, and putteth it in the midst of the court, five cubits its length, and five cubits its breadth, and three cubits its height, and he standeth upon it, and kneeleth on his knees over-against all the assembly of Israel, and spreadeth forth his hands towards the heavens--
14and saith, `O Jehovah God of Israel, there is not like Thee a god in the heavens and in the earth, keeping the covenant and the kindness for Thy servants who are walking before Thee with all their heart;
15who hast kept for Thy servant David my father that which Thou didst speak to him; yea, Thou dost speak with Thy mouth, and with Thy hand hast fulfilled it , as at this day.
16`And now, O Jehovah, God of Israel, keep for Thy servant David my father that which Thou didst speak 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 in My law, as thou hast walked before Me.
17`And now, O Jehovah, God of Israel, is Thy word stedfast that Thou hast spoken to Thy servant, to David,
18(for is it true? --God dwelleth with man on the earth! Lo, the heavens, and the heavens of the heavens, do not contain Thee, how much less this house that I have built?)
19`And 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 that Thy servant is praying before Thee,
20for Thine eyes being open towards this house by day and by night, towards the place that Thou hast said to put Thy name there, to hearken unto the prayer that Thy servant prayeth towards this place.
21`And Thou hast hearkened unto the supplications of Thy servant, and of Thy people Israel, that they pray towards this place, and Thou dost hear from the place of Thy dwelling, from the heavens, and hast hearkened, and forgiven.
22`If a man doth sin against his neighbour, and he hath lifted up on him an oath to cause him to swear, and the oath hath come in before Thine altar in this house--
23then Thou dost hear from the heavens, and hast done, and hast judged Thy servants, to give back to the wicked, to put his way on his head, and to declare righteous the righteous, to give to him according to his righteousness.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
12And he stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of the whole congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands.
13For Solomon had made a platform of bronze, 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 he kneeled down on his knees before the whole congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward the heavens,
14and said, Jehovah, God of Israel! there is no God like thee, in the heavens or on the earth, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart;
15who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him; thou spokest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled [it] with thy hand as at this day.
16And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy sons take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.
17And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, let thy word be verified which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.
18But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
19Yet have respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, Jehovah, my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee;
20that thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place in which thou hast said thou wouldest put thy name: to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.
21And hearken unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall pray toward this place, and hear thou from thy dwelling-place, from the heavens, and when thou hearest, forgive.
22If a man have sinned against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to adjure him, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;
23then hear thou from the heavens, and do, and judge thy servants, requiting the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head; and justifying the righteous, giving him according to his righteousness.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
12And he stood before the altar of the Lord, in presence of all the multitude of Israel, and stretched forth his hands.
13For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, and had set it in the midst of the temple, which was five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high: and he stood upon it: then kneeling down in the presence of all the multitude of Israel, and lifting up his hands towards heaven,
14He said: O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven nor in earth: who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:
15Who hast performed to thy servant David my father all that thou hast promised him: and hast accomplished in fact, what thou hast spoken with thy mouth, as also the present time proveth.
16Now then, O Lord God of Israel, fulfil to thy servant David my father, whatsoever thou hast promised him, saying: There shall not fail thee a man in my sight, to sit upon the throne of Israel: yet so that thy children take heed to their ways, and walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.
17And now, Lord God of Israel, let thy word be established which thou hast spoken to thy servant David.
18Is it credible then that God should dwell with men on the earth? If heaven and the heavens of heavens do not contain thee, how much less this house, which I have built?
19But to this end only it is made, that thou mayest regard the prayer of thy servant and his supplication, O Lord my God: and mayest hear the prayers which thy servant poureth out before thee.
20That thou mayest open thy eyes upon this house day and night, upon the place wherein thou hast promised that thy name should be called upon,
21And that thou wouldst hear the prayer which thy servant prayeth in it: hearken then to the prayers of thy servant, and of thy people Israel. Whosoever shall pray in its place, hear thou from thy dwelling place, that is, from heaven, and shew mercy.
22If any man sin against his neighbour, and come to swear against him, and bind himself with a curse before the altar in this house:
23Then hear thou from heaven, and do justice to thy servants, so to requite the wicked by making his wickedness fall upon his own head, and to revenge the just, rewarding him according to his justice.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 6:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Solomon's prayer establishes the temple as a place where God will hear prayers directed toward it, grounded in God's faithfulness to His covenant with David. The Cambridge Bible identifies seven distinct petitions within the prayer, each addressing a specific crisis, oaths, defeat, drought, siege, demonstrating that the temple serves the whole range of human need. Adam Clarke draws from the Targum to amplify Solomon's opening confession: 'there is no God like You,' which celebrates God's unique combination of covenant loyalty (berit) and steadfast love (hesed). The prayer's hinge is verse 18: the God whom heaven cannot contain chooses to meet His people in this house. Wesley notes that Solomon does not ask for help apart from prayer but rather that God would respond when His people pray. The Chronicler's addition of a bronze platform and kneeling posture deepens the picture of earnest humility before a transcendent yet near God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The passage presents the temple as a place for prayer directed to God, who alone is worthy of worship and who responds to humble petition.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the temple | All traditions agree the temple was built as a place for God's name to dwell and for prayer to be offered. | Catholics and Orthodox see the temple as a type of the eucharistic presence; many Protestants emphasize it as a symbolic foreshadowing of Christ. |
| Conditionality of the Davidic covenant | All agree that God's promise to David included a line of kings. | Some read v. 16 as a conditional warning within an unconditional covenant; others see it as fully conditional, explaining the exile. |
| Posture in prayer | All affirm that kneeling and spreading hands show humility and dependence. | Some traditions prescribe standing for prayer (Orthodox); others kneel regularly (Catholic, Anglican); posture is seen as culturally flexible by many. |
| God's presence in the temple | All affirm that God is not confined to any building. | Catholics and Orthodox emphasize a real, sacramental presence in dedicated spaces; many Protestants emphasize a spiritual, non-localized presence. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The dedication of Solomon's Temple took place during the Feast of Tabernacles (2 Chronicles 7:8, 10), the most joyful festival of the Israelite year, when families camped in booths to remember the exodus wilderness journey. The Chronicler adds a detail not found in 1 Kings 8: Solomon built a bronze platform, described with the unusual term kiyyor, which normally means a laver or basin (Keil & Delitzsch; Cambridge Bible). Jamieson-Fausset-Brown suggest this platform was a round, elevated pulpit placed in the middle of the court, in front of the altar of burnt offering. The dimensions, five cubits square (roughly 2.3 metres on each side) and three cubits high (about 1.4 metres), would have made Solomon visible to the entire assembly gathered in the temple precincts.
The posture sequence is deliberate: Solomon first stands (v. 12), then kneels down on his knees before the assembly and spreads his hands toward heaven (v. 13). This progression from standing to kneeling matches the content of the prayer, which moves from confident praise to humble intercession. Kneeling was not the customary posture for public prayer in Israel (standing was more common), so its appearance here signals extraordinary earnestness. The phrase 'heaven and the heaven of heavens' (shamayim u-shmei ha-shamayim) reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding of a tiered cosmos, with Yahweh dwelling in the highest heaven beyond human reach. By adopting this language, Solomon underscores God's transcendence before making his bold request: that God would nonetheless attend to prayers directed toward this place on earth.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 2 Chronicles 6:12, 23. The passage closely parallels 1 Kings 8:22, 50, with two notable differences: the Chronicler includes the bronze platform (v. 13) and details Solomon kneeling (v. 13), whereas 1 Kings presents him standing before the altar (1 Kings 8:22). The manuscript tradition is stable; these differences reflect the Chronicler's distinct emphases rather than scribal error.
Reception History
Later Christian tradition has often read Solomon's prayer as a pattern for understanding Christ's intercessory work. John Wesley, in his Explanatory Notes, wrote that the prayer makes the temple a 'figure of Christ, the great Mediator through whom we offer all our prayers.' Matthew Henry similarly saw Solomon's kneeling posture as anticipating the humility of Jesus, who though Lord knelt to wash feet. The prayer has also shaped the design of Christian worship spaces: the idea of orienting prayer toward a focal point (the altar, the east) borrowed from Solomon's request that God's eyes be open toward the temple. In many church dedications, this prayer has been used to consecrate new buildings, asking God to hear prayers offered within them.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The God who keeps covenant (vv. 14, 17). Solomon opens by confessing that Yahweh alone fulfills what He promises. The Davidic covenant is at stake, God has kept His word to David, and now Solomon asks Him to continue doing so.
- The God whom heaven cannot contain (vv. 18, 21). The prayer pivots on the staggering truth that the Creator of the universe chooses to dwell among His people. The temple does not confine God; it becomes the address where heaven meets earth.
- The God who hears and forgives (vv. 22, 23). The first case Solomon raises, the oath taken before the altar, shows that the temple exists for real human failure. God's hearing leads to forgiveness and just judgment.
Five-point outline
- Praises: There is no God like You (v. 14).
- Ground of confidence: You have kept Your word (vv. 15, 16).
- Petition: Let Your word stand (v. 17).
- Tension: How can God dwell with us? (v. 18).
- Cry: Hear and forgive (vv. 19, 23).
Illustration hooks
- A couple preparing for marriage sets up a home, knowing that the building itself cannot contain their love. The house is a place where love is expressed, not confined. Similarly, the temple was never meant to contain God but to be the place where His people meet Him.
- A child, small in a big cathedral, kneels at the altar rail and whispers a prayer. Solomon's posture, kneeling with open hands, reflects that same childlike dependence. The grandeur of the building does not intimidate; it invites.
- In a courtroom, an oath is taken with a hand on a Bible. The practice of swearing before the altar (v. 22) reminds us that human agreements always need divine oversight, because truth is ultimately rooted in God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God is everywhere, why do I need a special place to pray? Doesn't the temple (or church) limit Him?
- Does God really hear my prayers when I'm not in a sacred building?
- What does it mean to pray 'toward this place' today when we don't have a temple?
Leading a Discussion
Solomon's prayer moves from praise to petition, from God's past faithfulness to a plea for ongoing mercy. This passage invites us to think about where and how we pray, not because God is confined to a building, but because He has chosen to meet His people at specific places of His appointment. The temple was that place for ancient Israel; for Christians, Christ is that place (John 2:19, 21).
Discussion questions
- Observation: What postures does Solomon take during his prayer (vv. 12, 13)? What might these postures communicate about his attitude toward God?
- Observation: List the specific requests Solomon makes for the temple (vv. 18, 21, 22, 23). What does he ask God to do when people pray?
- Interpretation: Why does Solomon begin with praise before making any request? What does this tell us about prayer as the Chronicler presents it?
- Interpretation: Compare verse 18 ('heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You') with verse 20 ('that Your eyes may be open toward this house'). How do these two statements work together?
- Interpretation: The first case Solomon raises involves an oath taken before the altar (v. 22). Why does he begin with this particular scenario? What does it say about the connection between worship and justice?
- Application: If God is not confined to any building, why do Christians still set apart places for worship? How does Solomon's prayer guide the way we think about church buildings?
- Application: Solomon prays for forgiveness when people sin (v. 21). How does this shape the way we approach God after we have failed?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 9:33 | Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread out his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. |
| I Kings 8:22 | Solomon stood before Yahweh’s altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven; |
| I Kings 8:53 | For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your inheritance, as you spoke by Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh.” |
| II Kings 11:14 | and she looked, and behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the tradition was, with the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” |
| II Kings 23:3 | The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before Yahweh to walk after Yahweh and to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book; and all the people agreed to the covenant. |
| Job 11:13 | “If you set your heart aright, stretch out your hands toward him. |
| Psalms 28:2 | Hear the voice of my petitions, when I cry to you, when I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. |
| Psalms 29:1 | A Psalm by David. Ascribe to Yahweh, you sons of the mighty, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the Targum's paraphrase of Solomon's prayer, which stresses the sheer incredibility of God dwelling among humans on earth. The highest heavens themselves cannot bear the glory of God, making it a staggering act of condescension that He would inhabit any earthly house.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary breaks down Solomon's prayer into its distinct thematic sections, showing how each petition addresses a specific situation. It also notes that the bronze stand mentioned here is called a laver in Hebrew, and suggests that the word for "cause" is better translated as "right."
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Solomon's brazen scaffold was shaped like the temple laver, a round elevated pulpit with no seat, requiring the king to stand or kneel.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch defends the unique conclusion of the prayer in Chronicles as authentic, not a later addition. They argue the summons for God to arise into His rest fits the dedication moment perfectly, even though the ark is already in the temple. The language differences from Kings reflect the chronicler's own time, not a fabricated ending.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that Solomon, though a king on a raised platform, kneels low in prayer, showing that true worship humbles even the highest earthly dignity before God's infinite greatness. Solomon's opening words contrast God's unique majesty with His willingness to keep covenant with weak, walking servants.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees Solomon's temple as a picture of Christ, the great Mediator through whom all prayers are offered and all blessings received. He also stresses that Christ's intercession does not replace our own prayers but encourages them; God helps us in answer to our supplications, not apart from them.