Keep the King's Command

Ecclesiastes 8

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.

  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.
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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