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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Ecclesiastes 5:8

6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. 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. 9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also 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

• 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 3:16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
• Ecclesiastes 4:1So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
• Psalms 12:5For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith Yhwh; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
• Psalms 55:9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
• Psalms 58:11So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
• Proverbs 8:17I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
• Habakkuk 1:2O Yhwh, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
• Zechariah 8:6Thus saith Yhwh of Armies; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith Yhwh of Armies.
• 1 John 3:13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
• Revelation 17:6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great astonishment.
• Isaiah 10:5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
• Isaiah 46:10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
• Habakkuk 1:12Art thou not from everlasting, O Yhwh my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Yhwh, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
• Acts 4:27For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
• Romans 11:33O 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 saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of 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