Ecclesiastes 2:8

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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:8

6I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7I 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: 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. 9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

Ecclesiastes 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

• 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 9:14And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
• 1 Kings 10:10And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
• 1 Kings 14:21And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yhwh did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
• 2 Chronicles 9:11And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of Yhwh, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.
• 2 Samuel 19:35I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
• Ezra 2:65Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
• 1 Chronicles 25:1Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to 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 psaltery and harp.
• Daniel 3:5That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
• Amos 6:5That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, 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

• Amusements and Worldly Pleasures
• Epicureans
• Investigation
• Music
• Pleasure
• Silver
• Solomon
• Vanity
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Musical Instruments
• Gather
• Laughter
• Music
• Music, Instrumental
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Peculiar
• Synagogue, the Great
• Treasure; Treasurer; Treasury
• province, provincial

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