The different words used in the Word of God and rendered “pray”, “prayer”, “make supplication” and “make intercession”, etc., indicate to us something of the many-sidedness of prayer.
In order to gain a comprehensive view of what God means by “prayer” (and prayer that is “powerful and effective”), the author considers the seventeen different Hebrew words used in the Old Testament for prayer.
And he also helpfully considers the prayer-life of many of God’s children, which is detailed in Scripture for our learning. This has been recorded not merely for our interest, but rather our edification and for the deepening of our own prayer life.