Ecclesiastes 8:9

Ecclesiastes 8:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
• English Standard Version (ESV)All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.
• New King James Version (NKJV)All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other.

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:9

7Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? 8As no one has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the time of their death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it. All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt. 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.

Ecclesiastes 8:9 word by word

אֶת־כָּל־זֶ֤ה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ וְנָת֣וֹן אֶת־לִבִּ֔י לְכָֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֧ט הָאָדָ֛ם בְּאָדָ֖ם לְרַ֥ע לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• All this have I seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and appliedנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• unto every workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deedH4639
• that is doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• a timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• wherein one manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• rulethשָׁלַטshâlaţ · to domineerH7980
• over another to his own hurtרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:9

• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 3:10I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.
• Ecclesiastes 4:7Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
• Ecclesiastes 7:25So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8If 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.
• Exodus 14:5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!”
• Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the Lord your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done.
• 2 Kings 14:10You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”
• 2 Kings 25:7They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9One man ruleth over another to his own hurt - This may be spoken of rulers generally, who, instead of feeding, fleece the flock; tyrants and oppressors, who come to an untimely end by their mismanagement of the offices of the state. All these things relate to Asiatic despots, and have ever been more applicable to them than to any other sovereigns in the world. They were despotic; they still are so.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9To his own hurt - Or, “to the hurt of the subject.” The case is still that of an unwise king whose command is obeyed Ecclesiastes 8:2 even to the hurt of the wise man who obeys him.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. 9-11In this world, unfairness often wins. It can be frustrating when bad people seem to succeed.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. his own hurt--The tyrannical ruler "hurts" not merely his subjects, but himself; so Rehoboam (1Ki 12:1-33); but the "time" of "hurt" chiefly refers to eternal ruin, incurred by "wickedness," at "the day of death" (Ec 8:8), and the "time" of "judgment" (Ec 8:6; Pr 8:36).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:9

• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• 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