English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 2:7
7I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
Ecclesiastes 2:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
- New International Version (NIV)I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me.
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:7
5I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. 9So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:7 word by word
קָנִ֙יתִי֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּבְנֵי־בַ֖יִת הָ֣יָה לִ֑י גַּ֣ם מִקְנֶה֩ בָקָ֨ר וָצֹ֤אן הַרְבֵּה֙ הָ֣יָה לִ֔י מִכֹּ֛ל שֶֽׁהָי֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I gotקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
- servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- and maidensשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
- and had servants bornבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- in my houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- also I had greatרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- possessionsמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735
- of greatבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
- and small cattleצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- above all that were in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:7
- 1 Kings 9:20All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel—
- Ezra 2:58All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.
- Nehemiah 7:57The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida,
- Genesis 17:12He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring,
- Genesis 13:2Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
- 2 Kings 3:4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams.
- 1 Chronicles 27:29Over the herds that pastured in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite; over the herds in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai.
- 2 Chronicles 26:10And he built towers in the wilderness and cut out many cisterns, for he had large herds, both in the Shephelah and in the plain, and he had farmers and vinedressers in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.
- 2 Chronicles 32:27And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of costly vessels;
- Job 1:3He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
- Job 42:12And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Servants and maidens - For my works, fields, folds, and various domestic labors. Servants born in any house - Besides those hired from without, he had married couples in the precincts of his grounds, palaces, etc., who, when their children grew up, got them employment with themselves. Great and small cattle - Oxen, neat, horses, asses, mules, camels, and such like; with sheep and goats. And multitudes of most of these he needed, when we are told that his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Solomon's slaves managed large herds and flocks. Caring for them used many resources (1 Kings 4:22–23; 9:20–21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-113-11. Illustration more at large of Ec 2:1, 2. I sought--I resolved, after search into many plans. give myself unto wine--literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Ro 6:16, 19; 1Co 12:2); or, one "allured" (2Pe 2:18, 19). yet acquainting ... wisdom--literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [Gesenius]. Maurer translates: "was…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries