Ecclesiastes 8:5

Ecclesiastes 8:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
• New International Version (NIV)Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:5

3Don’t be in a hurry to leave the king’s service. Don’t take part in something evil, because he can do whatever he pleases. 4Since a king’s word has such power, no one can ask him what he is doing. Whoever obeys his commands will avoid trouble. The mind of a wise person will know the right time and the right way ⌞to act⌟. 6There is a right time and a right way ⌞to act⌟ in every situation. Yet, a terrible human tragedy hangs over people. 7They don’t know what the future will bring. So who can tell them how things will turn out?

Ecclesiastes 8:5 word by word

שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoso keepethשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• the commandmentמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
• shall feelיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• no evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• and a wise man’sחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• both timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• and judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:5

• Ecclesiastes 5:2Don’t be in a hurry to talk. Don’t be eager to speak in the presence of God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words.
• Exodus 1:17However, the midwives feared God and didn’t obey the king of Egypt’s orders. They let the boys live.
• Psalms 119:6Then I will never feel ashamed when I study all your commandments.
• Hosea 5:11Ephraim is oppressed—crushed by punishment, because its people are determined to chase idols.
• Luke 20:25He said to them, “Well, then give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.”
• Acts 4:19Peter and John answered them, “Decide for yourselves whether God wants people to listen to you rather than to him.
• Acts 5:29Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than people.
• Romans 13:5Therefore, it is necessary for you to obey, not only because you’re afraid of God’s anger but also because of your own conscience.
• 1 Peter 3:13Who will harm you if you are devoted to doing what is good?
• Ecclesiastes 2:14A wise person uses the eyes in his head, but a fool walks in the dark. But I have also come to realize that the same destiny waits for both of them.
• Ecclesiastes 10:2A wise person’s heart leads the right way. The heart of a fool leads the wrong way.
• 1 Chronicles 12:32From Issachar’s descendants there were 200 leaders who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. Their relatives were under their command.
• Proverbs 17:24Wisdom is directly in front of an understanding person, but the eyes of a fool ⌞are looking around⌟ all over the world.
• Luke 12:56You hypocrites! You can forecast the weather by judging the appearance of earth and sky. But for some reason you don’t know how to judge the time in which you’re living.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them.
• Philippians 1:9I pray that your love will keep on growing because of your knowledge and insight.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Both time and judgment - It is a matter of great importance to be able to discern When and How both to speak and act; but when time and manner are both determined, the matter comes next. What shall I speak? What shall I do? When, how, and what answer to time, manner, and knitter. To discern all these, and act suitably, is a lesson for a philosopher, and a study for a Christian.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Feel - literally, know. The meaning is, “He who obeys the commandment (i. e., the word of the king, Ecclesiastes 8:4), will not be an accomplice in any act of rebellion; and if he be a wise man he discerns (literally knows) that the king‘s commandment or action is liable to correction, if it be wrong, in God‘s time and by God‘s judgment.” Compare Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:17.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. feel--experience. time--the neglect of the right "times" causes much of the sinful folly of the spiritually unwise (Ec 3:1-11). judgment--the right manner [Holden]. But as God's future "judgment" is connected with the "time for every purpose" in Ec 3:17, so it is here. The punishment of persisting sinners (Ec 8:3) suggests it. The wise man realizes the fact, that as there is a fit "time" for every purpose, so for the "judgment." This thought cheers him…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:5

• King
• Righteous
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Evil Thing
• Discern
• Discharge
• Feel
• Hasty
• Heart
• Set
• Synagogue, the Great

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