Ecclesiastes 4:15

Ecclesiastes 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
• New International Version (NIV)I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king's place.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I saw all the living who walk under the sun; They were with the second youth who stands in his place.

Context of Ecclesiastes 4:15

13A poor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction and counsel (friendly reproof, warning)— 14for the poor youth has [used his wisdom and] come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. I have seen all the living under the sun join with the second youth (the king’s acknowledged successor) who replaces him. 16There is no end to all the people; to all who were before them. Yet those who come later will not be happy with him. Surely this also is vanity (emptiness) and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:15 word by word

רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עִ֚ם הַיֶּ֣לֶד הַשֵּׁנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲמֹ֖ד תַּחְתָּֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I consideredרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• all the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
• which walkהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• with the secondשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
• childיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
• that shall stand upעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:15

• 2 Samuel 15:6This is how Absalom dealt with everyone in Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15With the second child that shall stand up - The Targum applies this to the case of Jeroboam and Rehoboam. History affords many instances of mean persons raised to sovereign authority, and of kings being reduced to the meanest offices, and to a morsel of bread. Agrippa himself ascended the throne of Israel after having been long in prison. See Josephus, Ant. lib. 18: c. 8. This the heathens attributed to fortune. Si fortuna volet, fies de rhetore consul…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13-16Verses 13-16 These verses set forth the vanity of earthly prosperity even on a throne. Opinion as to their application is chiefly divided between considering them a parable or fiction like that of the childless man in Ecclesiastes 4:8: or as setting forth first the vicissitudes of royal life in two proverbial sayings Ecclesiastes 4:13-14, and then Ecclesiastes 4:15-16, the vicissitudes or procession of the whole human race, one generation giving place to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-16Verses 13-16 People are never long easy and satisfied; they are fond of changes. This is no new thing. Princes see themselves slighted by those they have studied to oblige; this is vanity and vexation of spirit. But the willing servants of the Lord Jesus, our King, rejoice in him alone, and they will love Him more and more to all eternity.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16A ruler's popularity is temporary and fleeting, like the wind.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. "I considered all the living," the present generation, in relation to ("with") the "second youth" (the "legitimate successor" of the "old king," as opposed to the "poor youth," the one first spoken of, about to be raised from poverty to a throne), that is, Rehoboam. in his stead--the old king's.Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Prison
• Threefold
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings