Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

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The understanding of this chapter comes when we see how the two parts are related.

This chapter begins with a statement of the value of wisdom and ends with the limitations of man's wisdom

While wisdom allows a wise man to live in peace under authority in life (vv 1-9), this wisdom does not allow him to understand to figure out God's plan.

Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

The Value of Wisdom.


Ecclesiastes 8:1

Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man's wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.


Solomon begins with two rhetorical questions.

Who is like the wise man? There is no substitute for wisdom, man needs wisdom in order to exist in life.

Who knows the interpretation of a matter? This Hebrew word is found only here, its Aramaic parallel is found in Daniel and referees to the interpretation of dreams.

Here it has a broader sense in that the wise man is the one who can size up a situation and act accordingly.

As a result, the wise man will act graciously and avoid rash behavior that could lead him to harm.

He is illumined, he has understanding, and his stern face beams, which means he is patient, tolerant, gracious.

Now all this is because he is wise, and Solomon is going to praise the value of wisdom in these first nine verses.

And one of the greatest expressions of wisdom, a part from anything spiritual, just human wisdom, is the wise man will function well under authority.


Ecclesiastes 8:2

I say, Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.


Citizenship in a nation demands an oath of allegiance to the authority of that nation.

We pledge our allegiance to the Flag and all it represents. If we are to receive the benefits of citizenship than we must abide by the mandates of that citizenship.

That oath is taken before God. New citizens stand and raise their hands before a judge and take an oath.


Ecclesiastes 8:3

Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.


The idea here is of abandoning support for a leader just because he does not do what you wanted or expected him to do.

Remember Eccl. 4:13-16? How a king's popularity can quickly evaporate. Someone new comes along and the people throng to his side abandoning the present leader.

Solomon says that wisdom should slow this down and will use caution in leaving a leader.

When we do this in haste we join in an EVIL. Satan loves to disrupt authority knowing that the more chaos he can cause the riper nations will be for dictators.

The warning is backed up by the fact that a king can do whatever he pleases including bringing wrath upon revolutionaries.


Ecclesiastes 8:4

Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, What are you doing?


While leaders today have some built in systems of accountability, in Solomon's day the King was an absolute monarch.

No one could question him. And while we may argue that that is not right, that it is not fair and just.

Remember who is in control: GOD

God sets rulers up and brings them down according to his plan not ours. To oppose a ruler with illegal action, to revolt in violence is to say that God is not in control of the nations.

Verses 5-9 Goes back to concept introduced in v 1.


Ecclesiastes 8:5

He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure.


The person who is obedient to authority is obedient out of his wisdom, the wise heart.

He knows the proper time and procedure or judgment. He thinks, he applies his wisdom, he knows there is a time to keep quite and obey and he also knows there is a time to give opinion, and disagree.

As a result, harm is averted as a result of his obedience.


Ecclesiastes 8:6

For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, when a man's trouble is heavy upon him.


The word delight is KHAYFETS and would better be translated desire or purpose.

The word trouble is RA, the same word used in v 3 for the evil of revolution.

Here the desire to disobey, to rebel is there, but rather than engage in any improper action that would be evil the wise man knows there is a proper time and procedure in which to change things.

In our culture and our form of government this is by vote.

We may desire things to be different and different leaders to rule and a different part to be in control of the house and senate but do we stage an armed rebellion? NO, we wait for a proper time and a proper procedure. Get out and vote.

That is the conclusion of the wise man.


Ecclesiastes 8:7

If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?


We in our wisdom are limited in that we do not know the future, we do not know when things might change, it could be tomorrow.

So here we begin to get a glimpse of the limitation of our wisdom plan, as good and valuable as human wisdom may be for order in a nation, it cannot predict the future...only God knows what will be tomorrow.

Verses 8-9 The Legitimate Demands of Authority and Authority's Limitations.


Ecclesiastes 8:8

No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.


We have four parallel statements: The first and fourth are parallel and the second and third are parallel.

You cannot restrain the wind with the wind, and you cannot deliver people from evil with evil. There may be evil rulers but our evil will not deliver the nation from their evil.

Just as you do not have authority over the day or you death, neither do you have authority over military service in time of war. The King has the right of conscription and you have to go and in going you do not flee to Canada.


Ecclesiastes 8:9

All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt.


Solomon observes with his mind what is done under the sun and he recognizes that men do exercise authority in a way that causes others to be hurt.

The grammar here, by the way, can go either way. He hurts others by the misuse of his authority or he himself is hurt by the misuse of his authority.

So that is the best man's wisdom can do, allow for proper orientation to authority...but what do you do when you wisdom is not 20/20?

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