Ecclesiastes 8:3

Ecclesiastes 8:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:3

1Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person’s wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance. 2Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him. Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste – do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases. 4Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him, “What are you doing?” 5Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.

Ecclesiastes 8:3 word by word

אַל־תִּבָּהֵ֤ל מִפָּנָיו֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּדָבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֛י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַחְפֹּ֖ץ יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Be not hastyבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926
• to go outיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• of his sightפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• not in an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• for he doethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• whatsoever pleasethחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Ecclesiastes 10:4If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.
• Proverbs 14:29The one who is slow to anger has great understanding, but the one who has a quick temper exalts folly.
• 1 Kings 1:50Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.
• 1 Kings 2:21She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.”
• Isaiah 48:4I did this because I know how stubborn you are. Your neck muscles are like iron and your forehead like bronze.
• Jeremiah 44:16“We will not listen to what you claim the Lord has spoken to us!
• Acts 5:8Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land?” Sapphira said, “Yes, that much.”
• Proverbs 16:14A king’s wrath is like a messenger of death, but a wise person appeases it.
• Proverbs 30:31a strutting rooster, a male goat, and a king with his army around him.
• Daniel 4:35All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who inhabit the earth. No one slaps his hand and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
• Daniel 5:19Due to the greatness that he bestowed on him, all peoples, nations, and language groups were trembling with fear before him. He killed whom he wished, he spared whom he wished, he exalted whom he wished, and he brought low whom he wished.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Be not hasty - I consider the first five verses here as directions to courtiers, and the more immediate servants of kings. Be steadily faithful to your sovereign. Do not stand in an evil thing. If you have done wrong, do not endeavor to vindicate yourself before him; it is of no use; his power is absolute, and he will do what he pleases. He will take his own view of the subject, and he will retain it. The language of a despotic sovereign was ever this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Stand not … - i. e., “Do not persist in rebellion.”Read the comment
• 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. 33. hasty--rather, "Be not terror-struck so as to go out of His sight." Slavishly "terror-struck" is characteristic of the sinner's feeling toward God; he vainly tries to flee out of His sight (Psa 139:7); opposed to the "shining face" of filial confidence (Ec 8:1; Joh 8:33-36; Ro 8:2; 1Jo 4:18). stand not--persist not. for he doeth--God inflicts what punishment He pleases on persisting sinners (Job 23:13; Psa 115:3). True of none save God.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Citizens
• King
• Prudence

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