Ecclesiastes 10:10
in Ecclesiastes 10If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
KJV
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 10
Commentary
9 notes on this verse"If a blade is blunt and one has not sharpened the edge, nevertheless it strengthens the warriors. Wisdom is a more powerful skill. "If someone, he says, has seen himself lose knowledge of the Scriptures through negligence, and the shrewdness of his intelligence has been blunted, nonetheless he remains disturbed, and he would be just as he had been when he started. But it happens, meanwhile, that he that has a little knowledge is led into pride and stops learning and reading, and little by little takes away from that which now adds nothing to him.
This site's exposition
He who digs a pit may fall into it
on Ecclesiastes 10:8-11
Hazards follow: the pit-digger falling in, the wall-breacher bitten by a snake. The pit is the reversal figure of Proverbs 26:27 and Psalm 7:15. The dull axe gives the lesson, skill produces success, and verse 11 adds that skill is worthless if the snake bites before it is charmed.
This site's exposition
If the axe is dull
A dull blade makes a man exert more strength, and Clarke reads skill here as the wisdom to sharpen the axe first. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown see Rehoboam in it, a king who chose force over wise counsel. Strength without skill is wasted.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
If the iron has become blunt etc. Here he adds thirdly that the prelate who has in some way turned aside to evil is to be corrected, because he can be of value, although much labor is required. Therefore he says: If the iron has …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is likewise profitable to direct the subjects how to act towards a prince that is inclined to bear hard upon them, so as not to alienate his affections from them, but to win upon him by humble remonstrances (not insolent demands, such as the people made upon Rehoboam), by patient submissions and peaceable expedients.
If the iron be blunt,....
We might save ourselves a great deal of labour, and prevent a great deal of danger, if we did whet before we cut, that is, consider and premeditate what is fit to be said and done in every difficult case, that we may accommodate ourselves to it and may do our work smoothly and easily both to others and to ourselves.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
More force has then to be used in both cases; but "force" without judgment "endangers" one's self. Translate, "If one hath blunted his iron" [MAURER]. The preference of rash to judicious counsellors, which entailed the pushing of matters by force, proved to be the "hurt" of Rehoboam (1Ki 12:1-33). wisdom is profitable to direct--to a prosperous issue.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
If the iron be blunt - If the axe have lost its edge, and the owner do not sharpen it, he must apply the more strength to make it cut: but the wisdom that is profitable to direct will teach him, that he should whet his axe, and spare his strength. Thus, without wisdom and understanding we cannot go profitably through the meanest concerns in life.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
If the axe is blunt. Sharp swords, whose sharp edges have become dull. 15 The Gemara in Maseches Ta’anis 7b, applies this verse to the type of student to whom studies are hard as iron [=ברזל].
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
10. And when the people of Israel sin, and the heavens will become hard as iron and not give rain and that generation does not pray before 'ה so that the rain does not fall therefore, the whole world is wasted by famine, and when they repent and are assembled overcome their Yetzer and appoint leaders to seek mercy from the God of Heaven, they have pleasure due to the abundance of the excellence of their wisdom..
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| קֵהָ֣ה | kehah | it is blunt | H6949 → | |
| הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל | habarzel | the iron [axe] | H1270 → | |
| וְהוּא֙ | vehu' | and he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| פָנִ֣ים | fanim | faces | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| קִלְקַ֔ל | kilkal | he has sharpened | H7043 → | 82 times |
| וַחֲיָלִ֖ים | vachayalim | and strength<s> | H2428 → | |
| יְגַבֵּ֑ר | yegaber | he will make strong | H1396 → | |
| וְיִתְר֥וֹן | veyitron | and [is] advantage | H3504 → | 10 times |
| הַכְשֵׁ֖ר | hakhsheir | to give success | H3787 → | |
| חָכְמָֽה׃ | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
קֵהָ֣הit is blunt
kehahH6949 →
הַבַּרְזֶ֗לthe iron [axe]
habarzelH1270 →
וְהוּא֙and he
vehu'H1931 →1879 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
פָנִ֣יםfaces
fanimH6440 →2123 times
קִלְקַ֔לhe has sharpened
kilkalH7043 →82 times
וַחֲיָלִ֖יםand strength<s>
vachayalimH2428 →
יְגַבֵּ֑רhe will make strong
yegaberH1396 →
וְיִתְר֥וֹןand [is] advantage
veyitronH3504 →10 times
הַכְשֵׁ֖רto give success
hakhsheirH3787 →
חָכְמָֽה׃wisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
it leads to
- Proverbs 2:3–6
if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Proverbs 3:5–7
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- 1 John 5:14–15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- Proverbs 2:3–6
Through
Colossians 4:5Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:15–17
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Romans 16:19
Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- Ephesians 5:15–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10; Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.