EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 9:8
8Always dress yourself well in good clothes. Use as much sweet oil as you need on your head.
Ecclesiastes 9:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
- New International Version (NIV)Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
Context of Ecclesiastes 9:8
6Everything that they did in the world has finished. If they loved people, if they hated people, if they were jealous of people, all that has finished. They no longer having anything to do with the things that happen on the earth. 7So be happy as you eat your food. Be happy as you drink your wine. God is pleased with you as you do these things. Always dress yourself well in good clothes. Use as much sweet oil as you need on your head. 9Love your wife and enjoy your life together with her. God has given you your life. It is a short life and it is difficult to understand everything that happens. God wants you to enjoy these things as you do hard work during your life on the earth. 10Use all your strength to do the work that you are doing. One day you will die and you will go into your grave. Then you will not have any work, or ideas, or knowledge or wisdom. So do your work well while you are alive.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 9Ecclesiastes 9:8 word by word
בְּכָל־עֵ֕ת יִהְי֥וּ בְגָדֶ֖יךָ לְבָנִ֑ים וְשֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשְׁךָ֥ אַל־יֶחְסָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:8
- 2 Samuel 19:24Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also came from Jerusalem to meet the king. Since David had left Jerusalem, Mephibosheth had not washed his feet, cut his beard or washed his clothes.
- Esther 8:15Then Mordecai left the king's palace. He was wearing royal clothes that were purple and white. He had a large gold crown on his head. He wore a beautiful coat made from purple linen. The people in Susa city shouted with joy because of the new law.
- Revelation 3:4But you have a few people among you in Sardis who have not done these bad things. They are like people who have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me and they will wear white clothes. They are good people and it is right for them to wear these white clothes.
- Revelation 7:9After this, I looked again. I saw a very big crowd of people. There were so many people that nobody could count them. They came from every nation, from every tribe and from every language. They were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing long white clothes and they held branches of palm trees in their hands.
- Revelation 16:15The Lord says: ‘Listen! I will come secretly, like someone who robs people. If you continue to watch carefully, you will be happy. Keep your clothes with you all the time. Then, when I come, you will not be ashamed because you have no clothes.’
- Revelation 19:8God has given her linen clothes to wear that are bright and clean.’ These special linen clothes show the good things that God's holy people have done.
- Ruth 3:3So wash yourself carefully. Put some perfume on yourself. Put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor. Do not let Boaz know that you are there. Wait quietly until he has finished his food and drink.
- 2 Samuel 14:2So he sent a message to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He said to her, ‘Pretend that you are upset because of someone's death. Dress in funeral clothes. Do not use any perfume on your body. You must seem like a woman who has been sad for a long time.
- Daniel 10:3I did not eat any special food. I ate no meat and I drank no wine. I did not put any sweet oil on my skin or my hair until the three weeks had finished.
- Amos 6:6You drink lots of wine. You put beautiful oils on your bodies. But you are not sad that Joseph's descendants are destroying themselves as a nation.
- Matthew 6:17But when you fast for some time, you should wash your face. Make your hair look nice.
- Luke 7:46You did not put oil on my head. But she has brought oil with a nice smell and put it on my feet.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Let thy garments be always white - The Jews wore white garments on festal occasions, as emblems of joy and innocence. Be always pure, and always happy. The inhabitants of India are all dressed in clean white cotton, and to this is the allusion in the text. The Targum says: "At all times let thy garments be washed and pure from the stain of sin. Acquire a good name, which is likened to the oil of anointing, that blessings may be called down up thy head…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Read these six verses connectedly, in order to arrive at the meaning of the writer; and compare Ecclesiastes 2:1-12. After the description Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 of the portionless condition of the dead, the next thought which occurs is that the man who is prosperous and active should simply enjoy his portion all through this life Ecclesiastes 9:7-10; and then Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 follows the correcting thought (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 note)…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 The most despicable living man's state, is preferable to that of the most noble who have died impenitent. Solomon exhorts the wise and pious to cheerful confidence in God, whatever their condition in life. The meanest morsel, coming from their Father's love, in answer to prayer, will have a peculiar relish. Not that we may set our hearts upon the delights of sense, but what God has given us we may use with wisdom. The joy here described, is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10Death will happen to everyone, but it is good to enjoy life.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. white--in token of joy (Is 61:3). Solomon was clad in white (Josephus, Antiquities, 8:7,3); hence his attire is compared to the "lilies" (Mt 6:29), typical of the spotless righteousness of Jesus Christ, which the redeemed shall wear (Re 3:18; 7:14). ointment--(Psa 23:5), opposed to a gloomy exterior (2Sa 14:2; Psa 45:7; Mt 6:17); typical, also (Ec 7:1; So 1:3).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:8
In the dictionaries
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
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