New English Translation
Ecclesiastes 2:4
4I increased my possessions: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
Ecclesiastes 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
- New International Version (NIV)I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards.
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:4
2I said of partying, “It is folly,” and of self-indulgent pleasure, “It accomplishes nothing!” 3I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine (all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives. I increased my possessions: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself. 5I designed royal gardens and parks for myself, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6I constructed pools of water for myself, to irrigate my grove of flourishing trees.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:4 word by word
הִגְדַּ֖לְתִּי מַעֲשָׂ֑י בָּנִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בָּתִּ֔ים נָטַ֥עְתִּי לִ֖י כְּרָמִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:4
- Genesis 11:4Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”
- 2 Samuel 18:18Prior to this Absalom had set up a monument and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning “I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial.
- Daniel 4:30The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?”
- Deuteronomy 8:12When you eat your fill, when you build and occupy good houses,
- 1 Kings 7:1Solomon took thirteen years to build his palace.
- 1 Kings 9:1After Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the other construction projects he had planned,
- 1 Kings 15:19“I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. See, I have sent you silver and gold as a present. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.”
- 1 Kings 10:19There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side.
- 2 Chronicles 8:1After twenty years, during which Solomon built the Lord’s temple and his royal palace,
- 1 Chronicles 27:27Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards; Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the wine stored in the vineyards.
- 2 Chronicles 26:10He built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, for he owned many herds in the lowlands and on the plain. He had workers in the fields and vineyards in the hills and in Carmel, for he loved agriculture.
- Isaiah 5:1I will sing to my love – a song to my lover about his vineyard. My love had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I builded me houses - Palace after palace; the house of the forest of Lebanon, 1 Kings 7:1, etc.; a house for the queen; the temple, etc., 2 Chronicles 8:1, etc.; 1 Kings 9:10, etc., besides many other buildings of various kinds.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Compare 1 Kings 7:1-12; 1 Kings 9:15-19; 1 Kings 10:14-27; and 2 Chronicles 8:4.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The Bible mentions Solomon's vineyards in Song of Solomon 8:11–12.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-113-11. Illustration more at large of Ec 2:1, 2. I sought--I resolved, after search into many plans. give myself unto wine--literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Ro 6:16, 19; 1Co 12:2); or, one "allured" (2Pe 2:18, 19). yet acquainting ... wisdom--literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [Gesenius]. Maurer translates: "was…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2
- 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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