Ecclesiastes 5:8

Ecclesiastes 5:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
• New International Version (NIV)If 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy.

Context of Ecclesiastes 5:8

6Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? 7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them. 9Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field. 10He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 5:8 word by word

אִם־עֹ֣שֶׁק רָ֠שׁ וְגֵ֨זֶל מִשְׁפָּ֤ט וָצֶ֙דֶק֙ תִּרְאֶ֣ה בַמְּדִינָ֔ה אַל־תִּתְמַ֖הּ עַל־הַחֵ֑פֶץ כִּ֣י גָבֹ֜הַּ מֵעַ֤ל גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙ שֹׁמֵ֔ר וּגְבֹהִ֖ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If thou seestרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the oppressionעֹ֫שֶׁק‛ôsheq · oppressionH6233
• of the poorרוּשׁrûsh · be poorH7326
• and violentגֵּזֶלgêzel · violenceH1499
• perverting of judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• and justiceצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
• in a provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• marvelתָּמַהּtâmahh · to astoundedH8539
• not at the matterחֵ֫פֶץchêphets · pleasureH2656
• higherגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
• regardethשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: look atH8104
• than theyעַל‛al · uponH5921

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:8

• Ecclesiastes 3:16Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter.
• Psalms 12:5“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”
• Psalms 55:9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
• Psalms 58:11So that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth.”
• Proverbs 8:17I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.
• Habakkuk 1:2O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.
• Zechariah 8:6“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ Says the Lord of hosts.
• 1 John 3:13Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.
• Revelation 17:6I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
• Isaiah 10:5“Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
• Isaiah 46:10Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
• Habakkuk 1:12Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them for correction.
• Acts 4:27“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
• Romans 11:33Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
• Isaiah 57:15For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8If thou seest the oppression of the poor - For this was a frequent case under all governments; and especially in the provinces or colonies which being far from the seat of government, were generally oppressed by the sovereign's deputies. Marvel not at the matter - החפץ hachephets, the will, i.e., of God; which permits such evils to take place; for all things shall work together for good to them that love him. "Marvel not Ye righteous, if his dispensations…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Matter - Rather, purpose (as in the margin, and Ecclesiastes 3:1), referring either to the will of God or to the edict of an oppressive ruler. For he … they - literally, for high watches over high and the highest over them, i. e., the king in the capital watches over the judge or governor in the province, and God over both. This seems more in harmony with the preceding verses, and more agreeable to the scope of this passage than to understand the passage…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-8Verses 4-8 When a person made engagements rashly, he suffered his mouth to cause his flesh to sin. The case supposes a man coming to the priest, and pretending that his vow was made rashly, and that it would be wrong to fulfil it. Such mockery of God would bring the Divine displeasure, which might blast what was thus unduly kept. We are to keep down the fear of man. Set God before thee; then, if thou seest the oppression of the poor, thou wilt not find…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. 88. As in Ec 3:16, so here the difficulty suggests itself. If God is so exact in even punishing hasty words (Ec 5:1-6), why does He allow gross injustice? In the remote "provinces," the "poor" often had to put themselves for protection from the inroads of Philistines, &c., under chieftains, who oppressed them even in Solomon's reign (1Ki 12:4). the matter--literally, "the pleasure," or purpose (Is 53:10). Marvel not at this dispensation of God's will, as…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:8

• Injustice
• Justice
• Oppression
• Poor
• Rulers
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Angry
• Defer
• Eat
• Error
• Vow
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Highest
• Marvel; Marvelous
• Oppression

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