Ecclesiastes 4:13

Ecclesiastes 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
• New International Version (NIV)Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Better a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.

Context of Ecclesiastes 4:13

11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning. 14For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom. 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.

Ecclesiastes 4:13 word by word

ט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד׃Read the interlinear

• Betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• is a poorמִסְכֵּןmiskên · poorH4542
• but wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• youthיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
• than an oldזָקֵןzâqên · oldH2205
• but foolishכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• longerעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
• knowsיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• how to take a warningזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 4:13

• Ecclesiastes 9:15Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
• Genesis 37:2This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
• Proverbs 19:1Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.
• Proverbs 28:6Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse.
• 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
• 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”
• 2 Chronicles 24:20Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’”
• 2 Chronicles 25:16While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 4:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Better is a poor and a wise child - The Targum applies this to Abraham. "Abraham was a poor child of only three years of age; but he had the spirit of prophecy, and he refused to worship the idols which the old foolish king - Nimrod - had set up; therefore Nimrod cast him into a furnace of fire. But the Lord worked a miracle and delivered him. Yet here was no knowledge in Nimrod, and he would not be admonished." The Targum proceeds: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. 13-14Better is a...wise youth: Wisdom is valuable because it helps in real-life situations.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. The "threefold cord" [Ec 4:12] of social ties suggests the subject of civil government. In this case too, he concludes that kingly power confers no lasting happiness. The "wise" child, though a supposed case of Solomon, answers, in the event foreseen by the Holy Ghost, to Jeroboam, then a poor but valiant youth, once a "servant" of Solomon, and (1Ki 11:26-40) appointed by God through the prophet Ahijah to be heir of the kingdom of the ten tribes about…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 4:13

• Children
• Poor
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Prison
• Threefold
• Poor
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wisdom

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