EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 7:13
13Think about the things that God has done. If God has bent something, nobody can make it straight again.
Ecclesiastes 7:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
- New International Version (NIV)Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Consider the work of God; For who can make straight what He has made crooked?
Context of Ecclesiastes 7:13
11It is good to have wisdom, like money that you receive from your father. Wisdom helps everyone who lives. 12Both wisdom and money can keep you safe. But wisdom is better. If you are wise, your knowledge can save your life. Think about the things that God has done. If God has bent something, nobody can make it straight again. 14If your life is good, you should be happy. But if you have trouble, think about this: God causes both joy and trouble in our lives. We do not know what will happen next. 15In my short life on the earth I have seen these things which have no purpose: Sometimes righteous people may die when they are still young. They did good things, but they died. And sometimes wicked people continue to live for along time. They did evil things, but they continued to live.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 7Ecclesiastes 7:13 word by word
רְאֵ֖ה אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י מִ֤י יוּכַל֙ לְתַקֵּ֔ן אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִוְּתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:13
- Job 37:14Listen carefully to what I am telling you, Job. Stop and think about the wonderful things that God does.
- Psalms 8:3You made the skies with your own hands. When I look up, I see the moon and the stars. You have put them all in their right place.
- Psalms 107:43Wise people should think about these things. They should understand the Lord's faithful love for his people.
- Isaiah 5:12You have wild parties with plenty of music and wine. You make music with your lyres, harps, tambourines and flutes. But you do not understand the things that the Lord is doing. You do not see the things that he has made.
- Ecclesiastes 1:15If someone has bent something, you cannot always make it straight again. You cannot count things, if they are not there.
- Job 9:12If God decides to take something, nobody can stop him. Nobody can ask him, “What are you doing?”
- Job 11:10God may catch you and put you in prison. He may accuse you in a court. Nobody can stop him doing that.
- Job 12:14If God destroys something, nobody can repair it. If God puts someone in prison, that person cannot escape.
- Job 34:29But if God decides to do nothing, no one can say that he is wrong. If he hides himself, no one can see him. But he still rules over people and over nations.
- Isaiah 14:27Yes, the Lord Almighty has decided what he will do. Nobody can change it. He is ready to show his power. Nobody can stop it.
- Isaiah 43:13‘Today and every day, I am God. If I hold you in my hand, nobody can take you away from my power. When I do something, nobody can change it.’
- Isaiah 46:10From the beginning, I say what will happen at the end. Long ago, I spoke about future things that have not yet happened. I say this: “My purpose will not change. I will do everything that I want to do.”
- Daniel 4:35All the people on the earth seem like nothing to him. He does whatever he wants among the angels in heaven, and among the people on the earth too. Nobody can stop him. Nobody can ask him, ‘Why are you doing that?’
- Romans 9:15Think about this. God said to Moses, ‘I will be kind to whoever I choose to be kind to. I will feel sorry for whoever I choose to feel sorry for.’
- Ephesians 1:11God is able to make all things happen just like he decides. He chose us to be his own people, because we are united with Christ. In the beginning, God had already decided that this was his purpose.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Consider the work of God - Such is the nature of his providence, that it puts money into the hands of few: but wisdom is within the reach of all. The first is not necessary to happiness; therefore, it is not offered to men; the latter is; and therefore God, in his goodness, offers it to the whole human race. The former can rarely be acquired, for God puts it out of the reach of most men, and you cannot make that straight which he has made crooked; the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The work of God - The scheme of Divine Providence, the course of events which God orders and controls (compare Ecclesiastes 3:11). It comprises both events which are “straight,” i. e., in accordance with our expectation, and events which are “crooked,” i. e., which by their seeming inequality baffle our comprehension.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-22Verses 11-22 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13God's powerful actions cannot be resisted; trying to oppose or escape his plans is pointless.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Consider as to God's work, that it is impossible to alter His dispensations; for who can, &c. straight ... crooked--Man cannot amend what God wills to be "wanting" and "adverse" (Ec 1:15; Job 12:14).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7
- 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
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