Ecclesiastes 5:8

Ecclesiastes 5:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
• New International Version (NIV)If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

Context of Ecclesiastes 5:8

6Do not let your speech cause you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? 7For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, fear God. If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. 9After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land. 10One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility.

Ecclesiastes 5:8 word by word

אִם־עֹ֣שֶׁק רָ֠שׁ וְגֵ֨זֶל מִשְׁפָּ֤ט וָצֶ֙דֶק֙ תִּרְאֶ֣ה בַמְּדִינָ֔ה אַל־תִּתְמַ֖הּ עַל־הַחֵ֑פֶץ כִּ֣י גָבֹ֜הַּ מֵעַ֤ל גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙ שֹׁמֵ֔ר וּגְבֹהִ֖ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• you seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• oppressionעֹ֫שֶׁק‛ôsheq · oppressionH6233
• of the poorרוּשׁrûsh · be poorH7326
• denialגָּזֵלgâzêl · robberyH1498
• of justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• and righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
• in the provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• do not beתָּמַהּtâmahh · to astoundedH8539
• sightחֵ֫פֶץchêphets · pleasureH2656
• officialגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
• watchesשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: look atH8104
• overמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• overעַל‛al · uponH5921

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:8

• Ecclesiastes 3:16Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them.
• Psalms 12:5“Because of the devastation of the poor, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will put him in the safety for which he longs.”
• Psalms 55:9Confuse them, Lord, divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
• Psalms 58:11And people will say, “There certainly is a reward for the righteous; There certainly is a God who judges on the earth!”
• Proverbs 8:17I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.
• Habakkuk 1:2How long, Lord, have I called for help, And You do not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.
• Zechariah 8:6The Lord of armies says this: ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the Lord of armies.
• 1 John 3:13Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
• Revelation 17:6And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.
• Isaiah 10:5Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,
• Isaiah 46:10Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
• Habakkuk 1:12Are You not from time everlasting, Lord, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, Lord, have appointed them to deliver judgment; And You, O Rock, have destined them to punish.
• Acts 4:27For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
• Romans 11:33Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
• Isaiah 57:15For this is what the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8If thou seest the oppression of the poor - For this was a frequent case under all governments; and especially in the provinces or colonies which being far from the seat of government, were generally oppressed by the sovereign's deputies. Marvel not at the matter - החפץ hachephets, the will, i.e., of God; which permits such evils to take place; for all things shall work together for good to them that love him. "Marvel not Ye righteous, if his dispensations…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Matter - Rather, purpose (as in the margin, and Ecclesiastes 3:1), referring either to the will of God or to the edict of an oppressive ruler. For he … they - literally, for high watches over high and the highest over them, i. e., the king in the capital watches over the judge or governor in the province, and God over both. This seems more in harmony with the preceding verses, and more agreeable to the scope of this passage than to understand the passage…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-8Verses 4-8 When a person made engagements rashly, he suffered his mouth to cause his flesh to sin. The case supposes a man coming to the priest, and pretending that his vow was made rashly, and that it would be wrong to fulfil it. Such mockery of God would bring the Divine displeasure, which might blast what was thus unduly kept. We are to keep down the fear of man. Set God before thee; then, if thou seest the oppression of the poor, thou wilt not find…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields: The New Living Translation sees these verses as saying that bureaucracy causes oppression instead of justice, even up to the king (see also 1 Samuel 8:11–18). This is not surprising because bureaucracies often work this way. Others interpret the verses to mean that the king and his officials…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. As in Ec 3:16, so here the difficulty suggests itself. If God is so exact in even punishing hasty words (Ec 5:1-6), why does He allow gross injustice? In the remote "provinces," the "poor" often had to put themselves for protection from the inroads of Philistines, &c., under chieftains, who oppressed them even in Solomon's reign (1Ki 12:4). the matter--literally, "the pleasure," or purpose (Is 53:10). Marvel not at this dispensation of God's will, as…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:8

• Injustice
• Justice
• Oppression
• Poor
• Rulers
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Angry
• Defer
• Eat
• Error
• Vow
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Highest
• Marvel; Marvelous
• Oppression

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5

• 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