Ecclesiastes 2:7

Ecclesiastes 2:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
• New International Version (NIV)I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:7

5I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. 6I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees. I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me, 8and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines. 9So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.

Ecclesiastes 2:7 word by word

קָנִ֙יתִי֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּבְנֵי־בַ֖יִת הָ֣יָה לִ֑י גַּ֣ם מִקְנֶה֩ בָקָ֨ר וָצֹ֤אן הַרְבֵּה֙ הָ֣יָה לִ֔י מִכֹּ֛ל שֶֽׁהָי֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear

• I acquiredקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
• menservantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and maidservantsשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
• and servants were bornבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• in my houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• I alsoגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• ownedהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• moreרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• herdsבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
• herdsמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735
• and flocksצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• than anyoneכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• before meפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:7

• 1 Kings 9:20As for all the people who remained of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (the people who were not Israelites)—
• Ezra 2:58The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.
• Nehemiah 7:57The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida,
• Genesis 17:12Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring.
• Genesis 13:2And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.
• 2 Kings 3:4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
• 1 Chronicles 27:29Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds grazing in Sharon. Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the herds in the valleys.
• 2 Chronicles 26:10Since he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain, he built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns. And since he was a lover of the soil, he had farmers and vinedressers in the hill country and in the fertile fields.
• 2 Chronicles 32:27Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable articles.
• Job 1:3and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East.
• Job 42:12So the LORD blessed Job’s latter days more than his first. He owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Servants and maidens - For my works, fields, folds, and various domestic labors. Servants born in any house - Besides those hired from without, he had married couples in the precincts of his grounds, palaces, etc., who, when their children grew up, got them employment with themselves. Great and small cattle - Oxen, neat, horses, asses, mules, camels, and such like; with sheep and goats. And multitudes of most of these he needed, when we are told that his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Solomon's slaves managed large herds and flocks. Caring for them used many resources (1 Kings 4:22–23; 9:20–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-113-11. Illustration more at large of Ec 2:1, 2. I sought--I resolved, after search into many plans. give myself unto wine--literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Ro 6:16, 19; 1Co 12:2); or, one "allured" (2Pe 2:18, 19). yet acquainting ... wisdom--literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [Gesenius]. Maurer translates: "was…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:7

• Epicureans
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Servant
• Vanity
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Get; Getting
• Maid; Maiden
• Synagogue, the Great
• Slave

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings