New International Version
Ecclesiastes 2:8
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.
Ecclesiastes 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:8
6I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7I 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. I 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. 10I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:8 word by word
כָּנַ֤סְתִּי לִי֙ גַּם־כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וּסְגֻלַּ֥ת מְלָכִ֖ים וְהַמְּדִינ֑וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתִי לִ֜י שָׁרִ֣ים וְשָׁר֗וֹת וְתַעֲנוּגֹ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם שִׁדָּ֥ה וְשִׁדּֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I gatheredכָּנַסkânas · to gatherH3664
- me also silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- and goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
- and the peculiar treasureסְגֻלָּהsegûllâh · possessionH5459
- of kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- and of the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
- I gatעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: offerH6213
- me men singersשִׁירshîyr shûr · to singH7891
- and the delightsתַּעֲנוּגta‛ănûg ta‛ănûg ta‛ănûgâh · luxuryH8588
- of the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- musical instrumentsשִׁדָּהshiddâh · concubineH7705
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:8
- 1 Kings 9:14Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents of gold.
- 1 Kings 10:10And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
- 1 Kings 14:21Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.
- 2 Chronicles 9:11The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.)
- 2 Samuel 19:35I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
- Ezra 2:65besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 200 male and female singers.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:
- Job 21:11They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about.
- Psalms 150:3Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
- Daniel 3:5As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
- Amos 6:5You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces - The tares levied off his subjects. The tribute given by the neighboring potentates. Both these make the "peculiar treasure of kings;" taxes and tribute. Men singers and women singers - This includes all instrumental and vocal performers. These may be called the delights of the sons of men. Musical instruments, and that of all sorts - For these seven words, there are only two in the original, ושדות שדה…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces: Solomon ruled from the Fertile Crescent, north and east of Israel, to Egypt's border in the south. He gained wealth in precious metals through trade, gifts from admiring rulers, and taxes from lands within his empire (1 Kings 4:21; 9:28; 10:14, 22–25; 1 Chronicles 29:4; 2 Chronicles 9:26–27). many concubines: Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines by the end of his reign (1 Kings 11:3).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 2:8
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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