Ecclesiastes 9:18
in Ecclesiastes 9Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.
KJV
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 9
Commentary
11 notes on this verse"And wisdom is better than weapons, but a single rogue can ruin a great deal of good. "Now he also takes wisdom in preference to strength and says that it is worth more in battle than weapons. But if there is one fool, however small and worthless, he will repeatedly destroy riches and great wealth by his stupidity. But because the Hebrew can also be read as: 'and he who sins once, will lose much goodness', much righteousness will be lost in return and virtues will follow in turn, and he who has one, has all [Cfr. Cic de Offic.
This site's exposition
The calm words of the wise are heeded
on Ecclesiastes 9:17-18
The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools answers the poor man's neglect. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, yet the last clause refuses a tidy ending, one sinner destroys much good. Wisdom's advantage is real and open to undoing.
This site's exposition
one sinner destroys much good
The poor man's wisdom saved a whole city, and one sinner can undo as much. Barnes says the Hebrew word for sinner covers intellectual as well as moral error, and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown point to Achan in Joshua 7. Jerome gives a second reading: one sin loses much good.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 18 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Likewise, the fruit of wisdom is born of the last four by contrast. Corresponding to this fruit, there are four acts, for wisdom is comforting, struggling, contemplating, and extolling. It comforts the good: "Wisdom is a better defense for the wise man than would be …
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 9 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"Wisdom is better," etc. Here secondly he sets forth wisdom above the defense of armor, saying: "Wisdom is better than weapons of war," because weapons of war are for protection; likewise wisdom protects. Proverbs 2: "Counsel shall keep you, and prudence shall preserve you, that …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Wisdom, that is, religion and piety (for the wise man is here opposed to a sinner), is better than all military endowments or accoutrements, for it will engage God for us, and then we are safe in the greatest perils and successful in the greatest enterprises.
2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Wisdom is better than weapons of war,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Wisdom is better than weapons of war - So proved in the case of Archimedes. But one sinner - Such as the Roman butcher above mentioned. Destroyeth much good - Such as were the life and skill of the Syracusan mathematician. One sinner has often injured the work of God; one stumbling-block has sometimes destroyed a revival of religion. Sin acts like a ferment; whatever comes in contact with it, it assimilates to itself.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
one sinner, &c.-- (Jos 7:1, 11, 12). Though wisdom excels folly (Ec 9:16; 7:19), yet a "little folly (equivalent to sin) can destroy much good," both in himself (Ec 10:1;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Sinner - The word in the original indicates intellectual as well as moral error.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| טוֹבָ֥ה | tovah | [is] good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| חָכְמָ֖ה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| מִכְּלֵ֣י | mikelei | more than weapons of | H3627 → | |
| קְרָ֑ב | kerav | war | H7128 → | |
| וְחוֹטֶ֣א | vechote' | and a sinner | H2398 → | 238 times |
| אֶחָ֔ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| יְאַבֵּ֥ד | yeabed | he will destroy | H6 → | 184 times |
| טוֹבָ֥ה | tovah | good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| הַרְבֵּֽה׃ | harbeh | much | H7235 → | 227 times |
טוֹבָ֥ה[is] good
tovahH2896 →538 times
חָכְמָ֖הwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
מִכְּלֵ֣יmore than weapons of
mikeleiH3627 →
קְרָ֑בwar
keravH7128 →
וְחוֹטֶ֣אand a sinner
vechote'H2398 →238 times
אֶחָ֔דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
יְאַבֵּ֥דhe will destroy
yeabedH6 →184 times
טוֹבָ֥הgood
tovahH2896 →538 times
הַרְבֵּֽה׃much
harbehH7235 →227 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
Joshua 7:1The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set…
it leads to
- Joshua 22:20
Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”
- 1 Chronicles 2:6–7
The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara—five in all.
- Joshua 22:18
And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 21:7
This command was also evil in the sight of God; so He struck Israel.
- Joshua 7:20–21
“It is true,” Achan replied, “I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did:
- Joshua 22:20
Through
Joshua 7:5And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarries and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people…
it leads to
- Joshua 2:9
and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting…
- Joshua 2:11
When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.
- Leviticus 26:36
As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to…
- Joshua 2:9
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, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 18; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 9; 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) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.