Ecclesiastes 8:5

Ecclesiastes 8:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
• New International Version (NIV)Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:5

3Don’t try to avoid doing your duty, and don’t stand with those who plot evil, for the king can do whatever he wants. 4His command is backed by great power. No one can resist or question it. Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right, 6for there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble. 7Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen?

Ecclesiastes 8:5 word by word

שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whoso keepethשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• the commandmentמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
• shall feelיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• no evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• and a wise man’sחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• both timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• and judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:5

• Ecclesiastes 5:2Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.
• Exodus 1:17But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
• Psalms 119:6Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands.
• Hosea 5:11The people of Israel will be crushed and broken by my judgment because they are determined to worship idols.
• Luke 20:25“Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
• Acts 4:19But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?
• Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.
• Romans 13:5So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
• 1 Peter 3:13Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?
• Ecclesiastes 2:14For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.” Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate.
• Ecclesiastes 10:2A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one.
• 1 Chronicles 12:32From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.
• Proverbs 17:24Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
• Luke 12:56You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.
• Philippians 1:9I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Both time and judgment - It is a matter of great importance to be able to discern When and How both to speak and act; but when time and manner are both determined, the matter comes next. What shall I speak? What shall I do? When, how, and what answer to time, manner, and knitter. To discern all these, and act suitably, is a lesson for a philosopher, and a study for a Christian.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Feel - literally, know. The meaning is, “He who obeys the commandment (i. e., the word of the king, Ecclesiastes 8:4), will not be an accomplice in any act of rebellion; and if he be a wise man he discerns (literally knows) that the king‘s commandment or action is liable to correction, if it be wrong, in God‘s time and by God‘s judgment.” Compare Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:17.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. feel--experience. time--the neglect of the right "times" causes much of the sinful folly of the spiritually unwise (Ec 3:1-11). judgment--the right manner [Holden]. But as God's future "judgment" is connected with the "time for every purpose" in Ec 3:17, so it is here. The punishment of persisting sinners (Ec 8:3) suggests it. The wise man realizes the fact, that as there is a fit "time" for every purpose, so for the "judgment." This thought cheers him…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:5

• King
• Righteous
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Evil Thing
• 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