Ecclesiastes 8:3

Ecclesiastes 8:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:3

1Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. 2I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

Ecclesiastes 8:3 word by word

אַל־תִּבָּהֵ֤ל מִפָּנָיו֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּדָבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֛י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַחְפֹּ֖ץ יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃Read the interlinear

• Be not hastyבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926
• to go outיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• of his sightפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• not in an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• for he doethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• whatsoever pleasethחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Ecclesiastes 10:4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
• Proverbs 14:29He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
• 1 Kings 1:50And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
• 1 Kings 2:21And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
• Isaiah 48:4Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
• Jeremiah 44:16As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of Yhwh, we will not hearken unto thee.
• Acts 5:8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
• Proverbs 16:14The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
• Proverbs 30:31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
• Daniel 4:35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
• Daniel 5:19And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Be not hasty - I consider the first five verses here as directions to courtiers, and the more immediate servants of kings. Be steadily faithful to your sovereign. Do not stand in an evil thing. If you have done wrong, do not endeavor to vindicate yourself before him; it is of no use; his power is absolute, and he will do what he pleases. He will take his own view of the subject, and he will retain it. The language of a despotic sovereign was ever this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Stand not … - i. e., “Do not persist in rebellion.”Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4It is pointless to plot against the king because he has great power and can do anything he wants.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. hasty--rather, "Be not terror-struck so as to go out of His sight." Slavishly "terror-struck" is characteristic of the sinner's feeling toward God; he vainly tries to flee out of His sight (Psa 139:7); opposed to the "shining face" of filial confidence (Ec 8:1; Joh 8:33-36; Ro 8:2; 1Jo 4:18). stand not--persist not. for he doeth--God inflicts what punishment He pleases on persisting sinners (Job 23:13; Psa 115:3). True of none save God.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:3

• Citizens
• King
• Prudence

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