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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 10:18 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ec 10:18 |
Strong Concordance |
By much slothfulness [06103] the building [04746] decayeth [04355]; and through idleness [08220] of the hands [03027] the house [01004] droppeth through [01811]. |
| |
King James |
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. |
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] |
building--literally, "the joining of the rafters," namely, the kingdom (Ecc 10:16; Isa 3:6; Amo 9:11).
hands-- (Ecc 4:5; Pro 6:10).
droppeth--By neglecting to repair the roof in time, the rain gets through. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
Since, now, Ecc 10:19 has only to do with princes, the following proverb of the consequences of sloth receives a particular reference in the frame of this mirror for princes: "Through being idle the roof falleth; and through laziness of the hands the house leaketh." Ewald, Redslob, Olsh., Hitz., and Frst, as already Aben Ezra, understand the dual עצל of the two idle hands, but a similar attribut. adject.-dual is not found in Heb.; on the contrary, ephraim, merathaim Jer 50:21, rish'athaim, and, in a certain measure, also riqmathaim, speak in favour of the intensification of the dual; 'atsaltaim is related to 'atslah, as Faulenzen being idle, living in idleness to Faulheit laziness, it means doubled, i.e., great, constant laziness (Gesen. H. Wrt., and Bttch. in the N. Aehrenl., under this passage). If 'atsaltaim were an attribut. designation of the hands, then shiphluth hadaim would be lowness, i.e., the hanging down of the hands languidly by the side; the former would agree better with the second than with the first passage. Regarding the difference between hammeqareh (the beams and joists of a house) and hamqareh (contignans), vid., note below.
(Note: המּקרה, with mem Dageshed (Masora: לית דגש); in Psa 104:3, on the contrary, the mem has Raphe, for there it is particip. (Michlol 46a; Parchon's Lex. f. 3, col. 1).)
Since exceeding laziness leaves alone everything that could support the house, the beams fall (ימּך, Niph. מכך), and the house drops, i.e., lets the rain through (ידלף, with o, in spite of the intrans. signification); cf. the Arab. proverb of the three things which make a house insufferable, under Pro 19:13. Also the community, whom the king and the nobles represent, is a בּית, as e.g., Israel is called the house of Jacob. If the rulers neglect their duty, abusing their high position in obeying their own lusts, then the kingdom (state) becomes as a dilapidated house, affording no longer any protection, and at last a machshelah, a ruined building, Isa 3:6. It becomes so by slothfulness, and the prodigal love of pleasure associated therewith. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| By much slothfulness - This is remarkably the case in some countries. Houses are not repaired till they almost fall about the ears of the inhabitants. We have an adage that applies to all such cases: "A stitch in time saves nine." |
10 Yet a little [04592] sleep [08142], a little [04592] slumber [08572], a little [04592] folding [02264] of the hands [03027] to sleep [07901]:
5 The fool [03684] foldeth [02263] his hands [03027] together [02263], and eateth [0398] his own flesh [01320].
11 In that day [03117] will I raise up [06965] the tabernacle [05521] of David [01732] that is fallen [05307], and close up [01443] the breaches [06556] thereof; and I will raise up [06965] his ruins [02034], and I will build [01129] it as in the days [03117] of old [05769]:
6 When a man [0376] shall take hold [08610] of his brother [0251] of the house [01004] of his father [01], saying, Thou hast clothing [08071], be thou our ruler [07101], and let this ruin [04384] be under thy hand [03027]:
16 Woe [0337] to thee, O land [0776], when thy king [04428] is a child [05288], and thy princes [08269] eat [0398] in the morning [01242]!
6 When a man [0376] shall take hold [08610] of his brother [0251] of the house [01004] of his father [01], saying, Thou hast clothing [08071], be thou our ruler [07101], and let this ruin [04384] be under thy hand [03027]:
13 A foolish [03684] son [01121] is the calamity [01942] of his father [01]: and the contentions [04079] of a wife [0802] are a continual [02956] dropping [01812].
3 Who layeth the beams [07136] of his chambers [05944] in the waters [04325]: who maketh [07760] the clouds [05645] his chariot [07398]: who walketh [01980] upon the wings [03671] of the wind [07307]:
21 Go up [05927] against the land [0776] of Merathaim [04850], even against it, and against the inhabitants [03427] of Pekod [06489]: waste [02717] and utterly destroy [02763] after [0310] them, saith [05002] the LORD [03068], and do [06213] according to all that I have commanded [06680] thee.
19 A feast [03899] is made [06213] for laughter [07814], and wine [03196] maketh merry [08055] [02416]: but money [03701] answereth [06030] all things.