Ecclesiastes 8:12

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:
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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.

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:12

10I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praised in the same city where they committed their crimes! This, too, is meaningless. 11When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. 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. 13The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows. 14And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!

Ecclesiastes 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 5:16And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 7:15I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people.
• 1 Kings 2:5“And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood.
• 1 Kings 21:25(No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel.
• 1 Kings 22:34An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot. “I’m badly wounded!”
• Proverbs 13:21Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous.
• Isaiah 65:20“No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young!
• Romans 2:5But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
• Romans 9:22In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction.
• 2 Peter 2:9So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.
• Ecclesiastes 7:18Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.
• Psalms 37:11The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity.
• Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.
• Psalms 115:13He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly.
• Proverbs 1:32For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
• Isaiah 3:10Tell the godly that all will be well for them. They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!

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

• Fear of God
• Punishment
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Discern
• Discharge
• Feel
• Hasty
• Heart
• Set
• Death
• Number

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