"So when you spreadout your hands[in prayer], I will hideMy eyesfrom you; Yes,eventhoughyou multiplyprayers,I will not listen.Your handsare coveredwith blood.
Then Solomonstoodbeforethe altarof the LORDin the presenceof allthe assemblyof Israeland spreadout his handstoward heaven.
When Solomonhad finishedprayingthisentireprayerand supplicationto the LORD,he arosefrom beforethe altarof the LORD,from kneelingon his kneeswith his handsspreadtoward heaven.
But at the eveningofferingI arosefrom my humiliation,even with my garmentand my robetorn,and I fellon my kneesand stretchedout my handsto the LORDmy God;
"Terrorsovertakehim like a flood;A tempeststealshim awayin the night.
"SurelyGodwill not listento an empty[cry], Norwill the Almightyregardit.
Liftup your handsto the sanctuaryAnd blessthe LORD.
Giveearto my prayer,O God;And do not hideYourself from my supplication.
IfI regardwickednessin my heart,The Lordwill not hear;
Mosessaidto him, "As soon as I goout of the city,I will spreadout my handsto the LORD;the thunderwill ceaseand there will be hailnolonger,that you may knowthat the earthis the LORD'S.
"Thenthey will callon me, but I will not answer;They will seekme diligentlybut they will not findme,
Haughtyeyes,a lyingtongue,And handsthat shedinnocentblood,
Whenthe Lordhas washedawaythe filthof the daughtersof Zionand purgedthe bloodshedof Jerusalemfrom her midst,by the spiritof judgmentand the spiritof burning,
Truly,You are a Godwho hidesHimself, O Godof Israel,Savior!
"Behold,you fastfor contentionand strifeand to strikewith a wickedfist.You do not fastlike [you do] todayto makeyour voiceheardon high.
"Is it not to divideyour breadwith the hungryAnd bringthe homelesspoorinto the house;Whenyou seethe naked,to coverhim; And not to hideyourself from your own flesh?
Thereis noonewho callson Your name,Who arouseshimself to takeholdof You; For You have hiddenYour facefrom us And have deliveredus into the powerof our iniquities.
And I will waitfor the LORDwho is hidingHis facefrom the houseof Jacob;I will even lookeagerlyfor Him.
Thereforethussaysthe LORD,"BeholdI am bringingdisasteron them whichthey will not be ableto escape;though they will cryto Me, yet I will not listento them.
"Whenthey fast,I am not going to listento their cry;and whenthey offerburntofferingand grain offering,I am not going to acceptthem. RatherI am going to makean endof them by the sword,famineand pestilence."
For I hearda cryas of a woman in labor,The anguishas of one givingbirthto her firstchild,The cryof the daughterof Ziongaspingfor breath,Stretchingout her hands,[saying], "Ah,woeis me, for I faintbefore murderers."
"You have multipliedyour slainin thiscity,fillingits streetswith them."
"Sonof man,thesemenhave setup their idolsin their heartsand have putrightbeforetheir facesthe stumblingblockof their iniquity.Should I be consultedby them at all?
"The nationswill knowthat the houseof Israelwentinto exilefor their iniquitybecausethey actedtreacherouslyagainst Me, and I hidMy facefrom them; so I gavethem into the handof their adversaries,and allof them fellby the sword.
They will gowith their flocksand herdsTo seekthe LORD,but they will not find[Him]; He has withdrawnfrom them.
Thenthey will cryout to the LORD,But He will not answerthem. Instead, He will hideHis facefrom them at that timeBecausethey have practicedevildeeds.
"And justas He calledand they would not listen,sothey calledand I would not listen,"saysthe LORDof hosts;
"But woeto you, scribesand Pharisees,hypocrites,becauseyou shutoff the kingdomof heavenfrom people;for you do not enterin yourselves,nordo you allowthosewho are enteringto goin.
"And when you are praying,do not use meaningless repetitionas the Gentilesdo, for they supposethat they will be heardfor their many words.
"We knowthat Goddoes not hearsinners;but ifanyoneis God-fearingand doesHis will,He hearshim.
ThereforeI wantthe menin everyplaceto pray,liftingup holyhands,withoutwrathand dissension.
