Therefore, return the man’s wife to him now. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, so that you will live. But if you don’t return her, know that you will certainly die — you and all who belong to you.”

Avraham prayed to God, and God healed Avimelekh and his wife and slave-girls, so that they could have children.

Yitz’chak prayed to Adonai on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. Adonai heeded his prayer, and Rivkah became pregnant.

Then God took note of Rachel, heeded her prayer and made her fertile.

Moshe said to Pharaoh, “Not only that, but you can have the honor of naming the time when I will pray for you, your servants and your people to be rid of the frogs, both yourselves and your homes, and that they stay only in the river.”

Then the people cried to Moshe, Moshe prayed to Adonai, and the fire abated.

The people came to Moshe and said, “We sinned by speaking against Adonai and against you. Pray to Adonai that he rid us of these snakes.” Moshe prayed for the people,

In addition, Adonai was very angry with Aharon and would have destroyed him; but I prayed for Aharon also at the same time.

I prayed to Adonai ; I said, ‘Adonai Elohim! Don’t destroy your people, your inheritance! You redeemed them through your greatness, you brought them out of Egypt with a strong hand!

Then Manoach prayed to Adonai, “Please, Adonai, let the man of God you sent come again to us and teach us what we should do for the child who will be born.”

In deep depression she prayed to Adonai and cried.

She prayed for a long time before Adonai; and as she did so, ‘Eli was watching her mouth.

and she said, “My lord, as sure as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here near you, praying to Adonai.

I prayed for this child, and Adonai has granted the request I asked of him.

Then Hannah prayed; she said: “My heart exults in Adonai! My dignity has been restored by Adonai! I can gloat over my enemies, because of my joy at your saving me.

Sh’mu’el said, “Gather all Isra’el to Mitzpah, and I will pray for you to Adonai.”

Sh’mu’el was not pleased to hear them say, “Give us a king to judge us”; so he prayed to Adonai.

All the people said to Sh’mu’el, “Pray to Adonai your God for your servants, so that we won’t die; because to all our other sins now we’ve added this evil as well, asking for a king over us.”

As for me, far be it from me to sin against Adonai by ceasing to pray for you! Rather, I will continue instructing you in the good and right way.

You, Adonai-Tzva’ot, God of Isra’el, have disclosed to your servant, ‘I will build you a house.’ This is why your servant has the courage to pray this prayer to you.

David prayed to God on behalf of the child; David fasted, then came and lay all night on the ground.

Even so, Adonai my God, pay attention to your servant’s prayer and plea, listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying before you today,

that your eyes will be open toward this house night and day — toward the place concerning which you said, ‘My name will be there’ — to listen to the prayer your servant will pray toward this place.

Yes, listen to the plea of your servant, and also that of your people Isra’el when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven where you live; and when you hear, forgive!

“When your people Isra’el sin against you and in consequence are defeated by an enemy; then if they turn back to you, acknowledge your name, and pray and make their plea to you in this house;

“When they sin against you, and in consequence the sky is shut, so that there is no rain; then, if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name and turn from their sin when you have brought them low;

then, regardless of what prayer or plea anyone among all your people Isra’el makes — for each individual will know what is plagueing his own conscience — and the person spreads out his hands toward this house;

(for they will hear of your great reputation, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house;

“If your people go out to fight against their enemy, no matter by which way you send them, and they pray to Adonai toward the city you chose, toward the house I built for your name;

then, in heaven, hear their prayer and plea, and uphold their cause.

if, in the land of their enemies who carried them off captive, they return to you with all their heart and being and pray to you toward their own land, which you gave to their ancestors, toward the city you chose and toward the house I have built for your name;

then, in heaven where you live, hear their prayer and plea, uphold their cause,

When Shlomo had finished praying all this prayer and plea to Adonai, he got up from in front of the altar of Adonai, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven,

Adonai said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea that you made before me: I am consecrating this house which you built and placing my name there forever; my eyes and heart will always be there.

The king then responded to the man of God. “Ask now the favor of Adonai your God,” he said, “and pray for me, that my hand will be restored to me.” The man of God prayed to Adonai, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it had been before.

but he himself went a day farther into the desert, until he came to a broom tree. He sat down under it and prayed for his own death. “Enough!” he said. “Now, Adonai, take my life. I’m no better than my ancestors.”

He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to Adonai.

Elisha prayed, “Adonai, I ask you to open his eyes, so that he can see.” Then Adonai opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw: there before him, all around Elisha, the mountain was covered with horses and fiery chariots.

When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Adonai, “Please strike these people blind”; and he struck them blind, as Elisha had asked.

Maybe Adonai your God will hear all the words of Rav-Shakeh, whom his master the king of Ashur has sent to taunt the living God, and will rebuke the message which Adonai your God has heard. So pray for the remnant that is left.”

Hizkiyahu prayed as follows in the presence of Adonai: “Adonai God of Isra’el, who dwells above the k’ruvim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms on earth. You made heaven and earth.

Then Yesha‘yahu the son of Amotz sent this message to Hizkiyahu: “Adonai the God of Isra’el says: ‘You prayed to me against Sancheriv king of Ashur, and I have heard you.’

Hizkiyahu turned his face toward the wall and prayed to Adonai:

“Go back, and tell Hizkiyahu the prince of my people, that this is what Adonai, the God of David your ancestor, says: ‘I have heard your prayer and seen your tears, and I will heal you. On the third day, you are to go up to the house of Adonai.

“When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; no matter how much you pray, I won’t be listening; because your hands are covered with blood.

Even when Mo’av is seen growing weary of worshipping on the high places and entering their sanctuaries to pray, they will have accomplished nothing.

Yet Adonai will strike Egypt, both striking and healing, so they will return to Adonai. He will listen to their prayers, and he will heal them.

Adonai, when they were troubled, they sought you. When you chastened them, they poured out a silent prayer.

Maybe Adonai your God will hear the words of Rav-Shakeh, whom his master the king of Ashur has sent to taunt the living God, and will rebuke the message which Adonai your God has heard. So pray for the remnant that is left.’”

This is the prayer that Hizkiyahu prayed to Adonai:

Then Yesha‘yahu the son of Amotz sent this message to Hizkiyahu: “Adonai the God of Isra’el says: ‘You prayed to me against Sancheriv king of Ashur.’

Hizkiyahu turned his face toward the wall and prayed to Adonai:

“Go and tell Hizkiyahu that this is what Adonai, the God of David your ancestor, says: ‘I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; therefore I will add fifteen years to your life.

With the rest of the log he fashions a god, a carved image, then falls down before it; he worships it and prays to it. “Save me,” he says, “for you are my god!”

Here is what Adonai says: “The earnings of Egypt, the commerce of Ethiopia, and men of stature from S’va will come over to you and become yours; they will come in chains and follow you. They will prostrate themselves before you; they will pray to you: ‘Surely God is with you; there is no other, other gods are nothing.’”

Assemble, come and gather together, you refugees from the nations! Those carrying their wooden idols are ignorant, they pray to a god that cannot save.

I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

“So you, [Yirmeyahu,] don’t pray for this people! Don’t cry, pray or intercede on their behalf with me; because I won’t listen to you.

“So you, [Yirmeyahu,] don’t pray for this people! Don’t cry or pray on their behalf, because I won’t listen to them when they cry to me because of their troubles.

Then Adonai said to me, “Don’t pray for this people or for their welfare.

“Did Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah and all Y’hudah put him to death? Not at all. Rather, he feared Adonai, and prayed for Adonai’s favor; and Adonai relented from the disaster he had pronounced against them. So [if we put Yirmeyahu to death,] we might bring great disaster on ourselves.”

Seek the welfare of the city to which I have caused you to go in exile, and pray to Adonai on its behalf; for your welfare is bound up in its welfare.’

When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you.

They will come weeping and praying as I bring them back. I will lead them by streams of water on smooth paths, so that they won’t stumble. For I am a father to Isra’el, and Efrayim is my firstborn son.”

After giving the purchase contract to Barukh son of Neriyah, I prayed to Adonai:

Perhaps they will turn to Adonai in prayer and will return, each one, from his evil way. For the anger and fury which Adonai has decreed against this people is great.”

Tzidkiyahu the king sent Y’hukhal the son of Shelemyahu and Tz’fanyahu the son of Ma‘aseiyah, the cohen, to the prophet Yirmeyahu with the message, “Please pray to Adonai our God for us.”

and said to Yirmeyahu the prophet, “I beg you, approve our request: pray for us to Adonai your God for all of this remnant. For, while once we were numerous, only a few of us are left, as you can see.

Pray that Adonai your God will tell us what direction to take and what to do.”

Yirmeyahu the prophet said to them: “I hear you. All right, I will pray to Adonai your God, as you have asked. And whatever Adonai answers you, I will tell you; I will withhold nothing from you.”

For you have been behaving deceitfully, against your own interests. You sent me to Adonai your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to Adonai our God; tell us everything Adonai our God says, and we will do it.’

“Adonai Elohim says, ‘In addition, I will let the house of Isra’el pray to me to do this for them: to increase their numbers like sheep —

From the belly of the fish Yonah prayed to Adonai his God;

As my life was ebbing away, I remembered Adonai; and my prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.

He prayed to Adonai, “Now, Adonai, didn’t I say this would happen, when I was still in my own country? That’s why I tried to get away to Tarshish ahead of time! I knew you were a God who is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in grace, and that you relent from inflicting punishment.

This is a prayer of Havakuk the prophet about mistakes:

and I will pour out on the house of David and on those living in Yerushalayim a spirit of grace and prayer; and they will look to me, whom they pierced.” They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness for a firstborn son.

So if you pray now that God will show us favor, what your actions have accomplished is that Adonai-Tzva’ot asks, “Will he receive any of you?

O God, my vindicator! Answer me when I call! When I was distressed, you set me free; now have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

Listen to my cry for help, my king and my God, for I pray to you.

Adonai has heard my pleading, Adonai will accept my prayer.

A prayer of David: Hear a just cause, Adonai, heed my cry; listen to my prayer from honest lips.

But my prayer, in righteousness, is to see your face; on waking, may I be satisfied with a vision of you.

You give him his heart’s desire; you don’t refuse the prayer from his lips. (Selah)

Hear the sound of my prayers when I cry to you, when I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

Blessed be Adonai, for he heard my voice as I prayed for mercy.

This is what everyone faithful should pray at a time when you can be found. Then, when the floodwaters are raging, they will not reach to him.

But I, when they were ill, wore sackcloth; I put myself out and fasted; I can pray that what I prayed for them might also happen to me.

Hear my prayer, Adonai, listen to my cry, don’t be deaf to my weeping; for with you, I am just a traveler passing through, like all my ancestors.

By day Adonai commands his grace, and at night his song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.

God, hear my prayer; listen to the words from my mouth.

Listen, God, to my prayer! Don’t hide yourself from my plea!

Hear my cry, God; listen to my prayer.

You who listen to prayer, to you all living creatures come.

But in fact, God did listen; he paid attention to my prayer.

Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer or turn his grace away from me.

As for me, Adonai, let my prayer to you come at an acceptable time; In your great grace, God, answer me with the truth of your salvation.

May [the king] live long! May they give him gold from the land of Sh’va! May they pray for him continually; yes, bless him all day long.

This completes the prayers of David the son of Yishai.

Adonai, God of armies, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?

Adonai, God of armies, hear my prayer; listen, God of Ya‘akov. (Selah)

A prayer of David: Listen, Adonai, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

Listen, Adonai, to my prayer; pay attention to my pleading cry.

let my prayer come before you, turn your ear to my cry for help!

But I cry out to you, Adonai; my prayer comes before you in the morning.

Book IV: Psalms 90–106

A prayer of Moshe the man of God: Adonai, you have been our dwelling place in every generation.

Prayer of a sufferer overcome by weakness and pouring out his complaint before Adonai:

Adonai, hear my prayer! Let my cry for help reach you!

when he has heeded the plea of the poor and not despised their prayer.

In return for my love they became my accusers, even though I prayed for them.

I love that Adonai heard my voice when I prayed;

Let my prayer come before you; in keeping with your promise, rescue me.

Pray for shalom in Yerushalayim; may those who love you prosper.

Let my prayer be like incense set before you, my uplifted hands like an evening sacrifice.

Let the righteous strike me, let him correct me; it will be an act of love. Let my head not refuse such choice oil, for I will keep on praying about their wickedness.

A maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer:

A psalm of David: Adonai, hear my prayer; listen to my pleas for mercy. In your faithfulness, answer me, and in your righteousness.

Adonai detests the sacrifices of the wicked but delights in the prayers of the upright.

Adonai is far from the wicked, but he listens to the prayer of the righteous.

If a person will not listen to Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.

“Why, you are abolishing fear of God and hindering prayer to him!

Yet my hands are free from violence, and my prayer is pure.

What is Shaddai, that we should serve him? What do we gain if we pray to him?’

He prays to God and is accepted by him, so that he sees [God’s] face with joy, and [God] repays the man for his righteousness.

So now, get yourselves seven young bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Iyov, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering. My servant Iyov will pray for you — because him I will accept — so that I won’t punish you as your boorishness deserves; because you have not spoken rightly about me, as my servant Iyov has.”

So Elifaz the Teimani, Bildad the Shuchi and Tzofar the Na‘amati went and did what Adonai had ordered them to do, and Adonai accepted Iyov[’s prayer].

When Iyov prayed for his friends, Adonai restored his fortunes; Adonai gave Iyov twice as much as he had had before.

Even when I cry out, pleading for help, he shuts out my prayer.

You have covered yourself with a cloud so thick that no prayer can pass through.

On learning that the document had been signed, Dani’el went home. The windows of his upstairs room were open in the direction of Yerushalayim; and there he kneeled down three times a day and prayed, giving thanks before his God, just as he had been doing before.

They replied to the king, “That Dani’el, one of the exiles from Y’hudah, respects neither you, your majesty, nor the decree you signed; instead, he continues praying three times a day.”

I turned to Adonai, God, to seek an answer, pleading with him in prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

I prayed to Adonai my God and made this confession: “Please, Adonai, great and fearsome God, who keeps his covenant and extends grace to those who love him and observe his mitzvot!

Therefore, our God, listen to the prayer and pleadings of your servant; and cause your face to shine on your desolated sanctuary, for your own sake.

While I was speaking, praying, confessing my own sin and the sin of my people Isra’el, and pleading before Adonai my God for the holy mountain of my God —

yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gavri’el, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, swooped down on me in full flight at about the time of the evening sacrifice,

At the beginning of your prayers, an answer was given; and I have come to say what it is; because you are greatly loved. Therefore look into this answer, and understand the vision.

so that they can offer sacrifices with a fragrant aroma to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

So we fasted and asked our God for this, and he answered our prayer.

While ‘Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrated before the house of God, a huge crowd of Isra’el’s men, women and children gathered around him; and the people were weeping bitterly.

On hearing this answer, I sat down and wept; I mourned for several days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Let your ear now be attentive and your eyes be open, so that you will listen to the prayer of your servant, which I am praying before you these days, day and night, for the people of Isra’el your servants — even as I confess the sins of the people of Isra’el that we have committed against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned.

Adonai, please, let your ear now be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take joy in fearing your name: please let your servant succeed today and win this man’s compassion” — for I was the king’s personal attendant.

The king asked me, “What is it that you want?” I prayed to the God of heaven,

However, we prayed to our God and, because of them, organized a watch against them day and night.

and Matanyah the son of Mikha, the son of Zavdi, the son of Asaf, the leader who began the thanksgiving prayer; and Bakbukyah, the second among his kinsmen; and ‘Avda the son of Shamua, the son of Galal, the son of Y’dutun.

For you, my God, have disclosed to your servant that you will build him a house. This is why your servant has the courage to pray to you.

Even so, Adonai my God, pay attention to your servant’s prayer and plea, listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying before you,

that your eyes will be open toward this house day and night — toward the place where you said you would put your name — to listen to the prayer your servant will pray toward this place.

Yes, listen to the pleas of your servant, and also those of your people Isra’el when they pray toward this place. Hear from where you live, from heaven; and when you hear, forgive!

“If your people Isra’el sin against you and in consequence are defeated by an enemy; then if they turn back to you, acknowledge your name, and pray and make their plea to you in this house,

“When they sin against you, and in consequence the sky is shut, so that there is no rain; then if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name and turn from their sin when you have brought them low;

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;

“Also the foreigner who does not belong to your people Isra’el — when he comes from a distant country because of your great reputation, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house;

“If your people go out to fight their enemies, no matter by which way you send them, and they pray to you toward the city you chose and the house I built for your name;

then, from heaven, hear their prayer and plea, and uphold their cause.

if, in the land where they were brought and are being held captive, they return to you with all their heart and being and pray to you toward their own land, which you gave to their ancestors, toward the city you chose and toward the house I have built for your name;

then, from heaven, from where you live, hear their prayer and pleas, uphold their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

“Now, my God, please, let your eyes be open, and let your ears pay attention to the prayer being made in this place.

When Shlomo had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of Adonai filled the house,

Adonai appeared to Shlomo by night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.

then, if my people, who bear my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.

Now my eyes will be open and my ears will pay attention to the prayer made in this place.

For a large number of the people, especially from Efrayim, M’nasheh, Yissakhar and Z’vulun, had not cleansed themselves but ate the Pesach lamb anyway, despite what is written. For Hizkiyahu had prayed for them, “May Adonai, who is good, pardon

Then the cohanim, who were L’vi’im, stood up and blessed the people; [Adonai] heard their voice, and their prayer came up to the holy place where he lives, heaven.

Because of this, Hizkiyahu the king and Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, prayed and cried out to heaven.

Around this time, Hizkiyahu became ill to the point of death. But he prayed to Adonai, who answered him, even giving him a sign.

He prayed to him; and God was moved by his plea, paid attention to his entreaty and brought him back to Yerushalayim, to his kingly office. Then M’nasheh understood that Adonai really is God.

Other activities of M’nasheh, his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Adonai the God of Isra’el are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el.

Also his prayer and how God was moved by his plea, all his sin and disloyalty, and the locations where he built high places and set up the sacred poles and carved images before he humbled himself are written in the History of the Seers.