New American Standard Bible 2020
Ecclesiastes 8:4
Ecclesiastes 8:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
- New International Version (NIV)Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, "What are you doing?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
Context of Ecclesiastes 8:4
2I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God. 3Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, “What are you doing?” 5One who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a person’s trouble is heavy upon him.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 8Ecclesiastes 8:4 word by word
בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ל֖וֹ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:4
- 1 Kings 2:25Then King Solomon sent the order by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him so that he died.
- Proverbs 19:12A king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.
- Proverbs 20:2The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion; One who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
- Proverbs 30:31The strutting rooster or the male goat, And a king when his army is with him.
- Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you from my hands?”
- Luke 12:4“Now I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.
- Romans 13:1Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
- Job 33:12Behold, let me respond to you, you are not right in this, For God is greater than mankind.
- Job 34:18Who says to a king, ‘You worthless one,’ To nobles, ‘You wicked one’;
- Romans 9:20On the contrary, who are you, you foolish person, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:4
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4It is pointless to plot against the king because he has great power and can do anything he wants.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. God's very "word" is "power." So the gospel word (Ro 1:16; He 4:12). who may say, &c.--(Job 9:12; 33:13; Is 45:9; Da 4:35). Scripture does not ascribe such arbitrary power to earthly kings.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:4
In the dictionaries
Notes
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
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries