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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 4:13 - Strong Concordance

Verse         Translation Text
Ec 4:13 Strong Concordance Better [02896] is a poor [04542] and a wise [02450] child [03206] than an old [02205] and foolish [03684] king [04428], who will [03045] no more be admonished [02094].
  King James Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
The "threefold cord" [Ecc 4:12] of social ties suggests the subject of civil government. In this case too, he concludes that kingly power confers no lasting happiness. The "wise" child, though a supposed case of Solomon, answers, in the event foreseen by the Holy Ghost, to Jeroboam, then a poor but valiant youth, once a "servant" of Solomon, and (Kg1 11:26-40) appointed by God through the prophet Ahijah to be heir of the kingdom of the ten tribes about to be rent from Rehoboam. The "old and foolish king" answers to Solomon himself, who had lost his wisdom, when, in defiance of two warnings of God (Kg1 3:14; Kg1 9:2-9), he forsook God.

will no more be admonished--knows not yet how to take warning (see Margin) God had by Ahijah already intimated the judgment coming on Solomon (Kg1 11:11-13).
 
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11 Wherefore the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Solomon [08010], Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept [08104] my covenant [01285] and my statutes [02708], which I have commanded [06680] thee, I will surely [07167] rend [07167] the kingdom [04467] from thee, and will give [05414] it to thy servant [05650].
12 Notwithstanding in thy days [03117] I will not do [06213] it for David [01732] thy father's [01] sake: but I will rend [07167] it out of the hand [03027] of thy son [01121].
13 Howbeit [07535] I will not rend away [07167] all the kingdom [04467]; but will give [05414] one [0259] tribe [07626] to thy son [01121] for David [01732] my servant's [05650] sake, and for Jerusalem's [03389] sake which I have chosen [0977].
2 That the LORD [03068] appeared [07200] to Solomon [08010] the second time [08145], as he had appeared [07200] unto him at Gibeon [01391].
3 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto him, I have heard [08085] thy prayer [08605] and thy supplication [08467], that thou hast made [02603] before [06440] me: I have hallowed [06942] this house [01004], which thou hast built [01129], to put [07760] my name [08034] there for [05704] ever [05769]; and mine eyes [05869] and mine heart [03820] shall be there perpetually [03117].
4 And if thou wilt walk [03212] before [06440] me, as David [01732] thy father [01] walked [01980], in integrity [08537] of heart [03824], and in uprightness [03476], to do [06213] according to all that I have commanded [06680] thee, and wilt keep [08104] my statutes [02706] and my judgments [04941]:
5 Then I will establish [06965] the throne [03678] of thy kingdom [04467] upon Israel [03478] for ever [05769], as I promised [01696] to David [01732] thy father [01], saying [0559], There shall not fail [03772] thee a man [0376] upon the throne [03678] of Israel [03478].
6 But if ye shall at all [07725] turn [07725] from following [0310] me, ye or your children [01121], and will not keep [08104] my commandments [04687] and my statutes [02708] which I have set [05414] before [06440] you, but go [01980] and serve [05647] other [0312] gods [0430], and worship [07812] them:
7 Then will I cut off [03772] Israel [03478] out [06440] of the land [0127] which I have given [05414] them; and this house [01004], which I have hallowed [06942] for my name [08034], will I cast out [07971] of my sight [06440]; and Israel [03478] shall be a proverb [04912] and a byword [08148] among all people [05971]:
8 And at this house [01004], which is high [05945], every one that passeth [05674] by it shall be astonished [08074], and shall hiss [08319]; and they shall say [0559], Why hath the LORD [03068] done [06213] thus unto this land [0776], and to this house [01004]?
9 And they shall answer [0559], Because they forsook [05800] the LORD [03068] their God [0430], who brought forth [03318] their fathers [01] out of the land [0776] of Egypt [04714], and have taken hold [02388] upon other [0312] gods [0430], and have worshipped [07812] them, and served [05647] them: therefore hath the LORD [03068] brought [0935] upon them all this evil [07451].
14 And if thou wilt walk [03212] in my ways [01870], to keep [08104] my statutes [02706] and my commandments [04687], as thy father [01] David [01732] did walk [01980], then I will lengthen [0748] thy days [03117].
26 And Jeroboam [03379] the son [01121] of Nebat [05028], an Ephrathite [0673] of Zereda [06868], Solomon's [08010] servant [05650], whose mother's [0517] name [08034] was Zeruah [06871], a widow [0490] woman [0802], even he lifted up [07311] his hand [03027] against the king [04428].
27 And this was the cause [01697] that he lifted up [07311] his hand [03027] against the king [04428]: Solomon [08010] built [01129] Millo [04407], and repaired [05462] the breaches [06556] of the city [05892] of David [01732] his father [01].
28 And the man [0376] Jeroboam [03379] was a mighty man [01368] of valour [02428]: and Solomon [08010] seeing [07200] the young man [05288] that he was industrious [06213] [04399], he made him ruler [06485] over all the charge [05447] of the house [01004] of Joseph [03130].
29 And it came to pass at that time [06256] when Jeroboam [03379] went out [03318] of Jerusalem [03389], that the prophet [05030] Ahijah [0281] the Shilonite [07888] found [04672] him in the way [01870]; and he had clad [03680] himself with a new [02319] garment [08008]; and they two [08147] were alone in the field [07704]:
30 And Ahijah [0281] caught [08610] the new [02319] garment [08008] that was on him, and rent [07167] it in twelve [08147] [06240] pieces [07168]:
31 And he said [0559] to Jeroboam [03379], Take [03947] thee ten [06235] pieces [07168]: for thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], the God [0430] of Israel [03478], Behold, I will rend [07167] the kingdom [04467] out of the hand [03027] of Solomon [08010], and will give [05414] ten [06235] tribes [07626] to thee:
32 (But he shall have one [0259] tribe [07626] for my servant [05650] David's [01732] sake, and for Jerusalem's [03389] sake, the city [05892] which I have chosen [0977] out of all the tribes [07626] of Israel [03478]:)
33 Because that they have forsaken [05800] me, and have worshipped [07812] Ashtoreth [06253] the goddess [0430] of the Zidonians [06722], Chemosh [03645] the god [0430] of the Moabites [04124], and Milcom [04445] the god [0430] of the children [01121] of Ammon [05983], and have not walked [01980] in my ways [01870], to do [06213] that which is right [03477] in mine eyes [05869], and to keep my statutes [02708] and my judgments [04941], as did David [01732] his father [01].
34 Howbeit I will not take [03947] the whole kingdom [04467] out of his hand [03027]: but I will make [07896] him prince [05387] all the days [03117] of his life [02416] for David [01732] my servant's [05650] sake, whom I chose [0977], because he kept [08104] my commandments [04687] and my statutes [02708]:
35 But I will take [03947] the kingdom [04410] out of his son's [01121] hand [03027], and will give [05414] it unto thee, even ten [06235] tribes [07626].
36 And unto his son [01121] will I give [05414] one [0259] tribe [07626], that David [01732] my servant [05650] may have a light [05216] alway [03117] before [06440] me in Jerusalem [03389], the city [05892] which I have chosen [0977] me to put [07760] my name [08034] there.
37 And I will take [03947] thee, and thou shalt reign [04427] according to all that thy soul [05315] desireth [0183], and shalt be king [04428] over Israel [03478].
38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken [08085] unto all that I command [06680] thee, and wilt walk [01980] in my ways [01870], and do [06213] that is right [03477] in my sight [05869], to keep [08104] my statutes [02708] and my commandments [04687], as David [01732] my servant [05650] did [06213]; that I will be with thee, and build [01129] thee a sure [0539] house [01004], as I built [01129] for David [01732], and will give [05414] Israel [03478] unto thee.
39 And I will for this afflict [06031] the seed [02233] of David [01732], but not for ever [03117].
40 Solomon [08010] sought [01245] therefore to kill [04191] Jeroboam [03379]. And Jeroboam [03379] arose [06965], and fled [01272] into Egypt [04714], unto Shishak [07895] king [04428] of Egypt [04714], and was in Egypt [04714] until the death [04194] of Solomon [08010].
12 And if one [0259] prevail [08630] against him, two [08147] shall withstand [05975] him; and a threefold [08027] cord [02339] is not quickly [04120] broken [05423].
13 The breaker [06555] is come up [05927] before [06440] them: they have broken up [06555], and have passed through [05674] the gate [08179], and are gone out [03318] by it: and their king [04428] shall pass [05674] before [06440] them, and the LORD [03068] on the head [07218] of them.
16 There is no end [07093] of all the people [05971], even of all that have been before [06440] them: they also that come after [0314] shall not rejoice [08055] in him. Surely this also is vanity [01892] and vexation [07475] of spirit [07307].
13 Better [02896] is a poor [04542] and a wise [02450] child [03206] than an old [02205] and foolish [03684] king [04428], who will [03045] no more be admonished [02094].
15 I considered [07200] all the living [02416] which walk [01980] under the sun [08121], with the second [08145] child [03206] that shall stand up [05975] in his stead.
14 For out of prison [0631] [01004] he cometh [03318] to reign [04427]; whereas also he that is born [03205] in his kingdom [04438] becometh poor [07326].
13 Better [02896] is a poor [04542] and a wise [02450] child [03206] than an old [02205] and foolish [03684] king [04428], who will [03045] no more be admonished [02094].
15 I considered [07200] all the living [02416] which walk [01980] under the sun [08121], with the second [08145] child [03206] that shall stand up [05975] in his stead.
16 There is no end [07093] of all the people [05971], even of all that have been before [06440] them: they also that come after [0314] shall not rejoice [08055] in him. Surely this also is vanity [01892] and vexation [07475] of spirit [07307].
13 Better [02896] is a poor [04542] and a wise [02450] child [03206] than an old [02205] and foolish [03684] king [04428], who will [03045] no more be admonished [02094].
14 For out of prison [0631] [01004] he cometh [03318] to reign [04427]; whereas also he that is born [03205] in his kingdom [04438] becometh poor [07326].
8 There is [03426] one [0259] alone, and there is not a second [08145]; yea, he hath neither child [01121] nor brother [0251]: yet is there no end [07093] of all his labour [05999]; neither is his eye [05869] satisfied [07646] with riches [06239]; neither saith he, For whom do I labour [06001], and bereave [02637] my soul [05315] of good [02896]? This is also vanity [01892], yea, it is a sore [07451] travail [06045].
23 And Lamech [03929] said [0559] unto his wives [0802], Adah [05711] and Zillah [06741], Hear [08085] my voice [06963]; ye wives [0802] of Lamech [03929], hearken [0238] unto my speech [0565]: for I have slain [02026] a man [0376] to my wounding [06482], and a young man [03206] to my hurt [02250].
4 Children [03206] in whom was no blemish [03971] [03971], but well [02896] favoured [04758], and skilful [07919] in all wisdom [02451], and cunning [03045] in knowledge [01847], and understanding [0995] science [04093], and such as had ability [03581] in them to stand [05975] in the king's [04428] palace [01964], and whom they might teach [03925] the learning [05612] and the tongue [03956] of the Chaldeans [03778].
10 Be wise [07919] now therefore, O ye kings [04428]: be instructed [03256], ye judges [08199] of the earth [0776].
12 Who can understand [0995] his errors [07691]? cleanse [05352] thou me from secret [05641] faults.
12 And further [03148], by these [01992], my son [01121], be admonished [02094]: of making [06213] many [07235] books [05612] there is no end [07093]; and much [07235] study [03854] is a weariness [03024] of the flesh [01320].
15 The labour [05999] of the foolish [03684] wearieth [03021] every one of them, because he knoweth [03045] not how to go [03212] to the city [05892].
8 For what hath the wise [02450] more [03148] than the fool [03684]? what hath the poor [06041], that knoweth [03045] to walk [01980] before the living [02416]?
1 Keep [08104] thy foot [07272] when thou goest [03212] to the house [01004] of God [0430], and be more ready [07138] to hear [08085], than to give [05414] the sacrifice [02077] of fools [03684]: for they consider [03045] not that they do [06213] evil [07451].
12 Seest [07200] thou a man [0376] wise [02450] in his own conceit [05869]? there is more hope [08615] of a fool [03684] than of him.