Ecclesiastes 9:13

Ecclesiastes 9:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
• New International Version (NIV)I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me:
• English Standard Version (ESV)I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:13

11I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong, and neither is bread to the wise nor riches to those of intelligence and understanding nor favor to men of ability; but time and chance overtake them all. 12For man also does not know his time [of death]; like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds caught in the snare, so the sons of men are ensnared in an evil time when a dark cloud suddenly falls on them. This [illustration of] wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and great it was to me: 14There was a little city with few men in it and a great king came against it and besieged it and built great battlements against it. 15But there was found in it a poor wise man, and by his wisdom he rescued the city. Yet no man [seriously] remembered that poor man.

Ecclesiastes 9:13 word by word

גַּם־זֹ֛ה רָאִ֥יתִי חָכְמָ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וּגְדוֹלָ֥ה הִ֖יא אֵלָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thisזֹהzôh · thisH2090
• wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• have I seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• also under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:13

• Ecclesiastes 6:1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men:
• Ecclesiastes 7:15I have seen everything during my [fleeting] days of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in [spite of] his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives a long life in [spite of] his wickedness.
• Ecclesiastes 8:16When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to see the activities [of mankind] that take place upon the earth—how some men seem to sleep neither day nor night—

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:13

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Or, Also this have I seen - wisdom under the sun, and great it seemed to me. From this verse to the end of Ecclesiastes 10, the writer inculcates, in a series of proverbs, wisdom in contrast to folly, as the best remedy in the present life to the evil of vanity.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 A man may, by his wisdom, bring to pass that which he could never do by his strength. If God be for us, who can be against us, or stand before us? Solomon observes the power of wisdom, though it may labour under outward disadvantages. How forcible are right words! But wise and good men must often content themselves with the satisfaction of having done good, or, at least, endeavoured to do it, when they cannot do the good they would, nor have…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-18This poor man's wise action was effective. Wisdom is better than power, strength, or weapons (see Ecclesiastes 4:13; 7:9, 19; 10:4). However, deserving people are not always honored, and even wise individuals are sometimes forgotten (see Ecclesiastes 2:16; 4:16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Rather, "I have seen wisdom of this kind also," that is, exhibited in the way which is described in what follows [Maurer].Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:13

• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9

• 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