Ecclesiastes 2:9 BSB

Ecclesiastes 2:9

So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

KJV

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

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Commentary

3 voices

Jerome

Commentary on Ecclesiastes (420)

"Thus I grew and surpassed any of my predecessors in Jerusalem; still, my wisdom stayed with me." It seems to me that Ecclesiastes, acting grandly, agrees less with the Lord, unless by chance we adapt this to him: "He [Jesus] increased in wisdom and age and grace" [Luc. 2, 52.]. And, "on account of which God took him on high [Phil. 2, 9.]".

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

But thus far his wisdom remained with him that he was master of his pleasures, and not a slave to them, and kept himself capable of making a judgment of them.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

1Co 12:2); or, one "allured" (2Pe 2:18, 19). yet acquainting . . . wisdom--literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [GESENIUS]. MAURER translates: "was weary of (worldly) wisdom." But the end of Ec 2:9 confirms English Version. folly--namely, pleasures of the flesh, termed "mad," Ec 2:2. all the days, &c.--(See Margin and Ec 6:12;

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

10 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וְגָדַ֣לְתִּי	ve.ga.Dal.ti	and I became great	H1431 →
וְהוֹסַ֔פְתִּי	ve.ho.Saf.ti	and I increased	H3254 →
מִכֹּ֛ל	mi.Kol	more than any	H3605 →
שֶׁהָיָ֥ה	she.ha.Yah	who <he> was	H1961 →
לְפָנַ֖י	le.fa.Nai	<to> before me	H6440 →
בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם	bi.ru.sha.Lim	in Jerusalem	H3389 →
אַ֥ף	'af	also	H637 →
חָכְמָתִ֖י	cha.khe.ma.Ti	wisdom my	H2451 →
עָ֥מְדָה	'A.me.dah	it remained	H5975 →
לִּֽי׃	Li	to <the> me

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
1 Kings 10:23
So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
leads to
- 1 Kings 3:12–13
  behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Ecclesiastes 1:16
I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”
leads to
- 1 Kings 4:30
  Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the men of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
- 1 Kings 10:7
  But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I…
Through
1 Chronicles 29:25
The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal majesty such as had not been bestowed on any king in Israel before him.
leads to
- 2 Chronicles 1:12
  therefore wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will also give you riches and wealth and honor unlike anything given to the kings before you or after you.”
- 2 Chronicles 1:1
  Now Solomon son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and highly exalted him.
- 1 Kings 3:13
  Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal.
Through
1 Kings 10:7
But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I…
leads to
- John 20:25–29
  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put…
- 1 Corinthians 2:9
  Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Featured studies on this passage

On Ecclesiastes 2:9

Ecclesiastes: the Study Guide

Silver, gold, herds, singers, “whatsoever mine eyes desired,” and, elsewhere, riches kept by their owner “to his hurt,” or given by God to a stranger to enjoy instead.

Open the study →

Walks through Ecclesiastes 2

Vanity Under the Sun — Ecclesiastes

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About Ecclesiastes

King Solomon in Old Age — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

Ecclesiastes: the study guide →Read chapter 2 →The featured study →

PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…

Continue: Ecclesiastes 2 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Ecclesiastes

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Ecclesiastes