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Ecclesiastes 10:16
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Woe to you, land, when your king is a youthand your princes feast in the morning.
Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, And your princes eat in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning!
Woe to you, land whose king is a boy, and whose princes feast in the morning.
How terrible it is for a country whose king is a child and whose leaders eat all morning.
Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, And your princes eat in the morning!
Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
Woe to you, O land, whose king is a young man and whose princes eat in the morning.
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
A country is in for trouble when its ruler is childish, and its leaders party all day long.
Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your leaders start their parties in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
It is very bad for a country if the king is like a child. And it is very bad for a country if its rulers use all their time eating.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
A country is in trouble when its king is a youth and its leaders feast all night long.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a youth and your princes feast in the morning.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a boy, and your leaders eat in the morning.
Wo be vnto the (O thou realme and londe) whose kynge is but a childe, and whose prynces are early at their banckettes.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eate in the morning.
Wo be vnto thee O thou lande, whose kyng is but a chylde, and whose princes are early at their bankettes.
Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Lond, wo to thee, whos kyng is a child, and whose princes eten eerli.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning!
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning!
What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant, the land whose leaders feast in the morning.
It is bad for you, O land, when your king is a child and your princes eat too much in the morning.
Alas for you, O land, when your king is a servant, and your princes feast in the morning!
Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, - and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning!
Wo to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.
Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup, And whose princes party all night. Lucky the land whose king is mature, Where the princes behave themselves And don't drink themselves silly.
Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
when: 2 Chronicles 13:7, 2 Chronicles 33:1-20, 2 Chronicles 36:2, 2 Chronicles 36:5, 2 Chronicles 36:9, 2 Chronicles 36:11, Isaiah 3:4, Isaiah 3:5, Isaiah 3:12
and: Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 20:2, Isaiah 5:11, Isaiah 5:12, Isaiah 28:7, Isaiah 28:8, Hosea 7:5-7
in the: Jeremiah 21:12
Reciprocal: 1 Kings 3:7 - a little 1 Kings 20:16 - Benhadad 2 Kings 22:1 - eight years old 2 Chronicles 10:8 - he forsook 2 Chronicles 10:14 - My father Proverbs 28:12 - but Isaiah 34:12 - call Jeremiah 52:3 - through Acts 24:25 - temperance
Cross-References
But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
Then Gad [the prophet] came to David that day and said to him, "Go up, set up an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite [where you saw the angel]."
I will take the blood from their mouths And their detestable things from between their teeth [those repulsive, idolatrous sacrifices eaten with the blood]. Then they too will be a remnant for our God, And be like a clan in Judah, And Ekron will be like one of the Jebusites.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a child,.... Not so much in age; though it is sometimes an unhappiness to a nation to be governed by a minor, especially if the young king has not good tutors, guardians, ministers, and counsellors, about him; but, if otherwise, a nation may be very happy under a minority, or the government of a young prince; such were Solomon, Joash, Uzziah, Josiah, and our Edward VI: but it rather respects one that is a child in understanding and judgment, in manners and conduct; that minds his pleasures, as children their play; is fickle and changeable, passionate and self-willed, unskilful in government, and yet will not be advised. The Targum applies this to the land of Israel, and instances in wicked Jeroboam, who made the morning sacrifice to cease; see Isaiah 3:12. From considering the bad effects of folly in men in general, in private persons and in subjects, the wise man proceeds to observe the ill consequences of it to a nation, in kings and princes, in civil magistrates: Jerom or Bede interprets this allegorically: Woe to the land whose king is the devil, who is always desirous of new things, 2 Corinthians 4:4;
and thy princes eat in the morning; as soon as they are up, children like; and not only eat, which may be convenient and lawful to do; but eat to excess, in a riotous and intemperate manner, and so unfit themselves for any service all the day: the "morning" is particularly observed, because the fittest time for consultation about the affairs of government; and was the usual time of sitting in judgment and trying causes, Jeremiah 21:12; and also for acts of religion and devotion. And so the Targum,
"and thy princes eat bread before they offer the daily morning sacrifice.''
Sad is the case of a nation, when not only their king is a minor, or a foolish one; but when his tutors and guardians, or his ministers of state and counsellors, give up themselves to sensual pleasures, and neglect public affairs; and, instead of being in the council chamber, or in a court of judicature, or at their early devotions, are indulging themselves in riotous eating and drinking.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Foolish rulers, by their weakness, self-indulgence and sloth, bring decay upon the state: nobleness and temperance insure prosperity: yet the subject must not rebel in word or thought against his king.
Ecclesiastes 10:16
A child - Rather, young. The word is applied to Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 13:7 at the time of his accession to the throne, when he was 41 years old.
Eat in the morning - A sign of intemperance (compare Isaiah 5:11).
Ecclesiastes 10:17
Son of nobles - i. e., of a noble disposition.
Ecclesiastes 10:18
The âbuildingâ or âhouseâ represents the state. Compare Isaiah 3:6; Amos 9:10.
Droppeth through - i. e., Lets the rain through the roof.
Ecclesiastes 10:19
literally, For merriment they make a feast (bread), and wine gladdens the living, and money supplies all things.
Ecclesiastes 10:20
Curse - Compare Ecclesiastes 7:21-22.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. Wo to thee, O land, when thy king is a child — Minorities are, in general, very prejudicial to a state. Regents either disagree, and foment civil wars; or oppress the people. Various discordant interests are raised up in a state during a minority; and the young king, having been under the tutelage of interested men, acts partially and injuriously to the interests of the people when he comes to the throne; and this produces popular discontent, and a troubled reign.
Thy princes eat in the morning! — They do nothing in order; turn night into day, and day into night; sleep when they should wake, and wake when they should sleep; attending more to chamberings and banquetings, than to the concerns of the state.
