the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 10:16
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Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
How terrible it is for a country whose king is a child and whose leaders eat all morning.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, And your princes eat in the morning!
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child and when your [incompetent] officials and princes feast in the morning.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning!
Lond, wo to thee, whos kyng is a child, and whose princes eten eerli.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy 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 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 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 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.
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!
Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
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.
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 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 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 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 to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do 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.
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, land whose king is a boy, and whose princes feast in the morning.
Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning!
Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning.
Woe to you, O land, whose king is a young man and whose princes eat 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
The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin.
That day Gad came to David and said to him, "Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."
I will grab the bloody meat from their mouths and snatch the detestable sacrifices from their teeth. Then the surviving Philistines will worship our God and become like a clan in Judah. The Philistines of Ekron will join my people, as the ancient Jebusites once did.
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 “building” or “house” 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.
