Ecclesiastes 8:5

Ecclesiastes 8:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
• New International Version (NIV)Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:5

3Do 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?” Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure. 6For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim. 7Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen.

Ecclesiastes 8:5 word by word

שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoso keepethשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• the commandmentמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
• shall feelיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• no evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• and a wise man’sחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• both timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• and judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:5

• Ecclesiastes 5:2Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.
• Exodus 1:17But the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.
• Psalms 119:6Then I would not be ashamed, if I were focused on all your commands.
• Hosea 5:11Ephraim will be oppressed, crushed under judgment, because he was determined to pursue worthless idols.
• Luke 20:25So he said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
• Acts 4:19But Peter and John replied, “Whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God, you decide,
• Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.
• Romans 13:5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience.
• 1 Peter 3:13For who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?
• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.
• Ecclesiastes 10:2A wise person’s good sense protects him, but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable.
• 1 Chronicles 12:32From Issachar there were 200 leaders and all their relatives at their command – they understood the times and knew what Israel should do.
• Proverbs 17:24Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.
• Luke 12:56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time?
• 1 Corinthians 2:14The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
• Philippians 1:9And I pray this, that your love may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of insight

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Both time and judgment - It is a matter of great importance to be able to discern When and How both to speak and act; but when time and manner are both determined, the matter comes next. What shall I speak? What shall I do? When, how, and what answer to time, manner, and knitter. To discern all these, and act suitably, is a lesson for a philosopher, and a study for a Christian.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Feel - literally, know. The meaning is, “He who obeys the commandment (i. e., the word of the king, Ecclesiastes 8:4), will not be an accomplice in any act of rebellion; and if he be a wise man he discerns (literally knows) that the king‘s commandment or action is liable to correction, if it be wrong, in God‘s time and by God‘s judgment.” Compare Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:17.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. feel--experience. time--the neglect of the right "times" causes much of the sinful folly of the spiritually unwise (Ec 3:1-11). judgment--the right manner [Holden]. But as God's future "judgment" is connected with the "time for every purpose" in Ec 3:17, so it is here. The punishment of persisting sinners (Ec 8:3) suggests it. The wise man realizes the fact, that as there is a fit "time" for every purpose, so for the "judgment." This thought cheers him…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:5

• King
• Righteous
• Wisdom

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