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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 7:21 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ec 7:21	Strong Concordance	Also take [05414] no heed [03820] unto all words [01697] that are spoken [01696]; lest thou hear [08085] thy servant [05650] curse [07043] thee:
	King James	Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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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]
As therefore thou being far from perfectly "just" thyself, hast much to be forgiven by God, do not take too strict account, as the self-righteous do (Ecc 7:16; Luk 18:9, Luk 18:11), and thereby shorten their lives (Ecc 7:15-16), of words spoken against thee by others, for example, thy servant: Thou art their "fellow servant" before God (Mat 18:32-35).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

As therefore thou being far from perfectly "just" thyself, hast much to be forgiven by God, do not take too strict account, as the self-righteous do (Ecc 7:16; Luk 18:9, Luk 18:11), and thereby shorten their lives (Ecc 7:15-16), of words spoken against thee by others, for example, thy servant: Thou art their "fellow servant" before God (Mat 18:32-35).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Curse ... cursed - Rather, speak evil of ... spoken evil of.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
"Also give not thy heart to all the words which one speaketh, lest thou shouldest hear thy servant curse thee. For thy heart knoweth in many cases that thou also hast cursed others." The talk of the people, who are the indef. subj. of ילבּרוּ (lxx, Targ., Syr. supply ἀσεβεῖς), is not about "thee who givest heed to the counsels just given" (Hitz., Zckl.), for the restrictive עליך is wanting; and why should a servant be zealous to utter imprecations on the conduct of his master, which rests on the best maxims? It is the babbling of the people in general that is meant. To this one ought not to turn his heart (ל ... נתן, as at Ecc 1:13, Ecc 1:17; Ecc 8:9, Ecc 8:16), i.e., gives wilful attention, ne (לא אשׁר = פּן, which does not occur in the Book of Koheleth) audias servum tuum tibi maledicere; the particip. expression of the pred. obj. follows the analogy of Gen 21:9, Ewald, 284b, and is not a Graecism; for since in this place hearing is meant, not immediately, but mediated through others, the expression would not in good Greek be with the lxx ... τοῦ δούλου σου καταρωμένου σε, but τὸν δοῦλόν σου καταρᾶσθαι σε. The warning has its motive in this, that by such roundabout hearing one generally hears most unpleasant things; and on hearsay no reliance can be placed. Such gossiping one should ignore, should not listen to it at all; and if, nevertheless, something so bad is reported as that our own servant has spoken words of imprecation against us, yet we ought to pass that by unheeded, well knowing that we ourselves have often spoken harsh words against others. The expression וגו ידע, "thou art conscious to thyself that," is like פּע ר, Kg1 2:44, not the obj. accus. dependent on ידע (Hitz.), "many cases where also thou ...," but the adv. accus. of time to קּלּלתּ; the words are inverted (Ewald, 336b), the style of Koheleth being fond of thus giving prominence to the chief conception (Ecc 7:20, Ecc 5:18; Ecc 3:13). The first gam, although it belongs to "thine, thy," as at Ecc 7:22 it is also connected with "thou," (Note: גּם־אתּ, on account of the half pause, accented on the penult. according to the Masora.) stands at the beginning of the sentence, after such syntactical examples as Hos 6:11; Zac 9:11; and even with a two-membered sentence, Job 2:10.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

"Also give not thy heart to all the words which one speaketh, lest thou shouldest hear thy servant curse thee. For thy heart knoweth in many cases that thou also hast cursed others." The talk of the people, who are the indef. subj. of ילבּרוּ (lxx, Targ., Syr. supply ἀσεβεῖς), is not about "thee who givest heed to the counsels just given" (Hitz., Zckl.), for the restrictive עליך is wanting; and why should a servant be zealous to utter imprecations on the conduct of his master, which rests on the best maxims? It is the babbling of the people in general that is meant. To this one ought not to turn his heart (ל ... נתן, as at Ecc 1:13, Ecc 1:17; Ecc 8:9, Ecc 8:16), i.e., gives wilful attention, ne (לא אשׁר = פּן, which does not occur in the Book of Koheleth) audias servum tuum tibi maledicere; the particip. expression of the pred. obj. follows the analogy of Gen 21:9, Ewald, 284b, and is not a Graecism; for since in this place hearing is meant, not immediately, but mediated through others, the expression would not in good Greek be with the lxx ... τοῦ δούλου σου καταρωμένου σε, but τὸν δοῦλόν σου καταρᾶσθαι σε. The warning has its motive in this, that by such roundabout hearing one generally hears most unpleasant things; and on hearsay no reliance can be placed. Such gossiping one should ignore, should not listen to it at all; and if, nevertheless, something so bad is reported as that our own servant has spoken words of imprecation against us, yet we ought to pass that by unheeded, well knowing that we ourselves have often spoken harsh words against others. The expression וגו ידע, "thou art conscious to thyself that," is like פּע ר, Kg1 2:44, not the obj. accus. dependent on ידע (Hitz.), "many cases where also thou ...," but the adv. accus. of time to קּלּלתּ; the words are inverted (Ewald, 336b), the style of Koheleth being fond of thus giving prominence to the chief conception (Ecc 7:20, Ecc 5:18; Ecc 3:13). The first gam, although it belongs to "thine, thy," as at Ecc 7:22 it is also connected with "thou,"

(Note: גּם־אתּ, on account of the half pause, accented on the penult. according to the Masora.)

stands at the beginning of the sentence, after such syntactical examples as Hos 6:11; Zac 9:11; and even with a two-membered sentence, Job 2:10.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Also - Do not strictly search into them, nor listen to hear them.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken - This is good advice, and much for every man's peace through life. Thy servant curse thee - מקללך mekallelecha, make light of thee, speak evil of thee.

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³² Then [5119] his [846] lord [2962], after that he had called [4341] him [846], said [3004] unto him [846], O thou wicked [4190] servant [1401], I forgave [863] thee [4671] all [3956] that [1565] debt [3782], because [1893] thou desiredst [3870] me [3165]:
³³ Shouldest [1163] not [3756] thou [4571] also [2532] have had compassion [1653] on thy [4675] fellowservant [4889], even [2532] as [5613] I [1473] had pity [1653] on thee [4571]?
³⁴ And [2532] his [846] lord [2962] was wroth [3710], and delivered [3860] him [846] to the tormentors [930], till [2193] [3739] he should pay [591] all [3956] that was due [3784] unto him [846].
³⁵ So [3779] likewise shall my [3450] heavenly [2032] Father [3962] do [4160] also [2532] unto you [5213], if [3362] ye from [575] your [5216] hearts [2588] forgive [863] not [3362] every one [1538] his [846] brother [80] their [846] trespasses [3900].

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].
¹⁶ Be not righteous [06662] over much [07235]; neither make thyself over [03148] wise [02449]: why shouldest thou destroy [08074] thyself?

¹¹ The Pharisee [5330] stood [2476] and prayed [4336] thus [5023] with [4314] himself [1438], God [2316], I thank [2168] thee [4671], that [3754] I am [1510] not [3756] as [5618] other [3062] men [444] are, extortioners [727], unjust [94], adulterers [3432], or [2228] even [2532] as [5613] this [3778] publican [5057].

⁹ And [1161] he spake [2036] [2532] this [5026] parable [3850] unto [4314] certain [5100] which [3588] trusted [3982] in [1909] themselves [1438] that [3754] they were [1526] righteous [1342], and [2532] despised [1848] others [3062]:

¹⁶ Be not righteous [06662] over much [07235]; neither make thyself over [03148] wise [02449]: why shouldest thou destroy [08074] thyself?

¹⁰ But he said [0559] unto her, Thou speakest [01696] as one [0259] of the foolish women [05036] speaketh [01696]. What [01571]? shall we receive [06901] good [02896] at the hand of God [0430], and shall we not receive [06901] evil [07451]? In all this did not Job [0347] sin [02398] with his lips [08193].

¹¹ As for thee also, by the blood [01818] of thy covenant [01285] I have sent forth [07971] thy prisoners [0615] out of the pit [0953] wherein is no water [04325].

¹¹ Also, O Judah [03063], he hath set [07896] an harvest [07105] for thee, when I returned [07725] the captivity [07622] of my people [05971].

²² For oftentimes [06471] [07227] also thine own heart [03820] knoweth [03045] that thou thyself likewise hast cursed [07043] others [0312].

¹³ And also that every man [0120] should eat [0398] and drink [08354], and enjoy [07200] the good [02896] of all his labour [05999], it is the gift [04991] of God [0430].

¹⁸ Behold that which I have seen [07200]: it is good [02896] and comely [03303] for one to eat [0398] and to drink [08354], and to enjoy [07200] the good [02896] of all his labour [05999] that he taketh [05998] under the sun [08121] all [04557] the days [03117] of his life [02416], which God [0430] giveth [05414] him: for it is his portion [02506].

²⁰ For there is not a just [06662] man [0120] upon earth [0776], that doeth [06213] good [02896], and sinneth [02398] not.

⁴⁴ The king [04428] said [0559] moreover to Shimei [08096], Thou knowest [03045] all the wickedness [07451] which thine heart [03824] is privy to [03045], that thou didst [06213] to David [01732] my father [01]: therefore the LORD [03068] shall return [07725] thy wickedness [07451] upon thine own head [07218];

⁹ And Sarah [08283] saw [07200] the son [01121] of Hagar [01904] the Egyptian [04713], which she had born [03205] unto Abraham [085], mocking [06711].

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]:)

⁹ All this have I seen [07200], and applied [05414] my heart [03820] unto every work [04639] that is done [06213] under the sun [08121]: there is a time [06256] wherein one man [0120] ruleth [07980] over another to his own hurt [07451].

¹⁷ And I gave [05414] my heart [03820] to know [03045] wisdom [02451], and to know [03045] madness [01947] and folly [05531]: I perceived [03045] that this [01571] also is vexation [07475] of spirit [07307].

¹³ And I gave [05414] my heart [03820] to seek [01875] and search out [08446] by wisdom [02451] concerning all things that are done [06213] under heaven [08064]: this sore [07451] travail [06045] hath God [0430] given [05414] to the sons [01121] of man [0120] to be exercised [06031] therewith.