Ecclesiastes 9:13

Ecclesiastes 9:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
• New International Version (NIV)I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me:
• English Standard Version (ESV)I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:13

11Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them. 12For certainly no one knows his time: like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them. I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: 14There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. 15Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Ecclesiastes 9:13 word by word

גַּם־זֹ֛ה רָאִ֥יתִי חָכְמָ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וּגְדוֹלָ֥ה הִ֖יא אֵלָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thisזֹהzôh · thisH2090
• wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• have I seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• also under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:13

• Ecclesiastes 6:1Here is a tragedy I have observed under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity:
• Ecclesiastes 7:15In my futile life I have seen everything: someone righteous perishes in spite of his righteousness, and someone wicked lives long in spite of his evil.
• Ecclesiastes 8:16When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the activity that is done on the earth (even though one’s eyes do not close in sleep day or night),

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:13

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Or, Also this have I seen - wisdom under the sun, and great it seemed to me. From this verse to the end of Ecclesiastes 10, the writer inculcates, in a series of proverbs, wisdom in contrast to folly, as the best remedy in the present life to the evil of vanity.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 A man may, by his wisdom, bring to pass that which he could never do by his strength. If God be for us, who can be against us, or stand before us? Solomon observes the power of wisdom, though it may labour under outward disadvantages. How forcible are right words! But wise and good men must often content themselves with the satisfaction of having done good, or, at least, endeavoured to do it, when they cannot do the good they would, nor have…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-18This poor man's wise action was effective. Wisdom is better than power, strength, or weapons (see Ecclesiastes 4:13; 7:9, 19; 10:4). However, deserving people are not always honored, and even wise individuals are sometimes forgotten (see Ecclesiastes 2:16; 4:16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Rather, "I have seen wisdom of this kind also," that is, exhibited in the way which is described in what follows [Maurer].Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:13

• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9

• 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