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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 4:14 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ec 4:14 |
Strong Concordance |
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]. |
| |
King James |
For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. |
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] |
out of prison--Solomon uses this phrase of a supposed case; for example, Joseph raised from a dungeon to be lord of Egypt. His words are at the same time so framed by the Holy Ghost that they answer virtually to Jeroboam, who fled to escape a "prison" and death from Solomon, to Shishak of Egypt (Kg1 11:40). This unconscious presaging of his own doom, and that of Rehoboam, constitutes the irony. David's elevation from poverty and exile, under Saul (which may have been before Solomon's mind), had so far their counterpart in that of Jeroboam.
whereas . . . becometh poor--rather, "though he (the youth) was born poor in his kingdom" (in the land where afterwards he was to reign). |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
"For out of the prison-house he goeth forth to reign as king, although he was born as a poor man in his kingdom." With כּי the properties of poverty and wisdom attributed to the young man are verified, - wisdom in this, that he knew how to find the way from a prison to a throne. As harammim, Ch2 22:5 = haarammim, Kg2 8:28, so hasurim = haasurim (cf. masoreth = maasoreth, Eze 20:37); beth haasirim (Kerı̂; haasurim), Jdg 16:21, Jdg 16:25, and beth haesur, Jer 38:15, designate the prison; cf. Mod katan, Ecc 3:1. The modern form of the language prefers this elision of the א, e.g., אפלּוּ = אף אלּוּ, אלתּר = אל־אתר, בּתר post = בּאתר contra, etc. The perf. יחא is also thought of as having reached the throne, and having pre-eminence assigned to him as such. He has come forth from the prison to become king, רשׁ ... כּי. Zckler translates: "Whereas also he that was born in his kingdom was poor," and adds the remark: "גם כי, after the כי of the preceding clause, does not so much introduce a verification of it, as much rather an intensification; by which is expressed, that the prisoner has not merely transitorily fallen into such misery, but that he was born in poor and lowly circumstances, and that in his own kingdom בּם, i.e., in the same land which he should afterwards rule as king." But גם כי is nowhere used by Koheleth in the sense of "ja auch" (= whereas also); and also where it is thus to be translated, as at Jer 14:18; Jer 23:11, it is used in the sense of "denn auch" (= for also), assigning proof. The fact is, that this group of particles, according as כי is thought of as demonst. or relat., means either "denn auch," Ecc 4:16; Ecc 7:22; Ecc 8:16, or "wenn auch" = ἐὰν καί, as here and at Ecc 8:12. In the latter case, it is related to כּי גּם (sometimes also merely גּם, Psa 95:9; Mal 3:15), as ἐὰν (εἰ) καί, although, notwithstanding, is to καὶ ἐάν (εἰ), even although.
(Note: That the accentuation separates the two words גם־ כי is to be judged from this, that it almost everywhere prefers אם־ כי (vid., under Comm. to Psa 1:2).)
Thus 14b, connecting itself with למלך, is to be translated: "although he was born (נולד,not נולד) in his kingdom as a poor man."
(Note: נולד רש cannot mean "to become poor." Grtz appeals to the Mishnic language; but no intelligent linguist will use נולד רשׁ of a man in any other sense than that he is originally poor.)
We cannot also concur with Zckler in the view that the suff. of :_b refers to the young upstart: in the kingdom which should afterwards become his; for this reason, that the suff. of תח, Ecc 4:16, refers to the old king, and thus also that this designation may be mediated, בם must refer to him. מלכות signifies kingdom, reign, realm; here, the realm, as at Neh 9:35, Dan 5:11; 6:29. Grtz thinks Ecc 4:13-16 ought to drive expositors to despair. But hitherto we have found no room for despair in obtaining a meaning from them. What follows also does not perplex us. The author describes how all the world hails the entrance of the new youthful king on his government, and gathers together under his sceptre. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| For he - The poor and wise child is often advanced to the highest dignity. Whereas - That old king is deprived of his kingdom. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| For out of prison he cometh to reign - "Then Abraham left the country of the idolaters, where he had been imprisoned, and came and reigned over the land of Canaan; and Nimrod became poor in this world." This is the fact to which the ancient rabbins supposed Solomon to allude. |
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].
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].
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].
11 There is [0383] a man [01400] in thy kingdom [04437], in whom is the spirit [07308] of the holy [06922] gods [0426]; and in the days [03118] of thy father [02] light [05094] and understanding [07924] and wisdom [02452], like the wisdom [02452] of the gods [0426], was found [07912] in him; whom the king [04430] Nebuchadnezzar [05020] thy father [02], the king [04430], I say, thy father [02], made [06966] master [07229] of the magicians [02749], astrologers [0826], Chaldeans [03779], and soothsayers [01505];
35 For they have not served [05647] thee in their kingdom [04438], and in thy great [07227] goodness [02898] that thou gavest [05414] them, and in the large [07342] and fat [08082] land [0776] which thou gavest [05414] before [06440] them, neither turned [07725] they from their wicked [07451] works [04611].
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].
2 But his delight [02656] is in the law [08451] of the LORD [03068]; and in his law [08451] doth he meditate [01897] day [03119] and night [03915].
15 And now we call [0833] the proud [02086] happy [0833]; yea, they that work [06213] wickedness [07564] are set up [01129]; yea, they that tempt [0974] God [0430] are even delivered [04422].
9 When your fathers [01] tempted [05254] me, proved [0974] me, and saw [07200] my work [06467].
12 Though a sinner [02398] do [06213] evil [07451] an hundred times [03967], and his days be prolonged [0748], yet surely I know [03045] that it shall be well [02896] with them that fear [03373] God [0430], which fear [03372] before [06440] him:
16 When I applied [05414] mine heart [03820] to know [03045] wisdom [02451], and to see [07200] the business [06045] that is done [06213] upon the earth [0776]: (for also there is that neither day [03117] nor night [03915] seeth [07200] sleep [08142] with his eyes [05869]:)
22 For oftentimes [06471] [07227] also thine own heart [03820] knoweth [03045] that thou thyself likewise hast cursed [07043] others [0312].
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].
11 For both prophet [05030] and priest [03548] are profane [02610]; yea, in my house [01004] have I found [04672] their wickedness [07451], saith [05002] the LORD [03068].
18 If I go forth [03318] into the field [07704], then behold the slain [02491] with the sword [02719]! and if I enter [0935] into the city [05892], then behold them that are sick [08463] with famine [07458]! yea, both the prophet [05030] and the priest [03548] go about [05503] into a land [0776] that they know [03045] not.
1 To every thing there is a season [02165], and a time [06256] to every purpose [02656] under the heaven [08064]:
15 Then Jeremiah [03414] said [0559] unto Zedekiah [06667], If I declare [05046] it unto thee, wilt thou not surely [04191] put me to death [04191]? and if I give thee counsel [03289], wilt thou not hearken [08085] unto me?
25 And it came to pass, when their hearts [03820] were merry [02896], that they said [0559], Call [07121] for Samson [08123], that he may make us sport [07832]. And they called [07121] for Samson [08123] out of the prison [0631] house [01004]; and he made them [06440] sport [06711]: and they set [05975] him between the pillars [05982].
21 But the Philistines [06430] took [0270] him, and put out [05365] his eyes [05869], and brought him down [03381] to Gaza [05804], and bound [0631] him with fetters of brass [05178]; and he did grind [02912] in the prison [0631] house [01004].
37 And I will cause you to pass [05674] under the rod [07626], and I will bring [0935] you into the bond [04562] of the covenant [01285]:
28 And he went [03212] with Joram [03141] the son [01121] of Ahab [0256] to the war [04421] against Hazael [02371] king [04428] of Syria [0758] in Ramothgilead [07433] [01568]; and the Syrians [0761] wounded [05221] Joram [03141].
5 He walked [01980] also after their counsel [06098], and went [03212] with Jehoram [03088] the son [01121] of Ahab [0256] king [04428] of Israel [03478] to war [04421] against Hazael [02371] king [04428] of Syria [0758] at Ramothgilead [07433] [01568]: and the Syrians [07421] smote [05221] Joram [03141].