Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ecclesiastes 10

Introduction

1  Observations of wisdom and folly;
16  of riot;
18  slothfulness;
19  and money.
20  Men's thoughts of kings ought to be reverent.
Verse 1

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
Dead flies
Heb. Flies of death. the ointment
Exodus 30:34,35
a little
2 Chronicles 19:2, Nehemiah 6:13, 13:26, Matthew 5:13-16, Galatians 2:12-14
Verse 2

A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
wise
9:10, Proverbs 14:8, Luke 14:28-32
but
10,14, Proverbs 17:16, Luke 12:18-20
Verse 3

Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
wisdom
Heb. heart. and he.
5:3, Proverbs 13:16, 18:2,6, 1 Peter 4:4
Verse 4

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
leave
8:3
for
1 Samuel 25:24-44, Proverbs 25:15
Verse 5

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
an evil
4:7, 5:13, 6:1, 9:3
as an
3:16, 4:1
from
Heb. from before.
Verse 6

Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
Folly
Judges 9:14-20, 1 Kings 12:13,14, Esther 3:1, Psalms 12:8, Proverbs 28:12,28
dignity
Heb. heights. the rich.
James 2:3-5
Verse 7

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Proverbs 19:10, 30:22
Verse 8

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
that
Judges 9:5,53-57, 2 Samuel 17:23, 18:15, Esther 7:10, Psalms 7:15,16, 9:15,16, Proverbs 26:27
a serpent
Amos 5:19, 9:3
Verse 10

If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
wisdom
15, 9:15-17, Genesis 41:33-39, Exodus 18:19-23, 1 Kings 3:9, 1 Chronicles 12:32, 2 Chronicles 23:4-11, Matthew 10:16, Acts 6:1-9, 15:2-21, Romans 16:19, 1 Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 4:5, James 1:5
Verse 11

Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
the serpent
Psalms 58:4,5, Jeremiah 8:17
a babbler
Heb. the master of the tongue.
Psalms 52:2, 64:3, Proverbs 18:21, James 3:6
Verse 12

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
words
Job 4:3,4, 16:5, Psalms 37:30, 40:9,10, 71:15-18, Proverbs 10:13,20,21,31,32, Proverbs 12:13,14,18, 15:2,23, 16:21-24, 22:17,18, 25:11,12, 31:26, Matthew 12:35, Luke 4:22, Ephesians 4:29, Colossians 4:6
gracious
Heb. grace. but.
2 Samuel 1:16, 1 Kings 20:40-42, Psalms 64:8, 140:9, Proverbs 10:8,10,14, 18:6-8, 19:5, Proverbs 26:9, Luke 19:22
Verse 13

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
beginning
Judges 14:15, 1 Samuel 20:26-33, 22:7,8,16-18, 25:10,11, 2 Samuel 19:41-43, 2 Samuel 20:1, 2 Kings 6:27,31, Proverbs 29:9, Matthew 2:7,8,16, Luke 6:2,11, Luke 11:38,53,54, John 12:10, Acts 5:28-33, 6:9-11, 7:54-59, 19:24-28
talk
Heb. mouth.
Verse 14

A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
fool
5:3, Proverbs 10:19, 15:2
is full of words
Heb. multiplieth words.
Job 34:37, 35:16
a man
3:22, 6:12, 8:7, James 4:13,14
Verse 15

The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
labour
3,10, Isaiah 44:12-17, 47:12,13, 55:2, 57:1, Habakkuk 2:6, Matthew 11:28-30
because
Psalms 107:4,7, Isaiah 35:8-10, Jeremiah 50:4,5
Verse 16

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
when
2 Chronicles 13:7, 33:1-20, 36:2,5,9,11, Isaiah 3:4,5,12
and
Proverbs 20:1,2, Isaiah 5:11,12, 28:7,8, Hosea 7:5-7
in the
Jeremiah 21:12
Verse 17

Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
when
6,7, Proverbs 28:2,3, Jeremiah 30:21
and thy
Proverbs 31:4,5
Verse 18

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
Proverbs 12:24, 14:1, 20:4, 21:25, 23:21, 24:30,31, Hebrews 6:11, 2 Peter 1:5-10
Verse 19

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
feast
2:1,2, 7:2-6, Genesis 43:34, Daniel 5:1-12, 1 Peter 4:3
and wine
9:7, Psalms 104:15, Isaiah 24:11, 1 Samuel 25:36, 2 Samuel 13:28, Luke 12:19, Ephesians 5:18,19
maketh merry
Heb. maketh glad the life. but. Money which would have answered every good purpose, and served for every emergency, is too often spent in feastings and revellings.
7:11,12, 1 Chronicles 21:24, 29:2-9, 2 Chronicles 24:11-14, Ezra 1:6, 7:15-18, Nehemiah 5:8, Psalms 112:9, Isaiah 23:18, Matthew 17:27, 19:21, Luke 8:3, 16:9, Acts 2:45, 11:29, Philippians 4:15-19, 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Verse 20

Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Curse
Exodus 22:28, Isaiah 8:21, Acts 23:5
thought
or, conscience.
7:21,22, Luke 19:40
in thy bedchamber
Luke 10:40, 12:2,3

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