EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 10:8
8If you dig a deep hole, you might fall into it. If you knock down a wall, a snake might bite you.
Ecclesiastes 10:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.
Context of Ecclesiastes 10:8
6A ruler may give fools too much authority. At the same time, rich people have no authority. 7Slaves ride on horses, as important people do. At the same time, princes have to walk, as slaves do. If you dig a deep hole, you might fall into it. If you knock down a wall, a snake might bite you. 9If you cut stones out of the ground, a stone might hurt you. If you cut wood into pieces, a piece of it might hurt you. 10If your axe is not sharp, you will need to be very strong to use it. If you are wise, you will make the axe's edge sharp again. That is how wisdom helps you to do things well.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 10Ecclesiastes 10:8 word by word
חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בּ֣וֹ יִפּ֑וֹל וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:8
- Judges 9:5He went to his father's home in Ophrah. He killed his 70 brothers, the sons of Gideon. He killed them all on one rock. But Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, hid himself and he escaped.
- 2 Samuel 17:23Ahithophel realized that Absalom had not agreed to his advice. So he got on his donkey and he went home to his own town. He told his family what he needed to tell them. Then he hanged himself. He died and his family buried him in his father's grave.
- 2 Samuel 18:15Then ten of Joab's own guards came around Absalom. They knocked him down and they killed him.
- Esther 7:10So they took Haman and they hanged him on the tower until he was dead. It was the same tower that Haman had wanted to kill Mordecai on. After that, the king did not feel so angry.
- Psalms 7:15Wicked people want to hurt people. They are digging a deep hole for people to fall into. But they fall into the hole themselves!
- Psalms 9:15Into the deep hole that they dug, the nations themselves fell. The net that they hid to catch me, caught their own feet!
- Proverbs 26:27If a man digs a deep hole as a trap, he will fall into it himself. If a man pushes a stone to fall on someone, it will fall back on him.
- Amos 5:19Nobody will escape! It will be like a man who runs away from a lion, but then he meets a bear! When he goes into his house to be safe, he puts his hand on a wall and a snake bites him!
- Amos 9:3They might try to hide on the top of Mount Carmel. But I will find them and I will take them from there. They might try to hide from me deep down in the sea. But I will command the great sea snake to bite them.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Whoso breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him - While spoiling his neighbor's property, he himself may come to greater mischief: while pulling out the sticks, he may be bit by a serpent, who has his nest there. Some have supposed that נחש nachash here means a thorn; perhaps from the similarity of its prick to the serpent's sting. He who forces his way through a hedge will be pricked by the thorns.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-10Verses 8-10 The figures seem to be taken from the work of building up and pulling down houses. In their general application, they recommend the man who would act wisely to be cautious when taking any step in life which involves risk. Ecclesiastes 10:8 Breaketh an hedge - Rather: “breaks through a wall.” Serpent - The habit of snakes is to nestle in a chink of a wall, or among stones (compare Amos 5:19). Ecclesiastes 10:9 Be endangered - Rather: “cut…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 Solomon appears to caution men not to seek redress in a hasty manner, nor to yield to pride and revenge. Do not, in a passion, quit thy post of duty; wait awhile, and thou wilt find that yielding pacifies great offences. Men are not preferred according to their merit. And those are often most forward to offer help, who are least aware of the difficulties, or the consequences. The same remark is applied to the church, or the body of Christ…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9Every activity needs wisdom. People show wisdom by taking safety precautions in their jobs, but some risk always remains.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. The fatal results to kings of such an unwise policy; the wrong done to others recoils on themselves (Ec 8:9); they fall into the pit which they dug for others (Es 7:10; Psa 7:15; Pr 26:27). Breaking through the wise fences of their throne, they suffer unexpectedly themselves; as when one is stung by a serpent lurking in the stones of his neighbor's garden wall (Psa 80:12), which he maliciously pulls down (Am 5:19).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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