Ecclesiastes 8:9

Ecclesiastes 8:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
• New International Version (NIV)All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt.
• English Standard Version (ESV)All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.
• New King James Version (NKJV)All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.

Context of Ecclesiastes 8:9

7For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? 8There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. All this have I seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: there is a time in which one man ruleth over another to his own hurt. 10And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. 11Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Ecclesiastes 8:9 word by word

אֶת־כָּל־זֶ֤ה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ וְנָת֣וֹן אֶת־לִבִּ֔י לְכָֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֧ט הָאָדָ֛ם בְּאָדָ֖ם לְרַ֥ע לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

• seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• appliedנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deedH4639
• doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• rulethשָׁלַטshâlaţ · to domineerH7980
• hurtרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 8:9

• Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
• Ecclesiastes 3:10I have seen the labour, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
• Ecclesiastes 4:7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
• Ecclesiastes 5:8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, wonder not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there are higher than they.
• Exodus 14:5And it was told to the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
• Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.
• 2 Kings 14:10Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thy heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy harm, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
• 2 Kings 25:7And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 8:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9One man ruleth over another to his own hurt - This may be spoken of rulers generally, who, instead of feeding, fleece the flock; tyrants and oppressors, who come to an untimely end by their mismanagement of the offices of the state. All these things relate to Asiatic despots, and have ever been more applicable to them than to any other sovereigns in the world. They were despotic; they still are so.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9To his own hurt - Or, “to the hurt of the subject.” The case is still that of an unwise king whose command is obeyed Ecclesiastes 8:2 even to the hurt of the wise man who obeys him.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. 9-11In this world, unfairness often wins. It can be frustrating when bad people seem to succeed.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. his own hurt--The tyrannical ruler "hurts" not merely his subjects, but himself; so Rehoboam (1Ki 12:1-33); but the "time" of "hurt" chiefly refers to eternal ruin, incurred by "wickedness," at "the day of death" (Ec 8:8), and the "time" of "judgment" (Ec 8:6; Pr 8:36).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 8:9

• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• 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