
Text -- Ecclesiastes 5:9 (NET)




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collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
The fruits of the earth.

Wesley: Ecc 5:9 - -- Necessary and beneficial to all men. The wise man, after some interruption, returns to his former subject, the vanity of riches, one evidence whereof ...
Necessary and beneficial to all men. The wise man, after some interruption, returns to his former subject, the vanity of riches, one evidence whereof he mentions in this verse, that the poor labourer enjoys the fruits of the earth as well as the greatest monarch.

Is supported by the fruits of the field.
JFB -> Ecc 5:9
JFB: Ecc 5:9 - -- "The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" (2Ch 26:1...
"The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" (2Ch 26:10). Therefore the common Lord of all, high and low, will punish at last those who rob the "poor" of their share in it (Pro 22:22-23; Amo 8:4-7).
Clarke: Ecc 5:9 - -- The profit of the earth is for all - The earth, if properly cultivated, is capable of producing food for every living creature; and without cultivat...
The profit of the earth is for all - The earth, if properly cultivated, is capable of producing food for every living creature; and without cultivation none has a right to expect bread

Clarke: Ecc 5:9 - -- The king himself is served by the field - Without the field he cannot have supplies for his own house; and, unless agriculture flourish, the necessa...
The king himself is served by the field - Without the field he cannot have supplies for his own house; and, unless agriculture flourish, the necessary expenses of the state cannot be defrayed. Thus, God joins the head and feet together; for while the peasant is protected by the king as executor of the laws, the king himself is dependent on the peasant; as the wealth of the nation is the fruit of the laborer’ s toil.
TSK -> Ecc 5:9
TSK: Ecc 5:9 - -- the profit : Gen 1:29, Gen 1:30, Gen 3:17-19; Psa 104:14, Psa 104:15, Psa 115:16; Pro 13:23, Pro 27:23-27; Pro 28:19; Jer 40:10-12
the king : 1Sa 8:12...
the profit : Gen 1:29, Gen 1:30, Gen 3:17-19; Psa 104:14, Psa 104:15, Psa 115:16; Pro 13:23, Pro 27:23-27; Pro 28:19; Jer 40:10-12
the king : 1Sa 8:12-17; 1Kings 4:7-23; 1Ch 27:26-31

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Ecc 5:9
Barnes: Ecc 5:9 - -- The king himself is served by the field - Rather, the king is subject to the field, i. e., is dependent on its cultivation. The higher ranks, i...
The king himself is served by the field - Rather, the king is subject to the field, i. e., is dependent on its cultivation. The higher ranks, if they oppress the lower, lose thereby their own means of subsistence.
Poole -> Ecc 5:9
Poole: Ecc 5:9 - -- The profit of the earth the fruits procured from the earth by the skill and labour of the husbandman, is for all; are necessary and beneficial to all...
The profit of the earth the fruits procured from the earth by the skill and labour of the husbandman, is for all; are necessary and beneficial to all men whatsoever. The wise man, after some interruption, returns to his former subject, to discourse of the vanity of great riches, one argument or evidence whereof he seems to mention in this verse, to wit, that the poor labourer enjoyeth the fruits of the earth as well as the greatest monarch, and that the richest man in the world depends as much upon them as the poorest.
Is served by the field is supported by the fruits of the field; or, as many others render it, serves or is a servant to the field , depends upon it, is obliged to see that his fields be tilled and dressed, that he may have subsistence for himself, and for his servants and subjects.
Haydock -> Ecc 5:9
Haydock: Ecc 5:9 - -- Money. Avarice is like a dropsy, (Calmet) or poison, infecting all the person. (Sallust.) ---
The miser is the slave, and not the possessor, of hi...
Money. Avarice is like a dropsy, (Calmet) or poison, infecting all the person. (Sallust.) ---
The miser is the slave, and not the possessor, of his riches, (St. Chrysostom) like Tantalus, who could not drink, though in the midst of waters. (Horace, i. Sat. 1.) ---
Nescis quo valeat nummus, quem prזbeat usum.
Gill -> Ecc 5:9
Gill: Ecc 5:9 - -- Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all,.... Or, "the excellency of the earth in" or "above all things is this" y; that God most high rules over...
Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all,.... Or, "the excellency of the earth in" or "above all things is this" y; that God most high rules over all the earth, and is higher than the kings of it, and all oppressors in it; or in all respects there is a preference, a superior excellency in the country as opposed to the city, especially in this, that there are not so many tumults, riots, and oppressions there; though this is mostly understood of the preference and superior excellency of agriculture, or tillage of the earth. So the Targum,
"the excellency of the praise of tilling the earth is above all things:''
and to the same purpose Jarchi and Aben Ezra; and the profit arising from it is enjoyed by all; it is for all, even the beasts of the field have grass from hence, as well as man has bread corn, and all other necessaries;
the king himself is served by the field; his table is served with bread corn, and flesh, and wine, and fruits of various sorts, the produce of the earth, which spring from it, or are nourished by it; were it not for husbandry the king himself and his family could not subsist; and therefore it becomes kings to encourage it, and not oppress those who are employed in it: or "the king is a servant to the field" z; some kings have addicted themselves to husbandry, and been great lovers of it, as Uzziah was, 2Ch 26:10; and some of the Chinese emperors, as their histories a show; and the kings of Persia b: Vulcan, in the shield of Achilles, represented the reapers, gatherers, and binders of sheaves at work in the field, and a king standing among the sheaves with a sceptre in his hand, looking on with great pleasure, while a dinner is prepared by his orders for the workmen c; many of the Roman generals, and high officers, were called from the plough, particularly Cincinnatus d; and these encouraged husbandry in their subjects, as well as took care of their own farms. There is another sense of the words given, besides many more;
"and the most excellent Lord of the earth (that is, the most high God) is the King of every field that is tilled; (that is, the King of the whole habitable world;) or the King Messiah, Lord of his field, the church, and who is the most eminent in all the earth e.''
The Midrash interprets it of the holy blessed God.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes: Ecc 5:9 The syntax and exegesis of the line is difficult. There are three basic interpretive options: (1) the king takes care of the security of the cultivate...
Geneva Bible -> Ecc 5:9
Geneva Bible: Ecc 5:9 Moreover the ( g ) profit of the earth is for all: the king ( h ) [himself] is served by the field.
( g ) The earth is to be preferred above all thin...

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Ecc 5:1-20
TSK Synopsis: Ecc 5:1-20 - --1 Vanities in divine service;8 in murmuring against oppression;9 and in riches.18 Joy in riches is the gift of God.
Maclaren -> Ecc 5:2-13
Maclaren: Ecc 5:2-13 - --Lessons For Worship And For Work
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools : ...
MHCC -> Ecc 5:9-17
MHCC: Ecc 5:9-17 - --The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor sha...
Matthew Henry -> Ecc 5:9-17
Matthew Henry: Ecc 5:9-17 - -- Solomon had shown the vanity of pleasure, gaiety, and fine works, of honour, power, and royal dignity; and there is many a covetous worldling that w...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Ecc 5:9
Keil-Delitzsch: Ecc 5:9 - --
The author, on the other hand, now praises the patriarchal form of government based on agriculture, whose king takes pride, not in bloody conquests ...
Constable: Ecc 2:18--6:10 - --B. General Observations 2:18-6:9
Thus far Solomon had reflected on the futility of all human endeavor ge...

Constable: Ecc 5:1--6:10 - --4. The perishable fruits of labor 5:1-6:9
This section emphasizes the folly of trying to find ul...
