New International Version
Ecclesiastes 5:9
9The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
Ecclesiastes 5:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Even the king milks the land for his own profit!
Context of Ecclesiastes 5:9
7Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God. 8If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. 10Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. 11As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them?
Read all of Ecclesiastes 5Ecclesiastes 5:9 word by word
וְיִתְר֥וֹן אֶ֖רֶץ בַּכֹּ֣ל ה֑וּא מֶ֥לֶךְ לְשָׂדֶ֖ה נֶעֱבָֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:9
- Genesis 1:29Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
- Genesis 3:17To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
- Psalms 104:14He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:
- Psalms 115:16The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind.
- Proverbs 13:23An unplowed field produces food for the poor, but injustice sweeps it away.
- Proverbs 27:23Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
- Proverbs 28:19Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.
- Jeremiah 40:10I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.”
- 1 Samuel 8:12Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
- 1 Kings 4:7Solomon had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year.
- 1 Chronicles 27:26Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the workers who farmed the land.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The profit of the earth is for all - The earth, if properly cultivated, is capable of producing food for every living creature; and without cultivation none has a right to expect bread. The king himself is served by the field - Without the field he cannot have supplies for his own house; and, unless agriculture flourish, the necessary expenses of the state cannot be defrayed. Thus, God joins the head and feet together; for while the peasant is protected…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9The king himself is served by the field - Rather, the king is subject to the field, i. e., is dependent on its cultivation. The higher ranks, if they oppress the lower, lose thereby their own means of subsistence.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better than he does his luxuries. There are bodily desires which silver itself will not satisfy, much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires. The more men have, the better house they must keep, the more servants they must employ, the more guests…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields: The New Living Translation sees these verses as saying that bureaucracy causes oppression instead of justice, even up to the king (see also 1 Samuel 8:11–18). This is not surprising because bureaucracies often work this way. Others interpret the verses to mean that the king and his officials…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. "The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" (2Ch 26:10). Therefore the common Lord of all, high and low, will punish at last those who rob the "poor" of their share in it (Pr 22:22, 23; Am 8:4-7).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5
- 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
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