Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 8:2–4
2Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God. 3Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
Word by word
Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.
Ecclesiastes 8:2
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keep | שְׁמ֔וֹר | šə·mō·wr | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | H8104 keep, watch, preserve |
| the king’s | מֶ֣לֶךְ | me·leḵ | Noun - masculine singular | H4428 king |
| command | פִּי־ | pî- | Noun - masculine singular construct | H6310 mouth |
| I say | אֲנִי֙ | ’ă·nî | Pronoun - first person common singular | H589 I |
| because of | וְעַ֕ל | wə·‘al | Conjunctive waw; Preposition | H5921 height |
| your oath | שְׁבוּעַ֥ת | šə·ḇū·‘aṯ | Noun - feminine singular construct | H7621 oath, curse |
| before God | אֱלֹהִֽים׃ | ’ĕ·lō·hîm | Noun - masculine plural | H430 God |
Ecclesiastes 8:3
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do not | אַל־ | ’al- | Adverb | H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . . |
| hasten | תִּבָּהֵ֤ל | tib·bā·hêl | Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | H926 alarm, dismay |
| to leave | תֵּלֵ֔ךְ | tê·lêḵ | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | H1980 go, come, walk |
| his presence | מִפָּנָיו֙ | mip·pā·nāw | Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular | H6440 face, before |
| and do not | אַֽל־ | ’al- | Adverb | H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . . |
| persist | תַּעֲמֹ֖ד | ta·‘ă·mōḏ | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | H5975 take one's stand, stand |
| in a bad | רָ֑ע | rā‘ | Adjective - masculine singular | H7451 bad, evil |
| cause | בְּדָבָ֣ר | bə·ḏā·ḇār | Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular | H1697 speech, word |
| for | כִּ֛י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| he will do | יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ | ya·‘ă·śeh | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H6213 do, make |
| whatever | כָּל־ | kāl- | Noun - masculine singular construct | H3605 the whole, all |
| he pleases | יַחְפֹּ֖ץ | yaḥ·pōṣ | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H2654 delight in |
Ecclesiastes 8:4
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For | בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר | ba·’ă·šer | Preposition-b; Pronoun - relative | H834 particle of relation |
| the king’s | מֶ֖לֶךְ | me·leḵ | Noun - masculine singular | H4428 king |
| word | דְּבַר־ | də·ḇar- | Noun - masculine singular construct | H1697 speech, word |
| is supreme | שִׁלְט֑וֹן | šil·ṭō·wn | Noun - masculine singular | H7983 mastery |
| and who | וּמִ֥י | ū·mî | Conjunctive waw; Interrogative | H4310 who? |
| can say | יֹֽאמַר־ | yō·mar- | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H559 utter, say |
| to him | ל֖וֹ | lōw | Preposition; third person masculine singular | |
| What | מַֽה־ | mah- | Interrogative | H4100 what? how? aught |
| are you doing | תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃ | ta·‘ă·śeh | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | H6213 do, make |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
Ecclesiastes 8:2 Titus 3:1 · Proverbs 24:21 · 1 Kings 2:43 · Romans 13:1–5 · 1 Peter 2:13–17
Ecclesiastes 8:3 Ecclesiastes 10:4 · Daniel 4:35 · Proverbs 14:29 · Daniel 5:19 · Acts 5:8–9
Ecclesiastes 8:4 Romans 13:1–4 · Job 9:12 · Daniel 4:35 · Proverbs 20:2 · Job 34:18–19 · Proverbs 19:12 · Romans 9:20
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.