Ecclesiastes 8

Keep the King's Command

1 Who is like the wise?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
z A man's wisdom makes his face shine,
and a the hardness of his face is changed.

2 I say: 1 Keep the king's command, because of b God's oath to him. 2 3 Be not hasty to c go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and d who may say to him, "What are you doing?" 5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. 6 For there is a time and a way e for everything, although man's trouble 3 lies heavy on him. 7 For he f does not know what is to be, for g who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to h retain the spirit, i or power over the day of death. There is no j discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 k 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.

Those Who Fear God Will Do Well

10 Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of l the holy place and were m praised 4 in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11 Because n the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, o the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and p prolongs his life, yet I know that q it will be well with r those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will s not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like t a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Man Cannot Know God's Ways

14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people u to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people v to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 And I commend joy, for man w has no good thing under the sun but to x eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see y the business that is done on earth, how neither z day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, b he cannot find it out.

  1. Cross References
    Proverbs 4:8 - 9
    Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
    Acts 6:15
    And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
  2. Cross References
    Proverbs 21:29
    A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright gives thought to his ways.
    Deuteronomy 28:50
    A hard-faced nation who shall not respect the old or show mercy to the young.
  3. Cross References
    Exodus 22:11
    An oath by the Lord shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution.
    2 Samuel 21:7
    But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
    1 Kings 2:43
    Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?
    2 Chronicles 36:13
    He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord, the God of Israel.
    Ezekiel 17:18
    He despised the oath in breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and did all these things; he shall not escape.
  4. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 10:4
    If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
  5. Cross References
    Daniel 4:35
    All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?
    Job 9:12
    Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, 'What are you doing?
  6. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 3:1
    For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
    Ecclesiastes 3:17
    I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.
  7. Cross References
    Proverbs 24:22
    For disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
  8. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 3:22
    So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
    Ecclesiastes 6:12
    For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?
    Ecclesiastes 9:12
    For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
    Ecclesiastes 10:14
    A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?
  9. Cross References
    Job 14:5
    Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.
  10. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 3:19
    For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.
    Ecclesiastes 9:11
    Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.
  11. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:5 - 8
    Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, 'Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.
  12. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 1:13
    And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
  13. Cross References
    Nehemiah 11:1
    Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns.
    Matthew 24:15
    So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place ( let the reader understand).
  14. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 9:5
    For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
    Proverbs 10:7
    The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
  15. Cross References
    Psalms 10:6
    He says in his heart, "I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.
    Psalms 50:21
    These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
    Isaiah 26:10
    If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly and does not see the majesty of the Lord.
    Romans 2:4 - 5
    Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
    2 Peter 3:9
    The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
  16. Cross References
    Esther 7:5
    Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?
    Acts 5:3
    But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
  17. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 7:15
    In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.
    Isaiah 65:20
    No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
  18. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:25
    You shall not eat it, that all may go well with you and with your children after you, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.
    Isaiah 3:10
    Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
  19. Cross References
    Psalms 37:11
    But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
    Psalms 37:18 - 19
    The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever.
    Proverbs 1:33
    But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.
    Matthew 25:34
    Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
  20. Cross References
    Isaiah 3:11
    Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.
  21. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 6:12
    For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?
    Job 14:2
    He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.
  22. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 7:15
    In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.
    Psalms 73:3
    For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
    Ecclesiastes 2:14
    The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them.
  23. Cross References
    Job 21:7
    Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
    Psalms 17:9 - 10
    From the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me.
    Psalms 73:12
    Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
    Jeremiah 12:1
    Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
  24. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 2:24
    There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.
  25. Cross References
    1 Kings 4:20
    Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy.
  26. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 1:13
    And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
    Ecclesiastes 3:10
    I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
  27. Cross References
    Psalms 127:2
    It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
  28. Cross References
    Proverbs 25:2
    It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.
    Ecclesiastes 3:11
    He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
  29. Cross References
    Psalms 73:16
    But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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