Ecclesiastes 8:9
in Ecclesiastes 8All this I have seen, applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man lords it over another to his own detriment.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.
KJV
All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 8
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
To his own hurt - Or, “to the hurt of the subject.” The case is still that of an unwise king whose command is obeyed Ecc 8:2 even to the hurt of the wise man who obeys him.
This site's exposition
All this I have seen
on Ecclesiastes 8:9-10
The Teacher turns to what he has watched: there is a time when one man lords it over another to his own detriment. He reports the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and closes, This too is futile.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"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
He treated above of the vanity of proneness; here he treats of the vanity of false security. And since this vanity is dangerous, because it impels a man to sin or detains him once impelled, therefore first the vanity is set forth; second, the remedy …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is sad with a people when those that should protect their religion and rights aim at the destruction of both. (2.) To the hurt of the rulers (so we render it), to their own hurt, to the feeling of their pride and covetousness, the gratifying of their passion and revenge, and so to the filling up of the measure of their sins and the hastening and aggravating of their ruin.
To his hurt - There are some kings, who use their power tyrannically, whereby they not only oppress their people, but hurt themselves, bringing the vengeance of God upon their own heads.
All this have I seen,....
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)
proposed
his own hurt--The tyrannical ruler "hurts" not merely his subjects, but himself; so Rehoboam (1Ki 12:1-33); but the "time" of "hurt" chiefly refers to eternal ruin, incurred by "wickedness," at "the day of death" (Ec 8:8), and the "time" of "judgment" (Ec 8:6;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
One man ruleth over another to his own hurt - This may be spoken of rulers generally, who, instead of feeding, fleece the flock; tyrants and oppressors, who come to an untimely end by their mismanagement of the offices of the state. All these things relate to Asiatic despots, and have ever been more applicable to them than to any other sovereigns in the world. They were despotic; they still are so.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
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
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| זֶ֤ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| רָאִ֙יתִי֙ | raiti | I have seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| וְנָת֣וֹן | venaton | and I have given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לִבִּ֔י | libi | heart my | H3820 → | 595 times |
| לְכָֽל־ | lekhol | to every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה | maaseh | deed | H4639 → | 236 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נַעֲשָׂ֖ה | naasah | it is done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| תַּ֣חַת | tachat | under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ | hashamesh | the sun | H8121 → | 134 times |
| עֵ֗ת | ʾet | a time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | when | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׁלַ֧ט | shalat | he domineers | H7980 → | 8 times |
| הָאָדָ֛ם | haadam | <the> person | H120 → | 551 times |
| בְּאָדָ֖ם | beadam | over a person | H120 → | 551 times |
| לְרַ֥ע | lera' | for evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| לֽוֹ׃ | lo | of him |
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
זֶ֤הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
רָאִ֙יתִי֙I have seen
raitiH7200 →1300 times
וְנָת֣וֹןand I have given
venatonH5414 →2011 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
לִבִּ֔יheart my
libiH3820 →595 times
לְכָֽל־to every
lekholH3605 →5413 times
מַעֲשֶׂ֔הdeed
maasehH4639 →236 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נַעֲשָׂ֖הit is done
naasahH6213 →2628 times
תַּ֣חַתunder
tachatH8478 →505 times
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁthe sun
hashameshH8121 →134 times
עֵ֗תa time
ʾetH6256 →296 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhen
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
שָׁלַ֧טhe domineers
shalatH7980 →8 times
הָאָדָ֛ם<the> person
haadamH120 →551 times
בְּאָדָ֖םover a person
beadamH120 →551 times
לְרַ֥עfor evil
lera'H7451 →662 times
לֽוֹ׃of him
lo
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
Ecclesiastes 5:13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 6:1–2
There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
- Luke 18:22–23
On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- Genesis 19:14
So Lot went out and spoke to the sons-in-law who were pledged in marriage to his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the…
- Luke 16:22–23
One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.
- Ecclesiastes 6:1–2
Through
Exodus 14:28The waters flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had chased the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
it leads to
- Psalms 78:53
He led them safely, so they did not fear, but the sea engulfed their enemies.
- Psalms 106:9–11
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert.
- Psalms 78:53
Through
Ecclesiastes 5:8If 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…
it leads to
- 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.”
- 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…
- Psalms 12:5
Where this verse is studied
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 10 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 8; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes; 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.