Ecclesiastes 2:7

Ecclesiastes 2:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
• English Standard Version (ESV)I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:7

5I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

Ecclesiastes 2:7 word by word

קָנִ֙יתִי֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּבְנֵי־בַ֖יִת הָ֣יָה לִ֑י גַּ֣ם מִקְנֶה֩ בָקָ֨ר וָצֹ֤אן הַרְבֵּה֙ הָ֣יָה לִ֔י מִכֹּ֛ל שֶֽׁהָי֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I gotקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
• servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and maidensשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
• and had servants bornבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• in my houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• also I had greatרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• possessionsמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735
• of greatבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
• and small cattleצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• above all that were in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:7

• 1 Kings 9:20There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites).
• Ezra 2:58The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon 392
• Nehemiah 7:57The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
• Genesis 17:12For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring.
• Genesis 13:2Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
• 2 Kings 3:4Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
• 1 Chronicles 27:29Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds grazing in Sharon. Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of the herds in the valleys.
• 2 Chronicles 26:10He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.
• 2 Chronicles 32:27Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables.
• Job 1:3and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
• Job 42:12The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Servants and maidens - For my works, fields, folds, and various domestic labors. Servants born in any house - Besides those hired from without, he had married couples in the precincts of his grounds, palaces, etc., who, when their children grew up, got them employment with themselves. Great and small cattle - Oxen, neat, horses, asses, mules, camels, and such like; with sheep and goats. And multitudes of most of these he needed, when we are told that his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Solomon's slaves managed large herds and flocks. Caring for them used many resources (1 Kings 4:22–23; 9:20–21).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 2:7

• Epicureans
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Servant
• Vanity
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Get; Getting
• Maid; Maiden
• Synagogue, the Great
• Slave

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