God’s Word Translation
Ecclesiastes 8:10
10Then I saw wicked people given an ⌞honorable⌟ burial. They used to go in and out of the holy place. They were praised in the city for doing such things. Even this is pointless.
Ecclesiastes 8:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.
- New International Version (NIV)Then too, I saw the wicked buried—those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.
Context of Ecclesiastes 8:10
8No one has the power to prevent the spirit of life from leaving. No one has control over the day of his own death. There is no way to avoid the war ⌞against death⌟. Wickedness will not save wicked people ⌞from dying⌟. 9I have seen all of this, and I have carefully considered all that is done under the sun whenever one person has authority to hurt others. Then I saw wicked people given an ⌞honorable⌟ burial. They used to go in and out of the holy place. They were praised in the city for doing such things. Even this is pointless. 11When a sentence against a crime isn’t carried out quickly, people are encouraged to commit crimes. 12A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and yet live a long life. Still, I know with certainty that it will go well for those who fear God, because they fear him.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 8Ecclesiastes 8:10 word by word
וּבְכֵ֡ן רָאִיתִי֩ רְשָׁעִ֨ים קְבֻרִ֜ים וָבָ֗אוּ וּמִמְּק֤וֹם קָדוֹשׁ֙ יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ וְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּ בָעִ֖יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר כֵּן־עָשׂ֑וּ גַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And soכֵּןkên · rightH3651
- I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
- buriedקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
- who had comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and goneהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- from the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- of the holyקָדוֹשׁqâdôsh qâdôsh · holyH6918
- and they were forgottenשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
- in the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- where they had so doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- also vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:10
- 2 Kings 9:34He went inside, ate, and drank. Then he said, “Take care of this woman who had a curse on her. After all, she was a king’s daughter.”
- Job 21:18How often are they like straw in the wind or like husks that the storm sweeps away?
- Luke 16:22“One day the beggar died, and the angels carried him to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
- Psalms 122:1I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.”
- Acts 6:13Some witnesses stood up and lied about Stephen. They said, “This man never stops saying bad things about the holy place and Moses’ Teachings.
- Ecclesiastes 2:16Neither the wise person nor the fool will be remembered for long, since both will be forgotten in the days to come. Both the wise person and the fool will die.
- Ecclesiastes 9:5The living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no more reward for the dead when the memory of them has faded.
- Psalms 31:12I have faded from memory as if I were dead and have become like a piece of broken pottery.
- Proverbs 10:7The name of a righteous person remains blessed, but the names of wicked people will rot away.
- Jeremiah 17:13O Lord, the Hope of Israel, all who abandon you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in dust, because they abandon the Lord, the fountain of life-giving water.
- Hebrews 10:38The person who has God’s approval will live by faith. But if he turns back, I will not be pleased with him.”
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Who had come and gone from the place of the holy - The place of the holy is the sacred office which they held, anointed either as kings or priests to God; and, not having fulfilled the holy office in a holy way, have been carried to their graves without lamentation, and lie among the dead without remembrance.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10i. e., “I saw wicked (rulers) buried, who came into the world and went from the Holy place (the seat of authority and justice, Deuteronomy 19:17; 2 Chronicles 19:6), and they were forgotten in the city where they had so ruled to the hurt of their subjects: this - their death and oblivion - shews their lot also to be vanity.” Others interpret the verse: “I have seen wicked men buried; and (others) came into the world, and from the Holy place they went out…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. 9-11In this world, unfairness often wins. It can be frustrating when bad people seem to succeed.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. the wicked--namely, rulers (Ec 8:9). buried--with funeral pomp by man, though little meriting it (Jr 22:19); but this only formed the more awful contrast to their death, temporal and eternal, inflicted by God (Lu 16:22, 23). come and gone from the place of the holy--went to and came from the place of judicature, where they sat as God's representatives (Psa 82:1-6), with pomp [Holden]. Weiss translates, "Buried and gone (utterly), even from the holy…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:10
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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