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Texts -- Ecclesiastes 10:1-18 (NET)

Context
10:1 One dead fly makes the perfumer’s ointment give off a rancid stench , so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom .
Wisdom Can Be Nullified By the Caprice of Rulers
10:2 A wise person’s good sense protects him, but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable . 10:3 Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense , and shows everyone what a fool he is. 10:4 If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position , for a calm response can undo great offenses . 10:5 I have seen another misfortune on the earth : It is an error a ruler makes . 10:6 Fools are placed in many positions of authority , while wealthy men sit in lowly positions . 10:7 I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on foot like slaves .
Wisdom is Needed to Avert Dangers in Everyday Life
10:8 One who digs a pit may fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake . 10:9 One who quarries stones may be injured by them; one who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10:10 If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge , he must exert a great deal of effort ; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success . 10:11 If the snake should bite before it is charmed , the snake charmer is in trouble .
Words and Works of Wise Men and Fools
10:12 The words of a wise person win him favor , but the words of a fool are self-destructive . 10:13 At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness , 10:14 yet a fool keeps on babbling . No one knows what will happen ; who can tell him what will happen in the future ? 10:15 The toil of a stupid fool wears him out, because he does not even know the way to the city .
The Problem with Foolish Rulers
10:16 Woe to you, O land , when your king is childish , and your princes feast in the morning ! 10:17 Blessed are you, O land , when your king is the son of nobility , and your princes feast at the proper time – with self-control and not in drunkenness . 10:18 Because of laziness the roof caves in , and because of idle hands the house leaks .

Pericope

NET
  • Ecc 10:2-7 -- Wisdom Can Be Nullified By the Caprice of Rulers
  • Ecc 10:8-11 -- Wisdom is Needed to Avert Dangers in Everyday Life
  • Ecc 10:12-15 -- Words and Works of Wise Men and Fools
  • Ecc 10:16-20 -- The Problem with Foolish Rulers

Bible Dictionary

  • Instruction

    [nave] INSTRUCTION From nature, Prov. 24:30-34; Eccl. 1:13-18; 3; 4:1; Matt. 6:25-30. See: Parables. From the study of human nature, Eccl. 3-12. By Object Lessons: The pot of maa, Ex. 16:32. The pillar of twelve stones at the f...

  • Serpent

    [isbe] SERPENT - sur'-pent: 1. General: Serpents are not particularly abundant in Palestine, but they are often mentioned in the Bible. In the Hebrew there are 11 names. The New Testament has four Greek names and the Septuagint emp...
    [smith] The Hebrew word nachash is the generic name of any serpent. The following are the principal biblical allusions to this animal its subtlety is mentioned in (Genesis 3:1) its wisdom is alluded to by our Lord in (Matthew 10:18) ...
    [nave] SERPENT Satan appears in the form of, to Eve, Gen. 3:1-15; 2 Cor. 11:3. Subtlety of, Gen. 3:1; Eccl. 10:8; Matt. 10:16. Curse upon, Gen. 3:14, 15; 49:17. Feeds upon the dust, Gen. 3:14; Isa. 65:25; Mic. 7:17. Unfit for f...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Fool

    [nave] FOOL: Psa. 5:5; Psa. 14:1 Psa. 53:1. Psa. 74:18, 22; Psa. 107:17; Prov. 1:7, 22; Prov. 3:35; Prov. 9:6-8, 13-17; Prov. 10:1, 8 v. 10.13,14,18,23Prov. 14:1, 7-9, 15; Prov. 15:7, 20, 21; Prov. 17:24, 25; Prov. 18:2, 6, 7; Pro...

  • Speaking

    [nave] SPEAKING. Evil Ex. 22:28; Job 19:18; Psa. 10:7, 8; Psa. 12:3, 4; Psa. 34:13; Psa. 35:21; Psa. 41:5-9; Psa. 52:2-4; Psa. 59:12; Psa. 64:2-5; Psa. 69:12, 26; Psa. 70:3; Psa. 102:8; Psa. 106:33; Psa. 119:23; Psa. 120:1-7; Psa...

  • Wisdom

    [nave] WISDOM Of Joseph, Gen. 41:16, 25-39; Acts 7:10. Of Moses, Acts 7:22. Of Bezaleel, Ex. 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1. Of Aholiab, Ex. 31:6; 35:34, 35; 36:1; of other skilled artisans, Ex. 36:2; of women, Ex. 35:26. Of Hiram, 1 K...

  • Fence

    [ebd] (Heb. gader), Num. 22:24 (R.V.). Fences were constructions of unmortared stones, to protect gardens, vineyards, sheepfolds, etc. From various causes they were apt to bulge out and fall (Ps. 62:3). In Ps. 80:12, R.V. (see Isa...
    [isbe] FENCE - fens (batsar, mibhtsar): Commonly used in the King James Version in the description of fortified places, as the translation of batsar, "to cut off," "to separate," "to fortify" (and forms) (Dt 3:5; 9:1; 28:52, etc.);...
    [nave] FENCE, Song 4:12. Made of stone walls, Num. 22:24; Psa. 62:3; Prov. 24:30, 31; Isa. 5:2; Mic. 7:11. Hedge, Eccl. 10:8; Isa. 5:5; Nah. 3:17; Matt. 21:33; Prov. 15:19; Hos. 2:6. Figurative Ezek. 22:30.

  • Words

    [nave] WORDS Of Jesus: Gracious, Luke 4:22; spirit and life, John 6:63; eternal life, John 6:68; shall judge, John 12:47, 48. Of the wise: As goads, and as nails well fastened, Eccl. 12:11; gracious, Eccl. 10:12. Spoken in season...

  • Meekness

    [isbe] MEEKNESS - mek'-nes (`anawah; praotes, prautes): "Meekness" in the Old Testament (`anawah, `anwah) is from `anaw, "suffering," "oppressed," "afflicted," denoting the spirit produced under such experiences. The word is someti...
    [nave] MEEKNESS. Psa. 22:26; Psa. 25:9; Psa. 37:11; Psa. 76:8, 9; Psa. 147:6; Psa. 149:4; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 15:1, 18; Prov. 16:32; Prov. 17:1; Prov. 19:11; Prov. 20:3; Prov. 25:15; Prov. 29:8; Eccl. 7:8; Eccl. 10:4; Isa. 11:4; Is...

  • APOTHECARY

    [ebd] rendered in the margin and the Revised Version "perfumer," in Ex. 30:25; 37:29; Eccl. 10:1. The holy oils and ointments were prepared by priests properly qualified for this office. The feminine plural form of the Hebrew word...
    [isbe] APOTHECARY - a-poth'-e-ka-ri: Found in English Versions of the Bible eight times in the Old Testament and Apocrypha for Hebrew word rendered more accurately "perfumer" by the Revised Version (British and American) in Ex 30:2...

  • Slander

    [nave] SLANDER Comes from the evil heart, Luke 6:45. Often arises from hatred, Psa. 109:3. Idleness leads to, 1 Tim. 5:13. The wicked addicted to, Psa. 50:20. Hypocrites addicted to, Prov. 11:9. A characteristic of the devil, ...

  • Prudence

    [nave] PRUDENCE. Job 34:3, 4; Psa. 39:1; Psa. 112:5; Prov. 6:1, 2; Prov. 8:12; Prov. 11:13, 15, 29; Prov. 12:8, 23; Prov. 13:16; Prov. 14:8, 15, 16, 18; Prov. 15:5, 22; Prov. 16:20, 21; Prov. 17:2, 18; Prov. 18:15, 16; Prov. 19:2;...

  • FLY, FLIES

    [smith] The two following Hebrew terms denote flies of some kind: Zebub , which occurs only in (Ecclesiastes 10:1) and in Isai 7:18 And is probably a generic name for an insect. ?Arob ("swarms of flies ," "divers sorts of flies ," A...

  • HANDICRAFT

    [smith] (Acts 18:3; 19:25; Revelation 18:22) A trade was taught to ail the Jewish boys as a necessary part of their education. Even the greatest rabbis maintained themselves by trades (Delitzsch). Says Rabbi Jehuda, "He who does not ...

  • ENCHANTMENTS

    [smith] The words so translated have several signification: the practice of secret arts, (Exodus 7:11,22; 8:7); "muttered spells," (2 Kings 9:22; Micah 5:12) the charming of serpents, (Ecclesiastes 10:11) the enchantments sought b...

  • MEDICINE

    [smith] Egypt was the earliest home of medical and other skill for the region of the Mediterranean basin, and every Egyptian mummy of the more expensive and elaborate sort involved a process of anatomy. Still we have no trace of any ...

  • BANQUETS

    [smith] among the Hebrews, were not only a means of social enjoyment, but were a part of the observance of religious festivity. At the three solemn festivals the family also had its domestic feast. (16:11) Sacrifices, both ordinary a...

  • SERPENT-CHARMING

    [isbe] SERPENT-CHARMING - -charm'-ing: Allusion to this art, widely practiced by the ancients (see references in DB, under the word; especially Bothart, Hieron., III, 161, 164, etc.), as by modern Orientals, is found in Ps 58:5; Ec...

  • Iron

    [nave] IRON 1. First recorded use of, Gen. 4:22. Ore of, Deut. 8:9; Job 28:2. Melted, Ezek. 22:20. Used in the temple, 1 Chr. 22:3; 29:2, 7. Articles made of: Ax, 2 Kin. 6:6; 2 Chr. 18:10; Eccl. 10:10; Isa. 10:34; bedstead, Deu...

  • Ointment

    [nave] OINTMENT. Not Sacred 2 Kin. 20:13; Esth. 2:12; Eccl. 7:1; 10:1; Song 1:3; 4:10; Amos 6:6; Mark 14:3-5; John 12:3-5. The alabaster box of, Matt. 26:7. Sacred Formula for, Ex. 30:23-25. Uses of, Ex. 30:26-33. Compounded...
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Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • I believe that the message of Ecclesiastes is essentially a positive one. This may seem strange since the vanity of various human endeavors is such a major theme of this book. Nevertheless the total statement that Solomon mad...
  • I. The introductory affirmation 1:1-11A. Title and theme 1:1-21. The title 1:12. The theme 1:2B. The futility of all human endeavor 1:3-111. The vanity of work 1:32. The illustrations from life 1:4-11II. The futility of work ...
  • Rather than saying, "All work is vanity,"Solomon made the same point by asking this rhetorical question that expects a negative response. He used this literary device often throughout the book (cf. 2:2; 3:9; 6:8, 11-12; et al...
  • Clues in the text indicate the value and purpose of 6:10-11:6. The phrases "does not know"and "cannot discover"occur frequently (6:12; 7:14, 24, 28; 8:17; 19:1, 12; 10:14; 11:2, 6). Also the recurrence of "it is good"(7:18) a...
  • The emphasis in this section (9:1-11:6) is on what man does not know because God has not revealed many things. Solomon also emphasized, however, that the remaining mystery in this subject (8:16-17) must not diminish human joy...
  • Solomon's emphasis in 9:2-10 was on the fact that a righteous person could not be more certain of his or her earthly future than the wicked. In 9:11-10:11 his point was that the wise cannot be more sure of his or her earthly ...
  • Since we do not know what our earthly future holds (vv. 12-15), even though governmental officials may prove reprehensible (vv. 16-19) it is not wise to criticize them (v. 20).10:12-15 Generally wise people speak graciously, ...
  • In 1:12-6:9, Solomon demonstrated that all work is ultimately futile for two reasons. It does not yield anything really permanent under the sun. Moreover we can never be sure we will enjoy the fruits of our labor before we di...
  • In conclusion Solomon repeated his original thesis (v. 8; cf. 1:2) and his counsel in view of life's realities (vv. 13-14). In between these statements he set forth his source of authority for writing what we have in Ecclesia...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.'--Eccles. 10:8.WHAT is meant here is, probably, not such a hedge as we are accustomed to see, but a dry-stone wall, or, perhaps, an earthen embankment, in the crevices of whi...
  • The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.'--Eccles. 10:15.Ox the surface this seems to be merely a piece of homely, practical sagacity, conjoined with one of the bitte...
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