New English Translation
Ecclesiastes 10:6
6Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.
Ecclesiastes 10:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
- New International Version (NIV)Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.
- English Standard Version (ESV)folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.
Context of Ecclesiastes 10:6
4If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses. 5I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes. Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions. 7I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on foot like slaves. 8One who digs a pit may fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 10Ecclesiastes 10:6 word by word
נִתַּ֣ן הַסֶּ֔כֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִ֖ים רַבִּ֑ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:6
- Judges 9:14“So all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘You come and be our king!’
- 1 Kings 12:13The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men
- Esther 3:1Some time later King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position above that of all the officials who were with him.
- Psalms 12:8for the wicked seem to be everywhere, when people promote evil.
- Proverbs 28:12When the righteous rejoice, great is the glory, but when the wicked rise to power, people are sought out.
- James 2:3do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”?
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:6
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6The “evil” of Ecclesiastes 10:5 is here specified as that caprice of a king by which an unworthy favorite of low origin is promoted to successive dignities, while a noble person is degraded or neglected.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 Solomon appears to caution men not to seek redress in a hasty manner, nor to yield to pride and revenge. Do not, in a passion, quit thy post of duty; wait awhile, and thou wilt find that yielding pacifies great offences. Men are not preferred according to their merit. And those are often most forward to offer help, who are least aware of the difficulties, or the consequences. The same remark is applied to the church, or the body of Christ…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-7Giving power to those who cannot use it wisely is a big mistake. Favoritism, nepotism, extortion, and bribery can put reckless people in powerful positions.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. rich--not in mere wealth, but in wisdom, as the antithesis to "folly" (for "foolish men") shows. So Hebrew, rich, equivalent to "liberal," in a good sense (Is 32:5). Mordecai and Haman (Es 3:1, 2; 6:6-11).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10
- 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
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