Ecclesiastes 5:8
in Ecclesiastes 5If 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
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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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This verse in Ecclesiastes 5
Commentary
9 notes on this verseIf 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.
This site's exposition
If you see the oppression of the poor
on Ecclesiastes 5:8-9
The Teacher tells the reader who sees the oppression of the poor do not be astonished at the matter. Corruption has a chain of accountability: one official is watched by a superior, and others higher are over them. Verse 9 adds a fact, the king himself profits from the fields.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"If you see oppression of the poor, and the suppression of justice and right of the State, do not be astonished at the fact, for there is One higher than the high Who watches and there are high ones above them. The advantage of land is supreme; even a king is indebted to the soil." Christ's garment, woven on top, was not able to be torn by those who crucified him; and the Saviour threw him from that demon, and advised him to go away having put on the clothes of the apostles.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Third, a remedy is given against erroneous thinking. "If you see the oppressions," etc. Here thirdly he draws back from erroneous thinking, namely so that from seeing the malice of men one should not believe that providence is lacking: whence he says: "If you see …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
If - Here is an account of another vanity, and a sovereign antidote against it. Marvel not - As if it were inconsistent with God's wisdom, and justice, to suffer such disorders. For - The most high God who is infinitely above the greatest of men.
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of justice in a province,.... Which is a very disagreeable sight, but often seen; the poor are oppressed, and judgment and justice perverted, and that in a very violent and flagrant manner, in open courts of judicature, in the several provinces and kingdoms of the world; marvel not at the matter; as though it was some strange and uncommon thing, when nothing is more common: or "marvel not at the will" or "pleasure" (t); that is, of God, who suffers such things to be.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
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).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Matter - Rather, purpose (as in the margin, and Ecc 3:1), referring either to the will of God or to the edict of an oppressive ruler. For he ... they - literally, for high watches over high and the highest over them, i. e., the king in the capital watches over the judge or governor in the province, and God over both. This seems more in harmony with the preceding verses, and more agreeable to the scope of this passage than to understand the passage only of earthly rulers.
The words behind it
19 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 |
| עֹ֣שֶׁק | ʾoshek | oppression of | H6233 → | |
| רָ֠שׁ | rash | a poor person | H7326 → | |
| וְגֵ֨זֶל | vegezel | and robbery of | H1498 → | |
| מִשְׁפָּ֤ט | mishpat | justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| וָצֶ֙דֶק֙ | vatzedek | and righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| תִּרְאֶ֣ה | tireh | you will see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| בַמְּדִינָ֔ה | vamedinah | in the province | H4082 → | |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | do not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּתְמַ֖הּ | titmah | be astonished | H8539 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַחֵ֑פֶץ | hachefetz | the matter | H2656 → | 39 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| גָבֹ֜הַּ | gavoah | a high [one] | H1364 → | 41 times |
| מֵעַ֤ל | meal | <from> over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙ | gavoah | a high [one] | H1364 → | 41 times |
| שֹׁמֵ֔ר | shomer | [is] watching | H8104 → | 468 times |
| וּגְבֹהִ֖ים | ugevohim | and high [ones] | H1364 → | 41 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ | ʾaleihem | over them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
עֹ֣שֶׁקoppression of
ʾoshekH6233 →
רָ֠שׁa poor person
rashH7326 →
וְגֵ֨זֶלand robbery of
vegezelH1498 →
מִשְׁפָּ֤טjustice
mishpatH4941 →422 times
וָצֶ֙דֶק֙and righteousness
vatzedekH6664 →119 times
תִּרְאֶ֣הyou will see
tirehH7200 →1300 times
בַמְּדִינָ֔הin the province
vamedinahH4082 →
אַל־do not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּתְמַ֖הּbe astonished
titmahH8539 →
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַחֵ֑פֶץthe matter
hachefetzH2656 →39 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
גָבֹ֜הַּa high [one]
gavoahH1364 →41 times
מֵעַ֤ל<from> over
mealH5921 →5755 times
גָּבֹ֙הַּ֙a high [one]
gavoahH1364 →41 times
שֹׁמֵ֔ר[is] watching
shomerH8104 →468 times
וּגְבֹהִ֖יםand high [ones]
ugevohimH1364 →41 times
עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃over them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 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
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.”
it 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.
- Psalms 34:6
Through
Psalms 82:1God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:
it 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.
- John 10:35
Through
Ecclesiastes 4:1Again 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…
it 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.
- Ecclesiastes 3:16
Where this verse is studied
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.