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:
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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 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 myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 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. 8I 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. 9So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained 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 9:20All the people who were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel—
• Ezra 2:58All the Nethinim and the children of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.
• Nehemiah 7:57The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida,
• Genesis 17:12He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant.
• Genesis 13:2Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
• 2 Kings 3:4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepbreeder, and he regularly paid the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.
• 1 Chronicles 27:29And Shitrai the Sharonite was over the herds that fed in Sharon, and Shaphat the son of Adlai was over the herds that were in the valleys.
• 2 Chronicles 26:10Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains; he also had farmers and vinedressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved the soil.
• 2 Chronicles 32:27Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items;
• Job 1:3Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
• Job 42:12Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female 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