Bible Commentaries
Ecclesiastes 10

Introduction

Overview

Ecclesiastes 10:1, Observations of wisdom and folly; Ecclesiastes 10:16, of riot; Ecclesiastes 10:18, slothfulness; Ecclesiastes 10:19, and money; Ecclesiastes 10:20, Men’s thoughts of kings ought to be reverent.

Verse 1

Dead flies: Heb. Flies of death

the ointment: Exodus 30:34, Exodus 30:35

a little: 2 Chronicles 19:2, Nehemiah 6:13, Nehemiah 13:26, Matthew 5:13-16, Galatians 2:12-14

Reciprocal: Exodus 5:21 - our savour Exodus 37:29 - the apothecary 2 Samuel 16:23 - both 2 Chronicles 16:14 - the apothecaries' art Nehemiah 3:8 - of the apothecaries Nehemiah 6:11 - would go Ecclesiastes 7:1 - precious Matthew 26:7 - very Galatians 2:2 - which Galatians 2:13 - the other

Verse 2

wise: Ecclesiastes 9:10, Proverbs 14:8, Luke 14:28-32

but: Ecclesiastes 10:10, Ecclesiastes 10:14, Proverbs 17:16, Luke 12:18-20

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 12:8 - General 2 Chronicles 10:8 - he forsook Ecclesiastes 2:14 - wise Ecclesiastes 8:5 - a wise

Verse 3

wisdom: Heb. heart

and he: Ecclesiastes 5:3, Proverbs 13:16, Proverbs 18:2, Proverbs 18:6, 1 Peter 4:4

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 12:8 - General 2 Chronicles 10:8 - he forsook Proverbs 12:23 - but Proverbs 14:33 - General Proverbs 17:28 - General Ecclesiastes 2:14 - wise Ecclesiastes 10:15 - labour Acts 22:23 - cast

Verse 4

leave: Ecclesiastes 8:3

for: 1 Samuel 25:24-44, Proverbs 25:15

Reciprocal: Genesis 16:6 - fled Genesis 16:8 - whence Genesis 16:9 - submit Genesis 32:4 - servant Genesis 33:3 - bowed 2 Samuel 19:19 - And said 1 Kings 12:7 - speak good Esther 4:8 - to make supplication Proverbs 15:18 - he Proverbs 16:14 - but Proverbs 20:2 - fear Daniel 2:7 - Let Zechariah 6:8 - quieted Acts 12:20 - but Romans 13:3 - rulers 1 Corinthians 13:4 - vaunteth not itself Titus 3:1 - to be subject

Verse 5

an evil: Ecclesiastes 4:7, Ecclesiastes 5:13, Ecclesiastes 6:1, Ecclesiastes 9:3

as an: Ecclesiastes 3:16, Ecclesiastes 4:1

from: Heb. from before

Reciprocal: Proverbs 19:10 - much Proverbs 26:1 - so Proverbs 29:2 - when the wicked Ecclesiastes 8:14 - a vanity Isaiah 3:5 - base

Verse 6

Folly: Judges 9:14-20, 1 Kings 12:13, 1 Kings 12:14, Esther 3:1, Psalms 12:8, Proverbs 28:12, Proverbs 28:28

dignity: Heb. heights

the rich: James 2:3-5

Reciprocal: Proverbs 14:29 - exalteth Ecclesiastes 10:17 - when 2 Peter 2:10 - to speak

Verse 7

Proverbs 19:10, Proverbs 30:22

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 15:17 - went forth Nehemiah 2:10 - the servant Ecclesiastes 10:17 - when Isaiah 23:7 - her own 2 Peter 2:10 - to speak

Verse 8

that: Judges 9:5, Judges 9:53-57, 2 Samuel 17:23, 2 Samuel 18:15, Esther 7:10, Psalms 7:15, Psalms 7:16, Psalms 9:15, Psalms 9:16, Proverbs 26:27

a serpent: Amos 5:19, Amos 9:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 21:33 - General Proverbs 11:6 - but Proverbs 11:18 - wicked Proverbs 23:32 - biteth Proverbs 28:10 - he shall Jeremiah 18:20 - digged Habakkuk 2:7 - bite

Verse 9

Reciprocal: Psalms 7:15 - and is

Verse 10

wisdom: Ecclesiastes 10:15, Ecclesiastes 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, Acts 15:2-21, Romans 16:19, 1 Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 4:5, James 1:5

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 6:5 - ax head Proverbs 2:11 - General Ecclesiastes 10:2 - but

Verse 11

the serpent: Psalms 58:4, Psalms 58:5, Jeremiah 8:17

a babbler: Heb. the master of the tongue, Psalms 52:2, Psalms 64:3, Proverbs 18:21, James 3:6

Reciprocal: Proverbs 18:7 - his destruction James 3:8 - full

Verse 12

words: Job 4:3, Job 4:4, Job 16:5, Psalms 37:30, Psalms 40:9, Psalms 40:10, Psalms 71:15-18, Proverbs 10:13, Proverbs 10:20, Proverbs 10:21, Proverbs 10:31, Proverbs 10:32, Proverbs 12:13, Proverbs 12:14, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 15:2, Proverbs 15:23, Proverbs 16:21-24, Proverbs 22:17, Proverbs 22:18, Proverbs 25:11, Proverbs 25:12, Proverbs 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, Psalms 140:9, Proverbs 10:8, Proverbs 10:10, Proverbs 10:14, Proverbs 18:6-8, Proverbs 19:5, Proverbs 26:9, Luke 19:22

Reciprocal: Judges 12:6 - there fell 1 Kings 2:23 - spoken 1 Kings 12:13 - answered Proverbs 10:11 - but Proverbs 12:23 - but Proverbs 15:28 - the mouth Proverbs 17:20 - and he Proverbs 18:21 - and Ecclesiastes 5:3 - a fool's Luke 12:3 - whatsoever

Verse 13

beginning: Judges 14:15, 1 Samuel 20:26-33, 1 Samuel 22:7, 1 Samuel 22:8, 1 Samuel 22:16-18, 1 Samuel 25:10, 1 Samuel 25:11, 2 Samuel 19:41-43, 2 Samuel 20:1, 2 Kings 6:27, 2 Kings 6:31, Proverbs 29:9, Matthew 2:7, Matthew 2:8, Matthew 2:16, Luke 6:2, Luke 6:11, Luke 11:38, Luke 11:53, Luke 11:54, John 12:10, Acts 5:28-33, Acts 6:9-11, Acts 7:54-59, Acts 19:24-28

talk: Heb. mouth

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:9 - pressed Proverbs 10:19 - the multitude Proverbs 14:16 - the fool Proverbs 15:2 - tongue Ecclesiastes 7:25 - know Luke 12:3 - whatsoever Ephesians 5:4 - filthiness

Verse 14

fool: Ecclesiastes 5:3, Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 15:2

is full of words: Heb. multiplieth words, Job 34:37, Job 35:16

a man: Ecclesiastes 3:22, Ecclesiastes 6:12, Ecclesiastes 8:7, James 4:13, James 4:14

Reciprocal: Job 16:4 - up words Proverbs 17:28 - General Ecclesiastes 10:2 - but Ezekiel 35:13 - have multiplied

Verse 15

labour: Ecclesiastes 10:3, Ecclesiastes 10:10, Isaiah 44:12-17, Isaiah 47:12, Isaiah 47:13, Isaiah 55:2, Isaiah 57:1, Habakkuk 2:6, Matthew 11:28-30

because: Psalms 107:4, Psalms 107:7, Isaiah 35:8-10, Jeremiah 50:4, Jeremiah 50:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:11 - that they Job 39:16 - her labour Luke 13:24 - for

Verse 16

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

Verse 17

when: Ecclesiastes 10:6, Ecclesiastes 10:7, Proverbs 28:2, Proverbs 28:3, Jeremiah 30:21

and thy: Proverbs 31:4, Proverbs 31:5

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 20:16 - Benhadad Isaiah 5:11 - rise Isaiah 28:7 - erred Isaiah 34:12 - call Jeremiah 21:12 - morning Jeremiah 22:15 - eat Acts 24:25 - temperance

Verse 18

Proverbs 12:24, Proverbs 14:1, Proverbs 20:4, Proverbs 21:25, Proverbs 23:21, Proverbs 24:30, Proverbs 24:31, Hebrews 6:11, 2 Peter 1:5-10

Reciprocal: Proverbs 10:4 - becometh Amos 6:11 - breaches

Verse 19

feast: Ecclesiastes 2:1, Ecclesiastes 2:2, Ecclesiastes 7:2-6, Genesis 43:34, Daniel 5:1-12, 1 Peter 4:3

and wine: Ecclesiastes 9:7, Psalms 104:15, Isaiah 24:11, 1 Samuel 25:36, 2 Samuel 13:28, Luke 12:19, Ephesians 5:18, Ephesians 5:19

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. Ecclesiastes 7:11, Ecclesiastes 7:12, 1 Chronicles 21:24, 1 Chronicles 29:2-9, 2 Chronicles 24:11-14, Ezra 1:6, Ezra 7:15-18, Nehemiah 5:8, Psalms 112:9, Isaiah 23:18, Matthew 17:27, Matthew 19:21, Luke 8:3, Luke 16:9, Acts 2:45, Acts 11:29, Philippians 4:15-19, 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Reciprocal: Judges 9:13 - cheereth Judges 14:10 - made there Ruth 3:7 - his heart Esther 1:10 - the heart Proverbs 21:20 - treasure John 2:3 - they wanted

Verse 20

Curse: Exodus 22:28, Isaiah 8:21, Acts 23:5

thought: or, conscience, Ecclesiastes 7:21, Ecclesiastes 7:22, Luke 19:40

in thy bedchamber: Luke 10:40, Luke 12:2, Luke 12:3

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 16:5 - cursed 1 Kings 21:13 - the king 2 Kings 6:12 - telleth Esther 2:22 - the thing 2 Peter 2:10 - to speak