Ecclesiastes 8:11
in Ecclesiastes 8When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
KJV
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 8
Commentary
10 notes on this verseLet them rest assured that punishment shall be inflicted on the wicked, and rewards shall be bestowed upon the righteous, by him who deals with everyone as each deserves, and who will proportion his rewards to the good that each has done, and to the account of himself that he is able to give. And let all know that the good shall be advanced to a higher state, and that the wicked shall be delivered over to sufferings and torments, in punishment of their licentiousness and depravity, their cowardice, timidity, and all their follies.
This site's exposition
When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed
When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil. Delay in judgment emboldens sin, slow justice breeding presumption rather than repentance. The verse is one side of a tension the chapter holds open, set against the assurance that follows.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
It is clear, then, that no one can be deceived by the devil except one who has chosen to yield to him the consent of his own will. As Ecclesiastes clearly puts it in these words: "For since there is no speedy opposition to those who do evil, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set to do evil." It is therefore clear that each person goes wrong from this; namely, that when evil thoughts assault him he does not immediately meet them with refusal and contradiction.
Until now, never confuting him with your own answer or that of another, you allowed him to lord it over you, according to that saying of Solomon's: "Because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the heart of the children of men is full within them to do evil." Therefore after his exposure that evil spirit will no longer be able to disturb you, nor will that foul serpent ever again make his lurking place in you, since he has been dragged out into light from the darkness by your life-giving confession."
"All this have I seen; and I applied my mind to see every deed that is done under the sun: there is a time when one man rules over another to his detriment. And then I saw the wicked buried and newly come while those who had done right were gone from the Holy place and were forgotten in the city. This too is vanity! Because the sentence for wrong-doing is not executed quickly- that is why men are encouraged to do evil.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
And he shows this: For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the wicked, but they are kindly waited for, according to what is said in 2 Peter 3: "The Lord does not delay his promise, but deals patiently on your account, not willing that …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
(2.) The execution of this sentence is often delayed a great while, and the sinner goes on, not only unpunished, but prosperous and successful. (3.) Impunity hardens sinners in impiety, and the patience of God is shamefully abused by many who, instead of being led by it to repentance, are confirmed by it in their impenitence.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Because sentence - פתגם pithgam, a Divine decree or declaration. This is no Hebrew, but a mere Chaldee word, and occurs only in the later books of the Bible - Esther, Ezra and Daniel, and nowhere else but in this place. Because God does not immediately punish every delinquency, men think he disregards evil acts; and therefore they are emboldened to sin on. So this longsuffering of God, which leadeth to repentance, is abused so as to lead to farther crimes! When men sin against the remedy of their salvation, how can they escape perdition?
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The reason why the wicked persevere in sin: God's delay in judgment (Mt 24:48-51; "They see not the smoke of the pit, therefore they dread not the fire" [SOUTH], (Ps 55:19).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Because the execution of sentence. Punishment for the evil deeds [is not done] quickly. For the Holy One, Blessed Is He, does not rush to mete out retribution upon the evildoers, and therefore, they think that there is no judgment, and they are encouraged to do evil.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Though a sinner, etc. Because they see that the sinner does evil a hundred thousand and myriads [of times], and the Holy One, Blessed Is He, grants him an extension without meting out retribution.
And indeed I have seen sinners who are buried and blotted out of the world, from the holy place where the righteous dwell, and went to be burned in Gehenna, and are forgotten from among the inhabitants of the city, and as they have done to others, so it is done to them; also this is vanity.
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. 2 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
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֵין־ | ʾein- | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| נַעֲשָׂ֣ה | naasah | it is done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| פִתְגָ֔ם | fitgam | [the] sentence of | H6599 → | |
| מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה | maaseh | [the] deed of | H4639 → | 236 times |
| הָרָעָ֖ה | haraah | the evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| מְהֵרָ֑ה | meherah | quickly | H4120 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּ֡ן | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| מָלֵ֞א | male' | it is full | H4390 → | 249 times |
| לֵ֧ב | lev | [the] heart of | H3820 → | 595 times |
| בְּֽנֵי־ | benei- | [the] children of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הָאָדָ֛ם | haadam | <the> humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| בָּהֶ֖ם | bahem | in <the> them | ||
| לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| רָֽע׃ | ra' | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
אֲשֶׁר֙that
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֵין־not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
נַעֲשָׂ֣הit is done
naasahH6213 →2628 times
פִתְגָ֔ם[the] sentence of
fitgamH6599 →
מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה[the] deed of
maasehH4639 →236 times
הָרָעָ֖הthe evil
haraahH7451 →662 times
מְהֵרָ֑הquickly
meherahH4120 →
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּ֡ן-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
מָלֵ֞אit is full
male'H4390 →249 times
לֵ֧ב[the] heart of
levH3820 →595 times
בְּֽנֵי־[the] children of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
הָאָדָ֛ם<the> humankind
haadamH120 →551 times
בָּהֶ֖םin <the> them
bahem
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
רָֽע׃evil
ra'H7451 →662 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Isaiah 26:10Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD.
it leads to
- John 5:37–38
And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form,
- Hosea 11:7
My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call to the Most High, He will by no means exalt them.
- Romans 2:4–5
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
- Jeremiah 2:7
I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.
- Revelation 2:21
Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
- John 5:37–38
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; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 7:8; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 2:11; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, AGAINST CELSUS 8:52.