Ecclesiastes 5:9

Ecclesiastes 5:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
• New International Version (NIV)The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

Context of Ecclesiastes 5:9

7For in the multitude of dreams are vanities; so with many words: but fear God. 8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they. Moreover the earth is every way profitable: the king [himself] is dependent upon the field. 10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This also is vanity. 11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what profit is there to the owner thereof, except the beholding [of them] with his eyes?

Ecclesiastes 5:9 word by word

וְיִתְר֥וֹן אֶ֖רֶץ בַּכֹּ֣ל ה֑וּא מֶ֥לֶךְ לְשָׂדֶ֖ה נֶעֱבָֽד׃Read the interlinear

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:9

• Genesis 1:29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb producing seed that is on the whole earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree producing seed: it shall be food for you;
• Genesis 3:17And to Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed be the ground on thy account; with toil shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life;
• Psalms 104:14He maketh the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man; bringing forth bread out of the earth,
• Psalms 115:16The heavens are the heavens of Jehovah, but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
• Proverbs 13:23Much food is in the tillage of the poor; but there is that is lost for want of judgment.
• Proverbs 27:23Be well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds:
• Proverbs 28:19He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread; but he that followeth the worthless shall have poverty enough.
• Jeremiah 40:10And as for me, behold, I dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans, who will come unto us; and ye, gather wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put [them] in your vessels, and dwell in your cities which ye have taken.
• 1 Samuel 8:12and [he will take them] that he may appoint for himself captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and that they may plough his ground, and reap his harvest, and make his instruments of war and instruments of his chariots.
• 1 Kings 4:7And Solomon had twelve superintendents over all Israel; and they provided food for the king and his household: each man his month in the year had to make provision.
• 1 Chronicles 27:26And over them that worked in the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The profit of the earth is for all - The earth, if properly cultivated, is capable of producing food for every living creature; and without cultivation none has a right to expect bread. The king himself is served by the field - Without the field he cannot have supplies for his own house; and, unless agriculture flourish, the necessary expenses of the state cannot be defrayed. Thus, God joins the head and feet together; for while the peasant is protected…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The king himself is served by the field - Rather, the king is subject to the field, i. e., is dependent on its cultivation. The higher ranks, if they oppress the lower, lose thereby their own means of subsistence.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better than he does his luxuries. There are bodily desires which silver itself will not satisfy, much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires. The more men have, the better house they must keep, the more servants they must employ, the more guests…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields: The New Living Translation sees these verses as saying that bureaucracy causes oppression instead of justice, even up to the king (see also 1 Samuel 8:11–18). This is not surprising because bureaucracies often work this way. Others interpret the verses to mean that the king and his officials…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. "The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" (2Ch 26:10). Therefore the common Lord of all, high and low, will punish at last those who rob the "poor" of their share in it (Pr 22:22, 23; Am 8:4-7).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:9

• Agriculture
• Land
• Riches

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Angry
• Defer
• Eat
• Error
• Vow
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5

• 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