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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 8:8 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ec 8:8 |
Strong Concordance |
There is no man [0120] that hath power [07989] over the spirit [07307] to retain [03607] the spirit [07307]; neither hath he power [07983] in the day [03117] of death [04194]: and there is no discharge [04917] in that war [04421]; neither shall wickedness [07562] deliver [04422] those that are given [01167] to it. |
| |
King James |
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
spirit--"breath of life" (Ecc 3:19), as the words following require. Not "wind," as WEISS thinks (Pro 30:4). This verse naturally follows the subject of "times" and "judgment" (Ecc 8:6-7).
discharge--alluding to the liability to military service of all above twenty years old (Num 1:3), yet many were exempted (Deu 20:5-8). But in that war (death) there is no exemption.
those . . . given to--literally, the master of it. Wickedness can get money for the sinner, but cannot deliver him from the death, temporal and eternal, which is its penalty (Isa 28:15, Isa 28:18). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Neither hath he power - Rather: "and there is no power." Compare Ecc 3:19.
No discharge ... - i. e., "No exemption from the final hour of struggle between life and death."
Wickedness - Though the life of the wicked may be prolonged Ecc 7:15, yet wickedness itself has no inherent power to prolong that life. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| To retain - To keep it in the body. This is added as another evidence of man's misery. No discharge - In that fatal conflict between life and death, when a man is struggling with death, though to no purpose, for death will be always conqueror. Neither - And although wicked men, who most fear death, use all possible means, to free themselves from it, yet they shall not escape it. The most subtle wickedness cannot outwit death, nor the most daring wickedness out - brave it. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit - The Chaldee has, "There is no man who can rule over the spirit of the breath, so as to prevent the animal life from leaving the body of man." Others translate to this sense: "No man hath power over the wind to restrain the wind; and none has power over death to restrain him; and when a man engages as a soldier, he cannot be discharged from the war till it is ended; and by wickedness no man shall be delivered from any evil." Taking it in this way, these are maxims which contain self-evident truths. Others suppose the verse to refer to the king who tyrannizes over and oppresses his people. He shall also account to God for his actions; he shall die, and he cannot prevent it; and when he is judged, his wickedness cannot deliver him. |
18 And your covenant [01285] with death [04194] shall be disannulled [03722], and your agreement [02380] with hell [07585] shall not stand [06965]; when the overflowing [07857] scourge [07752] shall pass through [05674], then ye shall be trodden down [04823] by it.
15 Because ye have said [0559], We have made [03772] a covenant [01285] with death [04194], and with hell [07585] are we [06213] at agreement [02374]; when the overflowing [07857] scourge [07752] [07885] shall pass through [05674] [05674], it shall not come [0935] unto us: for we have made [07760] lies [03577] our refuge [04268], and under falsehood [08267] have we hid [05641] ourselves:
5 And the officers [07860] shall speak [01696] unto the people [05971], saying [0559], What man [0376] is there that hath built [01129] a new [02319] house [01004], and hath not dedicated [02596] it? let him go [03212] and return [07725] to his house [01004], lest he die [04191] in the battle [04421], and another [0312] man [0376] dedicate [02596] it.
6 And what man [0376] is he that hath planted [05193] a vineyard [03754], and hath not yet eaten [02490] of it? let him also go [03212] and return [07725] unto his house [01004], lest he die [04191] in the battle [04421], and another [0312] man [0376] eat [02490] of it.
7 And what man [0376] is there that hath betrothed [0781] a wife [0802], and hath not taken [03947] her? let him go [03212] and return [07725] unto his house [01004], lest he die [04191] in the battle [04421], and another [0312] man [0376] take [03947] her.
8 And the officers [07860] shall speak [01696] further [03254] unto the people [05971], and they shall say [0559], What man [0376] is there that is fearful [03373] and fainthearted [07390] [03824]? let him go [03212] and return [07725] unto his house [01004], lest his brethren's [0251] heart [03824] faint [04549] as well as his heart [03824].
3 From twenty [06242] years [08141] old [01121] and upward [04605], all that are able to go forth [03318] to war [06635] in Israel [03478]: thou and Aaron [0175] shall number [06485] them by their armies [06635].
6 Because to every purpose [02656] there is [03426] time [06256] and judgment [04941], therefore the misery [07451] of man [0120] is great [07227] upon him.
7 For he knoweth [03045] not that which shall be: for who can tell [05046] him when it shall be?
4 Who hath ascended up [05927] into heaven [08064], or descended [03381]? who hath gathered [0622] the wind [07307] in his fists [02651]? who hath bound [06887] the waters [04325] in a garment [08071]?who hath established [06965] all the ends [0657] of the earth [0776]? what is his name [08034], and what is his son's [01121] name [08034], if thou canst tell [03045]?
19 For that which befalleth [04745] the sons [01121] of men [0120] befalleth [04745] beasts [0929]; even one thing [0259] befalleth [04745] them: as the one dieth [04194], so dieth [04194] the other [02088]; yea, they have all one [0259] breath [07307]; so that a man [0120] hath no preeminence [04195] above a beast [0929]: for all is vanity [01892].
15 All things have I seen [07200] in the days [03117] of my vanity [01892]: there is [03426] a just [06662] man that perisheth [06] in his righteousness [06664], and there is a wicked [07563] man that prolongeth [0748] his life in his wickedness [07451].
19 For that which befalleth [04745] the sons [01121] of men [0120] befalleth [04745] beasts [0929]; even one thing [0259] befalleth [04745] them: as the one dieth [04194], so dieth [04194] the other [02088]; yea, they have all one [0259] breath [07307]; so that a man [0120] hath no preeminence [04195] above a beast [0929]: for all is vanity [01892].