Ecclesiastes 2:7

Ecclesiastes 2:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I 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:
• New International Version (NIV)I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:7

5I made royal gardens and parks for myself, and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6I constructed for myself pools of water to irrigate a forest of flourishing trees. I purchased male and female servants and had other servants who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than all my predecessors in Jerusalem. 8I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as the treasure of kings and the provinces. I acquired male and female singers for myself, as well as the luxuries of humankind—vaults and vaults of them. 9So I became far wealthier than all before me in Jerusalem, yet my wisdom stayed with me.

Ecclesiastes 2:7 word by word

קָנִ֙יתִי֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּבְנֵי־בַ֖יִת הָ֣יָה לִ֑י גַּ֣ם מִקְנֶה֩ בָקָ֨ר וָצֹ֤אן הַרְבֵּה֙ הָ֣יָה לִ֔י מִכֹּ֛ל שֶֽׁהָי֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I gotקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
• servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and maidensשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
• and had servants bornבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• in my houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• also I had greatרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• possessionsמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735
• of greatבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
• and small cattleצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• above all that were in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:7

• 1 Kings 9:20As for all the people that were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel,
• Ezra 2:58All the Temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants—392.
• Nehemiah 7:57The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida,
• Genesis 17:12Also your eight-day-olds must be circumcised, every male, throughout your generations, including a house-born slave or a slave bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your seed.
• Genesis 13:2Now Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold.
• 2 Kings 3:4Now King Mesha of Moab was a sheep-breeder, and he used to render as tribute to the king of Israel the wool of 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams.
• 1 Chronicles 27:29over the cattle grazing in Sharon: Shirtai the Sharonite; over the cattle grazing in the valleys: Shaphat son of Adlai;
• 2 Chronicles 26:10He also built towers in the wilderness and dug out many cisterns because he had much livestock, and he had farmers in the foothills and in the plain and vinedressers in the mountains and in the fertile fields—for he loved the soil.
• 2 Chronicles 32:27Now Hezekiah had very abundant riches and honor. He even made treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and for all kinds of valuables,
• Job 1:3and his possessions were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen and 500 female donkeys, and a very large household. That man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
• Job 42:12So Adonai blessed Job’s latter days more than at his beginning. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Servants and maidens - For my works, fields, folds, and various domestic labors. Servants born in any house - Besides those hired from without, he had married couples in the precincts of his grounds, palaces, etc., who, when their children grew up, got them employment with themselves. Great and small cattle - Oxen, neat, horses, asses, mules, camels, and such like; with sheep and goats. And multitudes of most of these he needed, when we are told that his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Solomon's slaves managed large herds and flocks. Caring for them used many resources (1 Kings 4:22–23; 9:20–21).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 2:7

• Epicureans
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Servant
• Vanity
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Get; Getting
• Maid; Maiden
• Synagogue, the Great
• Slave

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