Ecclesiastes 5:8 BSB

Ecclesiastes 5:8

If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

KJV

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

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Commentary

3 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

If thou seest the oppression of the poor - For this was a frequent case under all governments; and especially in the provinces or colonies which being far from the seat of government, were generally oppressed by the sovereign’s deputies. Marvel not at the matter - החפץ hachephets, the will, i.e., of God; which permits such evils to take place; for all things shall work together for good to them that love him. “Marvel not Ye righteous, if his dispensations here Unequal seem. What, though disorders reign? He still presides, and with unerring hand Directs the vast machine.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

God is higher than the highest of creatures, than the highest of princes, than the king that is higher than Agag ( Num. xxiv. 7 ), than the highest angels, the thrones and dominions of the upper world. God is the Most High over all the earth, and his glory is above the heavens; before him princes are worms, the brightest but glow-worms.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

If God is so exact in even punishing hasty words (Ec 5:1-6), why does He allow gross injustice? In the remote "provinces," the "poor" often had to put themselves for protection from the inroads of Philistines, &c., under chieftains, who oppressed them even in Solomon's reign (1Ki 12:4). the matter--literally, "the pleasure," or purpose (Isa 53:10).

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

19 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
אִם־	'im-	if	H518 →
עֹ֣שֶׁק	'O.shek	oppression of	H6233 →
רָ֠שׁ	rash	a poor person	H7326 →
וְגֵ֨זֶל	ve.Ge.zel	and robbery of	H1498 →
מִשְׁפָּ֤ט	mish.Pat	justice	H4941 →
וָצֶ֙דֶק֙	va.Tze.dek	and righteousness	H6664 →
תִּרְאֶ֣ה	tir.'Eh	you will see	H7200 →
בַמְּדִינָ֔ה	va.me.di.Nah	in the province	H4082 →
אַל־	'al-	do not	H408 →
תִּתְמַ֖הּ	tit.Mah	be astonished	H8539 →
עַל־	'al-	on	H5921 →
הַחֵ֑פֶץ	ha.Che.fetz	the matter	H2656 →
כִּ֣י	ki	for	H3588 →
גָבֹ֜הַּ	ga.Vo.ah	a high [one]	H1364 →
מֵעַ֤ל	me.'Al	<from> over	H5921 →
גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙	ga.Vo.ah	a high [one]	H1364 →
שֹׁמֵ֔ר	sho.Mer	[is] watching	H8104 →
וּגְבֹהִ֖ים	u.ge.vo.Him	and high [ones]	H1364 →
עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃	'a.lei.Hem	over them	H5921 →

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
Psalms 12:5
“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
leads to
- Psalms 34:6
  This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- Proverbs 14:31
  Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
- James 5:4
  Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
- Psalms 146:7–8
  He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
- Isaiah 33:10
  “Now I will arise,” says the LORD. “Now I will lift Myself up. Now I will be exalted.
Through
Psalms 82:1
God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:
leads to
- John 10:35
  If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—
- 2 Chronicles 19:6–7
  Then he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment.
Through
Ecclesiastes 4:1
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their…
leads to
- Ecclesiastes 3:16
  Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

Featured studies on this passage

Walks through Ecclesiastes 5

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 5 →The featured study →

Continue: Ecclesiastes 5 →

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