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Tuesday, October 8th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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World English Bible

Ecclesiastes 2:4

I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Agriculture;   Epicureans;   Investigation;   Pleasure;   Solomon;   Vanity;   Vineyard;   Wisdom;   Worldliness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Vanity;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Joy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Solomon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, the Book of;   Garden;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;   Israel, History of;   Jewels, Jewelry;   Joy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ecclesiastes;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Winter ;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher;   Mad;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bet Ha-Midrash;   Ḳohelet (Ecclesiastes) Rabbah;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for August 9;   Every Day Light - Devotion for October 1;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
I made my works great: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I made gorgious faire workes: I builded my houses, and planted vineyardes.
Darby Translation
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
New King James Version
I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards.
Literal Translation
I made my works great; I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself;
Easy-to-Read Version
Then I began doing great things. I built houses, and I planted vineyards for myself.
King James Version (1611)
I made me great workes, I builded mee houses, I planted mee Uineyards.
King James Version
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I made gorgious fayre workes, I buylded me houses, and planted vynyardes:
THE MESSAGE
Oh, I did great things: built houses, planted vineyards, designed gardens and parks and planted a variety of fruit trees in them, made pools of water to irrigate the groves of trees. I bought slaves, male and female, who had children, giving me even more slaves; then I acquired large herds and flocks, larger than any before me in Jerusalem. I piled up silver and gold, loot from kings and kingdoms. I gathered a chorus of singers to entertain me with song, and—most exquisite of all pleasures— voluptuous maidens for my bed.
Amplified Bible
I made great works: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself;
American Standard Version
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
Bible in Basic English
I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.
Update Bible Version
I made myself great works; I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards;
Webster's Bible Translation
I made me great works; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards:
New English Translation
I increased my possessions: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
Contemporary English Version
I did some great things. I built houses and planted vineyards.
Complete Jewish Bible
I worked on a grand scale — I built myself palaces, planted myself vineyards,
Geneva Bible (1587)
I haue made my great workes: I haue built me houses: I haue planted me vineyards.
George Lamsa Translation
I multiplied my servants; I built myself houses; I planted vineyards for myself:
Hebrew Names Version
I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
New Living Translation
I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards.
New Life Bible
I did great things. I built houses for myself. I planted grape-fields for myself.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I enlarged my work; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.
English Revised Version
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
Berean Standard Bible
I enlarged my works. I built myself houses and planted myself vineyards.
New Revised Standard
I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I enlarged my works, - I built me houses, I planted me vineyards;
Douay-Rheims Bible
I made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards,
Lexham English Bible
I accomplished great things. I built for myself houses; I planted for myself vineyards.
English Standard Version
I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
New American Standard Bible
I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;
New Century Version
Then I did great things: I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
Good News Translation
I accomplished great things. I built myself houses and planted vineyards.
Christian Standard Bible®
I increased my achievements. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y magnefiede my werkis, Y bildide housis to me, and Y plauntide vynes; Y made yerdis and orcherdis,
Revised Standard Version
I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself;
Young's Literal Translation
I made great my works, I builded for me houses, I planted for me vineyards.

Contextual Overview

1 I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;" and, behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, "It is foolishness;" and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?" 3 I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives. 4 I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. 6 I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared. 7 I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem; 8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men -- musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn't keep from them. I didn't withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

made: Genesis 11:4, 2 Samuel 18:18, Daniel 4:30

I builded: Deuteronomy 8:12-14, 1 Kings 7:1, 1 Kings 7:2, 1 Kings 7:8-12, 1 Kings 9:1, 1 Kings 15:19, 1 Kings 10:19, 1 Kings 10:20, 2 Chronicles 8:1-6, 2 Chronicles 8:11, Psalms 49:11

I planted: 1 Chronicles 27:27, 2 Chronicles 26:10, Song of Solomon 1:14, Song of Solomon 7:12, Song of Solomon 8:11, Song of Solomon 8:12, Isaiah 5:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:17 - and he 2 Samuel 5:11 - they built 2 Chronicles 7:11 - all that came 2 Chronicles 8:6 - all that Solomon desired to build Proverbs 4:7 - with Ecclesiastes 2:18 - I hated Ecclesiastes 6:2 - so

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:4
God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:28
God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Genesis 1:31
God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1
The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Genesis 2:2
On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Genesis 5:1
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God's likeness.
Genesis 10:1
Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.
Genesis 11:10
This is the history of the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood.
Genesis 25:12
Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I made me great works,.... He did not spend his time in trifling things, as Domitian a, in catching and killing flies; but in devising, designing, directing, and superintending great works of art and skill, becoming the grandeur of his state, and the greatness of his mind: the Midrash restrains it to his great throne of ivory, overlaid with gold, 1 Kings 10:18, but it is a general expression, including all the great things he did, of which the following is a particular enumeration;

I builded me houses; among which must not be reckoned the house of God, though that was built by him, and in the first place; yet this was built, not for his own pleasure and grandeur, but for the worship and glory of God: but his own house and palace is chiefly meant, which was thirteen years in building; and the house of the forest in Lebanon, which perhaps was his country seat; with all other houses and offices, for his stores, for his servants, his horsemen, and chariots; see 1 Kings 7:1; and in fine spacious buildings men take a great deal of pleasure, and promise themselves much happiness in dwelling in them, and in perpetuating their names to posterity by them; see

Psalms 49:11. The Targum is,

"I multiplied good works in Jerusalem; I builded me houses; the house of the sanctuary, to make atonement for Israel; the king's house of refreshment, and the conclave and porch; and the house of judgment, of hewn stones, where the wise men sit and do judgment; I made a throne of ivory for the royal seat;''

I planted me vineyards; perhaps those at Engedi were of his planting; however, he had one at Baalhamon, and no doubt in other places, Song of Solomon 1:14; the Targum makes mention of one at Jabne, planted by him; these also add to the pleasure of human life; it is delightful to walk in them, to gather the fruit and drink of the wine of them; see Song of Solomon 7:12.

a Sueton. Vit. Domitian. c. 3. Aurel. Victor. De. Caesar. & Epitome.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare 1 Kings 7:1-12; 1 Kings 9:15-19; 1 Kings 10:14-27; and 2 Chronicles 8:4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 2:4. I builded me houses — Palace after palace; the house of the forest of Lebanon, 1 Kings 7:1, c. a house for the queen; the temple, c., 2 Chronicles 8:1, c. 1 Kings 9:10, &c., besides many other buildings of various kinds.


 
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