English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 8:12
12Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.
Ecclesiastes 8:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
- New International Version (NIV)Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off.
Context of Ecclesiastes 8:12
10Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. 14There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 8Ecclesiastes 8:12 word by word
אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֹטֶ֗א עֹשֶׂ֥ה רָ֛ע מְאַ֖ת וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ ל֑וֹ כִּ֚י גַּם־יוֹדֵ֣עַ אָ֔נִי אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה־טּוֹב֙ לְיִרְאֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽירְא֖וּ מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Though a sinnerחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- an hundred timesמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- be prolongedאָרַךְ'ârak · to prolongH748
- yet surely I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- that it shall be wellטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- with them that fearיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- which fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:12
- Ecclesiastes 5:16This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?
- Ecclesiastes 7:15In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.
- 1 Kings 2:5"Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet.
- 1 Kings 21:25(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.
- 1 Kings 22:34But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded."
- Proverbs 13:21Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good.
- Isaiah 65:20No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
- Romans 2:5But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
- Romans 9:22What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
- 2 Peter 2:9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,
- Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.
- Psalms 37:11But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
- Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!
- Psalms 115:13he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great.
- Proverbs 1:32For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;
- Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Though a sinner do evil a hundred times - If God bear so long with a transgressor, waiting in his longsuffering for him to repent and turn to him, surely he will be peculiarly kind to them that fear him, and endeavor to walk uprightly before him.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12His days be prolonged - i. e., in his wickedness Ecclesiastes 8:8. “I” is emphatic, as if to mark the opposition to the “sons of men” Ecclesiastes 8:11.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-13Verses 9-13 Solomon observed, that many a time one man rules over another to his hurt, and that prosperity hardens them in their wickedness. Sinners herein deceive themselves. Vengeance comes slowly, but it comes surely. A good man's days have some substance; he lives to a good purpose: a wicked man's days are all as a shadow, empty and worthless. Let us pray that we may view eternal things as near, real, and all-important.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13Injustice is temporary and does not disrupt God's plans for justice (Ecclesiastes 3:16–17; 12:14). In the end, wickedness does not succeed.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. He says this, lest the sinner should abuse the statement (Ec 7:15), "A wicked man prolongeth his life." before him--literally, "at His presence"; reverently serve Him, realizing His continual presence.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:12
In the dictionaries
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
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