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The NET Bible®

Ecclesiastes 9:15

However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ingratitude;   Poor;   War;   Wisdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Gratitude-Ingratitude;   Ingratitude;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prudence;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wisdom literature;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - War, Holy War;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Fair Havens;   Meshach;   Nathan;   Sheba (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;   Parables;   Poor, Orphan, Widow;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ecclesiastes;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher;   Poor;   Wisdom;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bar Miẓwah;   Yeẓer Ha-Ra';  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for August 22;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Hebrew Names Version
Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
King James Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
English Standard Version
But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
New American Standard Bible
But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
New Century Version
Now there was a poor but wise man in the town who used his wisdom to save his town. But later on, everyone forgot about him.
Amplified Bible
But there was found in it a poor wise man, and by his wisdom he rescued the city. Yet no man [seriously] remembered that poor man.
World English Bible
Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And there was founde therein a poore and wise man, and he deliuered the citie by his wisedome: but none remembred this poore man.
Legacy Standard Bible
But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he provided a way of escape for the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Berean Standard Bible
Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Contemporary English Version
But the city was saved by the wisdom of a poor person who was soon forgotten.
Complete Jewish Bible
Now there was found in it a man who was poor but wise, and by his wisdom he saved the city; yet afterwards, nobody remembered that poor man.
Darby Translation
and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.
Easy-to-Read Version
But there was a wise man in that town. He was poor, but he used his wisdom to save his town. After everything was finished, the people forgot about the poor man.
George Lamsa Translation
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
Good News Translation
Someone lived there who was poor, but so clever that he could have saved the town. But no one thought about him.
Lexham English Bible
Now, a poor wise man was found in it, and he delivered the city by his wisdom.
Literal Translation
And there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom saved the city. Yet no man remembered that poor man!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And in the cite there was founde a poore man (but he was wyse) which wt his wy?dome delyuered the cite: yet was there no body, yt had eny respecte vnto soch a symple man.
American Standard Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
Bible in Basic English
Now there was in the town a poor, wise man, and he, by his wisdom, kept the town safe. But no one had any memory of that same poor man.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
King James Version (1611)
Now there was found in it a poore wise man, and hee by his wisedome deliuered the citie; yet no man remembred that same poore man.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And in the citie there was founde a poore man, but he was wyse, whiche with his wysdome deliuered the citie, yet was there no body that had any respect to such a simple man.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and should find in it a poor wise man, and he should save the city through his wisdom: yet no man would remember that poor man.
English Revised Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And a pore man and a wijs was foundun ther ynne; and he delyuerede the citee bi his wisdom, and no man bithouyte aftirward on that pore man.
Update Bible Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet man did not remember that same poor man.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
New King James Version
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
New Living Translation
A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him.
New Life Bible
But a poor wise man was found in the city, and he brought the city out of its trouble by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
New Revised Standard
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
but there was found therein, a man, poor but wise, and, he, delivered the city by his wisdom, - yet, no one, remembered that poor man.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man afterward remembered that poor man.
Revised Standard Version
But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Young's Literal Translation
and there hath been found in it a poor wise man, and he hath delivered the city by his wisdom, and men have not remembered that poor man!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.

Contextual Overview

13 This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me: 14 There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it. 15 However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man. 16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man's wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. 17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

yet: Genesis 40:23, Esther 6:2, Esther 6:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 1:8 - a new king Judges 8:35 - showed 1 Samuel 18:23 - a poor man 1 Samuel 23:12 - They will 1 Kings 3:9 - to judge 1 Chronicles 19:2 - I will show Proverbs 2:11 - General Proverbs 3:13 - is the Proverbs 11:11 - the blessing Proverbs 19:7 - the brethren Proverbs 28:2 - but Proverbs 28:11 - the poor Ecclesiastes 4:13 - is a poor Ecclesiastes 7:11 - good with an inheritance Ecclesiastes 7:19 - General Ecclesiastes 10:10 - wisdom 1 Corinthians 12:22 - General James 2:6 - ye

Cross-References

Genesis 9:8
God said to Noah and his sons,
Genesis 9:10
and with every living creature that is with you, including the birds, the domestic animals, and every living creature of the earth with you, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature of the earth.
Exodus 28:12
You are to put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod, stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron will bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for a memorial.
Deuteronomy 7:9
So realize that the Lord your God is the true God, the faithful God who keeps covenant faithfully with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
1 Kings 8:23
He prayed: "O Lord , God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity.
Nehemiah 9:32
"So now, our God—the great, powerful, and awesome God, who keeps covenant fidelity—do not regard as inconsequential all the hardship that has befallen us—our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people—from the days of the kings of Assyria until this very day!
Psalms 106:45
He remembered his covenant with them, and relented because of his great loyal love.
Jeremiah 14:21
For the honor of your name, do not treat Jerusalem with contempt. Do not treat with disdain the place where your glorious throne sits. Be mindful of your covenant with us. Do not break it!
Ezekiel 16:60
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting covenant with you.
Luke 1:72
He has done this to show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant—

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now there was found in it a poor wise man,.... Christ, who is man, though not a mere man, but God as well as man; who was so in purpose, covenant, and promise, before his incarnation, since truly and really so; and "poor", as it was foretold he should be, and who became so for the sake of his church and people, Zechariah 9:9; yet "wise", even as man, being filled with wisdom, in which he increased, and gave such evident proofs of; on whom the spirit of wisdom rested, and in whom the treasures of it were hid, Luke 2:40 Colossians 2:3; he was found here by God his Father, who exalted one chosen out of the people, and made him Head over the church, who is the firstborn among many brethren, Psalms 89:19; Or "and", or "but he found in it" i; that is, Satan, the great king, found him here, contrary to his expectation, and to his great regret;

and he by his wisdom delivered the city; the church, from all enemies; from Satan and all his principalities and powers; from the world, the men and things of it; from sin, and all its sad consequences; from the law, its curse and condemnation; and from the second death, ruin and destruction: and though this deliverance was both by power and by price, yet also by wisdom; for the deliverance and redemption of the church by Christ is the fruit of infinite wisdom; it is a wise scheme to glorify all the divine perfections; to mortify Satan, and save sinners, and yet condemn sin; see Ephesians 1:7;

yet no man remembered that same poor man: before the deliverance wrought, as Aben Ezra and others; it never once entered into their thoughts that he could ever be their deliverer; they never imagined he had a capacity to advise, direct, or assist, in such service, or bring about such an affair: so Christ, when he appeared in the world, the Jews saw nothing that was promising in him; they could not believe that he was sent to be the Saviour and deliverer of them, and therefore rejected him, Isaiah 3:2; Or, "after it", so the Vulgate Latin version, "no man hereafter remembered", c. took no notice of him after he had wrought this deliverances bestowed no honour upon him, nor returned him thanks for what he had done; but he continued to live and die in obscurity and meanness: thus Christ, though he ought to be remembered and spoken well of, and the glory of salvation should be ascribed unto him, and thanks should be given him for it; yet there are none comparatively, or; but a few, who, like the Samaritan, glorify him on account of it. But if any choose to understand these words of political wisdom, and the use of it, by which sometimes a mean and obscure person does more good than others can by their power and strength, though he meets with no reward for it, I am not averse to it; and which agrees with what follows.

i ומצא בה "et invenit in ea", Mercerus, Drusius, Amama; "sed invenit in ea", Rambachius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A parable probably without foundation in fact. Critics who ascribe this book to a late age offer no better suggestion than that the “little city” may be Athens delivered 480 b.c. from the host of Xerxes through the wisdom of Themistocles, or Dora besieged 218 b.c. by Antiochus the Great.

Ecclesiastes 9:16-17 are comments on the two facts - the deliverance of the city and its forgetfulness of him who delivered it - stated in Ecclesiastes 9:15.


 
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