Ecclesiastes 8:4

Ecclesiastes 8:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
• New International Version (NIV)Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, "What are you doing?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:4

2I [say], Keep the king's commandment, and [that] on account of the oath of God. 3Be not hasty to go out of his sight; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatever pleaseth him, because the word of a king is power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart knoweth time and manner. 6For to every purpose there is time and manner. For the misery of man is great upon him;

Ecclesiastes 8:4 word by word

בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ל֖וֹ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear

• wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:4

• 1 Kings 2:25And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who fell on him, that he died.
• Proverbs 19:12The king's displeasure is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.
• Proverbs 20:2The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
• Proverbs 30:31a [horse] girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.
• Daniel 3:15Now if ye be ready at the time that ye hear the sound of the cornet, pipe, lute, sambuca, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast that same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace: and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
• Luke 12:4But I say to you, my friends, Fear not those who kill the body and after this have no more that they can do.
• Romans 13:1Let every soul be subject to the authorities that are above [him]. For there is no authority except from God; and those that exist are set up by God.
• Job 33:12Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for God is greater than man.
• Job 34:18Shall one say to a king, Belial? to nobles, Wicked?
• Romans 9:20Aye, but thou, O man, who art thou that answerest again to God? Shall the thing formed say to him that has formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:4

• 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. 44. God's very "word" is "power." So the gospel word (Ro 1:16; He 4:12). who may say, &c.--(Job 9:12; 33:13; Is 45:9; Da 4:35). Scripture does not ascribe such arbitrary power to earthly kings.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:4

• Citizens
• King
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• 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