Amplified Bible
Ecclesiastes 8:4
4For the word of a king is authoritative and powerful, And who will say to him, “What are you doing?”
Ecclesiastes 8:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
- New International Version (NIV)Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, "What are you doing?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
Context of Ecclesiastes 8:4
2I counsel you to keep the command of the king because of the oath before God [by which you swore loyalty to him]. 3Do not be in a hurry to get out of his presence. Do not join in a malevolent matter, for the king will do whatever he pleases. For the word of a king is authoritative and powerful, And who will say to him, “What are you doing?” 5Whoever keeps and observes a royal command will experience neither trouble nor misery; For a wise heart will know the proper time and [appropriate] procedure. 6For there is a proper time and [appropriate] procedure for every delight, Though mankind’s misery and trouble lies heavily upon him [who rebels against the king].
Read all of Ecclesiastes 8Ecclesiastes 8:4 word by word
בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ל֖וֹ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:4
- 1 Kings 2:25So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck Adonijah and he died.
- Proverbs 19:12The king’s wrath terrifies like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is as [refreshing and nourishing as] dew on the grass.
- Proverbs 20:2The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
- Proverbs 30:31The strutting rooster, the male goat also, And the king when his army is with him.
- Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?”
- Luke 12:4“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do.
- Romans 13:1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God [granted by His permission and sanction], and those which exist have been put in place by God.
- Job 33:12Look, let me answer you, in this you are not right or just; For God is greater and far superior to man.
- Job 34:18God who says to a king, ‘You are worthless and vile,’ Or to princes and nobles, ‘You are wicked and evil’?
- Romans 9:20On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers [arrogantly] back to God and dares to defy Him? Will the thing which is formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:4
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4It is pointless to plot against the king because he has great power and can do anything he wants.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. God's very "word" is "power." So the gospel word (Ro 1:16; He 4:12). who may say, &c.--(Job 9:12; 33:13; Is 45:9; Da 4:35). Scripture does not ascribe such arbitrary power to earthly kings.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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