Ecclesiastes 5:9

Ecclesiastes 5:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
• New International Version (NIV)The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

Context of Ecclesiastes 5:9

7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God. 8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they. Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity. 11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes?

Ecclesiastes 5:9 word by word

וְיִתְר֥וֹן אֶ֖רֶץ בַּכֹּ֣ל ה֑וּא מֶ֥לֶךְ לְשָׂדֶ֖ה נֶעֱבָֽד׃Read the interlinear

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:9

• Genesis 1:29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food:
• Genesis 3:17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
• Psalms 104:14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, And herb for the service of man; That he may bring forth food out of the earth,
• Psalms 115:16The heavens are the heavens of Jehovah; But the earth hath he given to the children of men.
• Proverbs 13:23Much foodis inthe tillage of the poor; But there is that is destroyed by reason of injustice.
• Proverbs 27:23Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, And look well to thy herds:
• Proverbs 28:19He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread; But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
• Jeremiah 40:10As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans that shall come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.
• 1 Samuel 8:12and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.
• 1 Kings 4:7And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.
• 1 Chronicles 27:26and over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The profit of the earth is for all - The earth, if properly cultivated, is capable of producing food for every living creature; and without cultivation none has a right to expect bread. The king himself is served by the field - Without the field he cannot have supplies for his own house; and, unless agriculture flourish, the necessary expenses of the state cannot be defrayed. Thus, God joins the head and feet together; for while the peasant is protected…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The king himself is served by the field - Rather, the king is subject to the field, i. e., is dependent on its cultivation. The higher ranks, if they oppress the lower, lose thereby their own means of subsistence.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better than he does his luxuries. There are bodily desires which silver itself will not satisfy, much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires. The more men have, the better house they must keep, the more servants they must employ, the more guests…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields: The New Living Translation sees these verses as saying that bureaucracy causes oppression instead of justice, even up to the king (see also 1 Samuel 8:11–18). This is not surprising because bureaucracies often work this way. Others interpret the verses to mean that the king and his officials…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. "The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" (2Ch 26:10). Therefore the common Lord of all, high and low, will punish at last those who rob the "poor" of their share in it (Pr 22:22, 23; Am 8:4-7).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:9

• Agriculture
• Land
• Riches

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Angry
• Defer
• Eat
• Error
• Vow
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5

• 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