Ecclesiastes 8:5

Ecclesiastes 8:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
• New International Version (NIV)Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:5

3Do 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?” Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. 6For there is a right time and procedure to every purpose, though a man’s misery weighs heavily upon him. 7Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him what is to come?

Ecclesiastes 8:5 word by word

שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Whoever keepsשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• his commandמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
• will come toיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• will come toדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• harmרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• and a wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• the right timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• and procedureמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:5

• Ecclesiastes 5:2Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
• Exodus 1:17The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
• Psalms 119:6Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments.
• Hosea 5:11Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, for he is determined to follow worthless idols.
• Luke 20:25So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
• Acts 4:19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
• Acts 5:29But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
• Romans 13:5Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.
• 1 Peter 3:13Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
• Ecclesiastes 10:2A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
• 1 Chronicles 12:32From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.
• Proverbs 17:24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
• Luke 12:56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?
• 1 Corinthians 2:14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
• Philippians 1:9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Both time and judgment - It is a matter of great importance to be able to discern When and How both to speak and act; but when time and manner are both determined, the matter comes next. What shall I speak? What shall I do? When, how, and what answer to time, manner, and knitter. To discern all these, and act suitably, is a lesson for a philosopher, and a study for a Christian.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Feel - literally, know. The meaning is, “He who obeys the commandment (i. e., the word of the king, Ecclesiastes 8:4), will not be an accomplice in any act of rebellion; and if he be a wise man he discerns (literally knows) that the king‘s commandment or action is liable to correction, if it be wrong, in God‘s time and by God‘s judgment.” Compare Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:17.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. feel--experience. time--the neglect of the right "times" causes much of the sinful folly of the spiritually unwise (Ec 3:1-11). judgment--the right manner [Holden]. But as God's future "judgment" is connected with the "time for every purpose" in Ec 3:17, so it is here. The punishment of persisting sinners (Ec 8:3) suggests it. The wise man realizes the fact, that as there is a fit "time" for every purpose, so for the "judgment." This thought cheers him…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:5

• King
• Righteous
• Wisdom

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