New International Version
Ecclesiastes 8:12
12Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.
Ecclesiastes 8:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
- English Standard Version (ESV)Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off.
Context of Ecclesiastes 8:12
10Then too, I saw the wicked buried—those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless. 11When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. 13Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow. 14There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 8Ecclesiastes 8:12 word by word
אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֹטֶ֗א עֹשֶׂ֥ה רָ֛ע מְאַ֖ת וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ ל֑וֹ כִּ֚י גַּם־יוֹדֵ֣עַ אָ֔נִי אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה־טּוֹב֙ לְיִרְאֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽירְא֖וּ מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Though a sinnerחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- an hundred timesמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- be prolongedאָרַךְ'ârak · to prolongH748
- yet surely I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- that it shall be wellטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- with them that fearיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- which fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:12
- Ecclesiastes 5:16This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?
- Ecclesiastes 7:15In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
- 1 Kings 2:5“Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
- 1 Kings 21:25(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
- 1 Kings 22:34But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.”
- Proverbs 13:21Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.
- Isaiah 65:20“Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.
- Romans 2:5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
- Romans 9:22What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?
- 2 Peter 2:9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
- Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
- Psalms 37:11But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
- Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.
- Psalms 115:13he will bless those who fear the Lord— small and great alike.
- Proverbs 1:32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
- Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Though a sinner do evil a hundred times - If God bear so long with a transgressor, waiting in his longsuffering for him to repent and turn to him, surely he will be peculiarly kind to them that fear him, and endeavor to walk uprightly before him.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12His days be prolonged - i. e., in his wickedness Ecclesiastes 8:8. “I” is emphatic, as if to mark the opposition to the “sons of men” Ecclesiastes 8:11.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-13Verses 9-13 Solomon observed, that many a time one man rules over another to his hurt, and that prosperity hardens them in their wickedness. Sinners herein deceive themselves. Vengeance comes slowly, but it comes surely. A good man's days have some substance; he lives to a good purpose: a wicked man's days are all as a shadow, empty and worthless. Let us pray that we may view eternal things as near, real, and all-important.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13Injustice is temporary and does not disrupt God's plans for justice (Ecclesiastes 3:16–17; 12:14). In the end, wickedness does not succeed.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. He says this, lest the sinner should abuse the statement (Ec 7:15), "A wicked man prolongeth his life." before him--literally, "at His presence"; reverently serve Him, realizing His continual presence.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:12
In the dictionaries
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
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