[Sissy]

Which rendering is most correct in the application of 'el? or is this one of those words that mean all of these renderings are correct? i can't tell and can't go forward in by study without knowing, i've looked at Strong's and the lexicon. the rendering of this word changes the context of the rest of the prayer, specifically the word 'harken' at the begininng of v.21.

II Chronicles 6:20 -
(KJV) That 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.

Strictly speaking, the Hebrew preposition "el" (not to be confused with the noun "el," which means "God") indicates motion toward something, but it has a LOT of different applications and contexts that give it a wide variety of actual meanings.

Depending on the context, it can mean simply motion toward or even INTO something. It can also indicate motion AGAINST something (as a negative, hostile motion). It can ALSO indicate simply being AT, BESIDE or NEAR something. Finally, it can indicate that you are IN or INSIDE something.

Metaphorically, it is used of mental or emotional agreement ("my heart is toward Jerusalem") or of conversation "about or concerning" something ("and then his conversation turned toward more pressing matters").

The preposition "el" occurs three times in this verse (using KJV):

That 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.

None of them really mean "motion towards."

The first two are indicating location (Solomon wants God to "watch over" or "protect" the temple, not "move His eyes toward it"), and in this context, it seems pretty clear to me that the third "el" should mean "in" (indicating his location) or "concerning" (indicating his topic) in this verse. This is Solomon's prayer at the consecration of the temple, and in I Kings 8:22 we are told that after addressing the congregation, Solomon prayed to the Lord as he "stood before the altar" of the Lord, which now was inside the temple (although not in the "holy of holies" where the ark was found). Thus we are left with two possible meanings: the entire prayer was "about" or "concerning" the temple, or it was taking place INSIDE the temple.

Jews did not pray "facing" the temple (and "toward the temple" is nonsense when Solomon is INSIDE the temple). That leaves us with "location" or "topic" as our only real options.

Most of the occurances of the word "concerning" in English translations of Hebrew are the result of the sentence structure (and is not a direct translation of a specific word) and it is required in order for the sentence to make sense in English (so it is correct to include it, as it helps us understand the meaning of the sentence). In the following example, the word "concerning" helps us understand the construction of the sentence, and is not actually a translation of a specific word:

Exodus 6:8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning that which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

The other appearance of "concerning" in English translations is from the Hebrew word "al," which strictly speaking, means "on account of," or "because of" (that is, it usually indicates the CAUSE or the REASON, not just TOPIC). For example (using "al"):

Genesis 42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty CONCERNING our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

Which means "we are guilty ON ACCOUNT OF WHAT WE DID TO OUR BROTHER . . . " or "BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DID TO OUR BROTHER."

So, when used metaphorically, "al" tends to indicate the cause or reason for something, while "el" tends to simply indicate the topic, or even implies agreement with a specific position or idea.

Thus, the only real conclusion we can draw is that "el" either indicates location, or means "concerning" or "about" in that verse. Ironically, the account of this incident in Kings gives us an example of "el" clearly being used to mean first "concerning" and then "in":

1 Kings 8:41-43 Moreover CONCERNING a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm; ) when he shall come and pray TOWARD this house; Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.

The second occurance of "el" in this sentence, particularly given the context, can only mean "IN" the temple. Solomon was asking that God answer all prayers made IN the temple, even those of strangers, so that that glory and fame of God would be spread throughout all the world, and that the world would know that there was only ONE true temple: the Temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem.

So I'm thinking the most logical translation of II Chronicles 6:20 is "IN this place," (with "concerning this place" running a close second on the possibility list). It definitely does NOT mean "toward this place" as Solomon is INSIDE the temple, so that makes no sense (besides which, despite the practice at the wailing wall today, OT Jews were not directed to pray facing the temple, but to pray with their hearts toward God).

Grace and peace,

Rhomphaia