Ecclesiastes 8:3

Ecclesiastes 8:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:3

1Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed. 2Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God. Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?” 5Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.

Ecclesiastes 8:3 word by word

אַל־תִּבָּהֵ֤ל מִפָּנָיו֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּדָבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֛י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַחְפֹּ֖ץ יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear

• Do notאַל'al · notH408
• hastenבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926
• to leaveהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• his presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• persistעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• in a badרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• causeדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• forכִּיkîy · forH3588
• he will doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• whateverכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• he pleasesחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Ecclesiastes 10:4If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
• Proverbs 14:29A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
• 1 Kings 1:50But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.
• 1 Kings 2:21So Bathsheba said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”
• Isaiah 48:4For I knew that you are stubborn; your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze.
• Jeremiah 44:16“As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!
• Acts 5:8“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
• Proverbs 16:14The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
• Proverbs 30:31a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
• Daniel 4:35All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
• Daniel 5:19Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Be not hasty - I consider the first five verses here as directions to courtiers, and the more immediate servants of kings. Be steadily faithful to your sovereign. Do not stand in an evil thing. If you have done wrong, do not endeavor to vindicate yourself before him; it is of no use; his power is absolute, and he will do what he pleases. He will take his own view of the subject, and he will retain it. The language of a despotic sovereign was ever this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Stand not … - i. e., “Do not persist in rebellion.”Read the comment
• 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. 33. hasty--rather, "Be not terror-struck so as to go out of His sight." Slavishly "terror-struck" is characteristic of the sinner's feeling toward God; he vainly tries to flee out of His sight (Psa 139:7); opposed to the "shining face" of filial confidence (Ec 8:1; Joh 8:33-36; Ro 8:2; 1Jo 4:18). stand not--persist not. for he doeth--God inflicts what punishment He pleases on persisting sinners (Job 23:13; Psa 115:3). True of none save God.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Citizens
• King
• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• Evil Thing
• Discern
• Discharge
• Feel
• Hasty
• Heart
• Set
• Synagogue, the Great

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