New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 2:8
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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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 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 myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7I 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. 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. 9So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.
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 9:14Then Hiram sent the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold.
- 1 Kings 10:10Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones. There never again came such abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
- 1 Kings 14:21And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king. He reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. His mother’s name was Naamah, an Ammonitess.
- 2 Chronicles 9:11And the king made walkways of the algum wood for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers; and there were none such as these seen before in the land of Judah.
- 2 Samuel 19:35I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king?
- Ezra 2:65besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred men and women singers.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was:
- Job 21:11They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
- Psalms 150:3Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!
- Daniel 3:5that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;
- Amos 6:5Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries