Ecclesiastes 2:7

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:7

5I made gardens and parks for myself. I planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 6I made pools to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves. In addition, slaves were born in my household. I owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8I also gathered silver and gold for myself. I gathered the treasures of kings and provinces. I provided myself with male and female singers and the pleasures men have with one concubine after another. 9So I grew richer than anyone in Jerusalem before me. Yet, my wisdom remained with me.

Ecclesiastes 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 9:20The Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites had been left ⌞in the land⌟ because the Israelites had not been able to claim them for God by destroying them. They were not Israelites,
• Ezra 2:58The temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants totaled 392.
• Nehemiah 7:57These descendants of Solomon’s servants returned from exile: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
• Genesis 17:12For generations to come every male child who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether he is born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner who’s not related to you.
• Genesis 13:2Abram was very rich because he had livestock, silver, and gold.
• 2 Kings 3:4King Mesha of Moab raised sheep. ⌞Each year⌟ he had to pay the king of Israel 100,000 male lambs and the wool from 100,000 rams.
• 1 Chronicles 27:29for the herds grazing in Sharon Shitrai from Sharon for the herds in the valleys Shaphat, son of Adlai
• 2 Chronicles 26:10He built towers in the desert. He dug many cisterns because he had a lot of herds in the foothills and the plains. He had farmers and vineyard workers in the mountains and the fertile fields because he loved the soil.
• 2 Chronicles 32:27Hezekiah became richer and was highly honored. He prepared storerooms for himself to hold silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuables.
• Job 1:3He owned 7,000 sheep and goats, 3,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, 500 donkeys, and a large number of servants. He was the most influential person in the Middle East.
• Job 42:12The Lord blessed the latter years of Job’s life more than the earlier years. He had 14,000 sheep and goats, 6,000 camels, 2,000 oxen, and 1,000 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

• Epicureans
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Servant
• Vanity
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Get; Getting
• Maid; Maiden
• Synagogue, the Great
• Slave

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