Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offenses.
4. If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee ] To the picture of the boastful self-assertion of the fool is appended as a contrast, that of the self-effacement of the wise. The scene brought before us is that of a statesman, or minister, whose advice runs counter to that of the ruler. The “spirit,” what we should call the “temper,” of the latter “rises up” against the former. What shall the adviser do? His natural impulse is to “leave his place,” i. e. either to cut short his interview, or, resign his office. He won’t be slighted, will not put up with contradiction. That, however, is precisely what the wise of heart will not do. Yielding, i. e. the temper of conciliation (the Hebrew noun is literally the healing, or the healthy, mood of mind) puts to rest, or puts a stop to, great offences. The history of all nations, our own included, presents manifold instances of both modes of action, sometimes, as in the case of Chatham’s behaviour to George III., in the same statesman at different times, sometimes in the attitude of rival statesmen towards the same sovereign. Interpreters after their manner, seeing either the golden or the silver side of the shields, have referred the last words either to the angry acts of the ruler, or to the sins of rebellion in the minister. It can scarcely be questioned, however, that the proverb includes both. The maxim has its parallel in our English proverb, “Least said is soonest mended.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
If the spirit … – i. e., If he is angry.
Leave not thy place – i. e., Do not lose thy self-control and quit his presence. Gentleness on thy part will calm both thyself and him, and prevent great wrongs being committed by either.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee] If the king get incensed against thee.
Leave not thy place] Humble thyself before him, that is thy place and duty; for yielding to him, and not standing stoutly in thy defence, pacifieth great offenses: and then, when his anger is appeased, he will hear any thing in thy justification, if thou have any thing to offer. This is good advice to a child in reference to his parents, and to an inferior of any kind in reference to his superiors.
Several of the fathers understood this differently, If the spirit of the ruler – the influence of Satan – hath risen up against and prevailed over thee, to bring thee into some sin; leave not thy place – do not despair of God’s mercy; humble thyself before him, and seek pardon through the Son of his love, and this will be marpe, a remedy or cure even for chataim gedolim, great errors or sins. All this is true in itself, whether found in this text or not.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The spirit; the passion or wrath, as is manifest from the following words, which is oft called spirit, as Jdg 8:3; 2Ch 21:16; Pro 25:28; Ecc 7:9.
Leave not thy place, to wit, in anger or discontent. Withdraw not thyself rashly and hastily from his presence and service, according to the advice, Ecc 8:3. Continue in a diligent and faithful discharge of thy duty, as becomes a subject; do not return anger for anger, but modestly and humbly submit thyself to him.
Yielding, Heb. healing; a gentle and submissive carriage, which is of a healing nature; whereas pride and passion do exasperate and widen the breach already made. Pacifieth, Heb. maketh them to rest or cease; preventeth or removeth them.
Great offences, Heb. great sins; either,
1. Such sins as the offended ruler might commit in the prosecution of his wrath against thee. Or rather,
2. Such as possibly thou hast committed against him, for which he is incensed against thee; or the greatest offences or injuries that one man commits against another, and much more those slight miscarriages of thine towards the ruler. Let not therefore a false opinion concerning his unreconcilableness to thee make thee desperate, and draw thee into rebellion.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. spiritanger.
yielding pacifieth (Pr15:1). This explains “leave not thy place”; do not in aresisting spirit withdraw from thy post of duty (Ec8:3).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee,…. The wrath of the civil magistrate, the chief ruler of the land, the sovereign prince or king, to whom men are and should be subject: if his wrath on any occasion breaks out in a furious manner, and, like a storm and tempest, is very blustering and threatening:
leave not thy place; at court; thine office under the prince, do not throw it up in a passion, and quit his service upon it; and much less forget thy duty and allegiance to him, and go into disloyalty and rebellion; see Ec 8:3;
for yielding pacifieth great offences; bearing his anger patiently, submitting to his displeasure quietly, making no returns, or at least giving soft answers, and behaving in a modest and humble manner; in time his wrath will subside, and he will be pacified, and forgive the offences committed; or be convinced that there were none, or however not so great as to require such resentment; see Pr 15:1. The Targum is,
“if a spirit of evil concupiscence rules over thee; thy good place, in which thou wert used to stand, leave not:”
some understand this of a man’s having a spirit of rule and government coming upon him, or of his being advanced to power and authority, that then he should not forget the low estate in which he had been. Jarchi interprets it of the spirit of the governor of the world, strictly inquiring into the actions of men; and healing their sins by chastisements, which cause them to leave them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This verse shows what is the wise conduct of a subject, and particularly of a servant, when the anger of the ruler breaks forth: “If the ill-humour of the ruler rise up against thee, do not leave thy post; for patience leaves out great sins.” Luther connects Ecc 10:4 and Ecc 10:3 by “therefore;” for by the potentate he understands such an one as, himself a fool, holds all who contradict him to be fools: then it is best to let his folly rage on. But the is a different person from the ; and does not mean, “let not yourself get into a passion,” or, as he more accurately explains in the Annotationes: “remain self-possessed” (similarly Hitzig: lose not thy mental state of composure), but, in conformity with … , Ecc 8:3, “forsake not the post (synon. and , Isa 22:19, cf. 23) which thou hast received.” The person addressed is thus represented not merely as a subject, but officially as a subordinate officer: if the ruler’s displeasure ( , as at Jdg 8:3; Pro 29:11) rises up against him ( , as elsewhere; cf. , Psa 73:21; or , 2Sa 11:20), he ought not, in the consciousness that he does not merit his displeasure, hastily give up his situation which has been entrusted to him and renounce submission; for patience, gentleness (regarding , vid., Pro 12:18) ‘ … ‘ .
This concluding clause of the verse is usually translated: “It appeaseth (pacifieth) great sins” (lxx , Symm. ). The phrase ( ) is not to be compared, for it signifies quieting by an exhausting outbreak; on the contrary, in the passage before us must signify quieting, as the preventing of an outbreak (cf. Pro 15:1). It appears more correct to render in both cases in the sense of , missum facere : to leave great sins is = not to commit them, to give up the lust thereto; for hinniahh signifies to let go, to leave off, e.g., Jer 14:9; and to indulge, Est 3:8, here as at Ecc 7:18; Ecc 11:6, “to keep the hands from something.” The great sins cannot certainly be thought of as those of the ruler; for on his part only one comes into view, if indeed, according to the old legal conception, it could be called such, viz., cruel proceeding with reference to him who wilfully withdraws from him, and thus proves his opposition; much rather we are to think of the great sins into which he who is the object of the ruler’s displeasure might fall, viz., treason (Ecc 8:2), insubordination, self-destruction, and at the same time, since he does not stand alone, or make common cause with others who are discontented, the drawing of others into inevitable ruin ( Ecc 8:3). All these sins, into which he falls who answers wrath with wrath, patience avoids, and puts a check to them. The king’s anger is perhaps justified; the admonition, however, would be otherwise expressed than by ‘l-tnch mq’, if it were not presupposed that it was not justified; and thus without meta’basis eis a’llo ge’nos an I-section follows the reflection regarding wise deportment as over against the king’s displeasure, a section which describes from experience and from personal observation the world turned upside down in the state.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Mutual Duties of Princes and Subjects. | |
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
The scope of these verses is to keep subjects loyal and dutiful to the government. In Solomon’s reign the people were very rich, and lived in prosperity, which perhaps made them proud and petulant, and when the taxes were high, though they had enough to pay them with, it is probable that many conducted themselves insolently towards the government and threatened to rebel. To such Solomon here gives some necessary cautions.
I. Let not subjects carry on a quarrel with their prince upon any private personal disgust (v. 4): “If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, if upon some misinformation given him, or some mismanagement of thine, he is displeased at thee, and threaten thee, yet leave not thy place, forget not the duty of a subject, revolt not from thy allegiance, do not, in a passion, quit thy post in his service and throw up thy commission, as despairing ever to regain his favour. No, wait awhile, and thou wilt find he is not implacable, but that yielding pacifies great offences.” Solomon speaks for himself, and for every wise and good man that is a master, or a magistrate, that he could easily forgive those, upon their submission, whom yet, upon their provocation, he had been very angry with. It is safer and better to yield to an angry prince than to contend with him.
II. Let not subjects commence a quarrel with their prince, though the public administration be not in every thing as they would have it. He grants there is an evil often seen under the sun, and it is a king’s-evil, an evil which the king only can cure, for it is an error which proceeds from the ruler (v. 5); it is a mistake which rulers, consulting their personal affections more than the public interests, are too often guilty of, that men are not preferred according to their merit, but folly is set in great dignity, men of shattered brains, and broken fortunes, are put in places of power and trust, while the rich men of good sense and good estates, whose interest would oblige them to be true to the public, and whose abundance would be likely to set them above temptations to bribery and extortion, yet sit in low places, and can get no preferment (v. 6), either the ruler knows not how to value them or the terms of preferment are such as they cannot in conscience comply with. It is ill with a people when vicious men are advanced and men of worth are kept under hatches. This is illustrated v. 7. “I have seen servants upon horses, men not so much of mean extraction and education (if that were all, it were the more excusable, nay, there is many a wise servant who with good reason has rule over a son that causes shame), but of sordid, servile, mercenary dispositions. I have seen these riding in pomp and state as princes, while princes, men of noble birth and qualities, fit to rule a kingdom, have been forced to walk as servants upon the earth, poor and despised.” Thus God, in his providence, punishes a wicked people; but, as far as it is the ruler’s act and deed, it is certainly his error, and a great evil, a grievance to the subject and very provoking; but it is an error under the sun, which will certainly be rectified above the sun, and when it shall shine no more, for in heaven it is only wisdom and holiness that are set in great dignity. But, if the prince be guilty of his error, yet let not the subjects leave their place, nor rise up against the government, nor form any project for the alteration of it; nor let the prince carry on the humour too far, nor set such servants, such beggars, on horseback, as will ride furiously over the ancient land-marks of the constitution, and threaten the subversion of it.
1. Let neither prince nor people violently attempt any changes, nor make a forcible entry upon a national settlement, for they will both find it of dangerous consequence, which he shows here by four similitudes, the scope of which is to give us a caution not to meddle to our own hurt. Let not princes invade the rights and liberties of their subjects; let not subjects mutiny and rebel against their princes; for, (1.) He that digs a pit for another, it is ten to one but he falls into it himself, and his violent dealing returns upon his own head. If princes become tyrants, or subjects become rebels, all histories will tell both what is likely to be their fate and that it is at their utmost peril, and it were better for both to be content within their own bounds. (2.) Whoso breaks a hedge, an old hedge, that has long been a land-mark, let him expect that a serpent, or adder, such as harbour in rotten hedges, will bite him; some viper or other will fasten upon his hand, Acts xxviii. 3. God, by his ordinance, as by a hedge, has inclosed the prerogatives and powers of princes; their persons are under his special protection; those therefore that form any treasonable designs against their peace, their crown, and dignity, are but twisting halters for themselves. (3.) Whoso removes stones, to pull down a wall or building, does but pluck them upon himself; he shall be hurt therewith, and will wish that he had let them alone. Those that go about to alter a well-modelled well-settled government, under colour of redressing some grievances and correcting some faults in it, will quickly perceive not only that it is easier to find fault than to mend, to demolish that which is good than to build up that which is better, but that they thrust their own fingers into the fire and overwhelm themselves in the ruin they occasion. (4.) He that cleaves the wood, especially if, as it follows, he has sorry tools (v. 10), shall be endangered thereby; the chips, or his own axe-head, will fly in his face. If we meet with knotty pieces of timber, and we think to master them by force and violence, and hew them to pieces, they may not only prove too hard for us, but the attempt may turn to our own damage.
2. Rather let both prince and people act towards each other with prudence, mildness, and good temper: Wisdom is profitable to direct the ruler how to manage a people that are inclined to be turbulent, so as neither, on the one hand, by a supine negligence to embolden and encourage them, nor, on the other hand, by rigour and severity to exasperate and provoke them to any seditious practices. It is likewise profitable to direct the subjects how to act towards a prince that is inclined to bear hard upon them, so as not to alienate his affections from them, but to win upon him by humble remonstrances (not insolent demands, such as the people made upon Rehoboam), by patient submissions and peaceable expedients. The same rule is to be observed in all relations, for the preserving of the comfort of them. Let wisdom direct to gentle methods and forbear violent ones. (1.) Wisdom will teach us to whet the tool we are to make use of, rather than, by leaving it blunt, oblige ourselves to exert so much the more strength, v. 10. We might save ourselves a great deal of labour, and prevent a great deal of danger, if we did whet before we cut, that is, consider and premeditate what is fit to be said and done in every difficult case, that we may accommodate ourselves to it and may do our work smoothly and easily both to others and to ourselves. Wisdom will direct how to sharpen and put an edge upon both ourselves and those we employ, not to work deceitfully (Ps. lii. 2), but to work cleanly and cleverly. The mower loses no time when he is whetting his scythe. (2.) Wisdom will teach us to enchant the serpent we are to contend with, rather than think to out-hiss it (v. 11): The serpent will bite if he be not by singing and music charmed and enchanted, against which therefore he stops his ears (Psa 58:4; Psa 58:5); and a babbler is no better to all those who enter the lists with him, who therefore must not think by dint of words to out-talk him, but be prudent management to enchant him. He that is lord of the tongue (so the phrase is), a ruler that has liberty of speech and may say what he will, it is as dangerous dealing with him as with a serpent uncharmed; but, if you use the enchantment of a mild and humble submission, you may be safe and out of danger; herein wisdom, the meekness of wisdom, is profitable to direct. By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, Prov. xxv. 15. Jacob enchanted Esau with a present and Abigail David. To those that may say any thing it is wisdom to say nothing that is provoking.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
RESPONSE TO FOLLY IN HIGH PLACES
Verse 4 urges self control, rather than anger and rebellion, if one in authority is unfair. Wisdom affirms that forbearance is the better course, Ecc 8:3; Pro 25:15; 1Sa 25:24.
Verses 5-7 explain the evil in view, in verse 4, by citing incidents Solomon had observed. He had seen fools elevated and the rich brought low; servants elevated to the privilege of riding upon horses (a great privilege in that day) and princes required to walk as servants. This he noted as an error that proceeded from the ruler, Vs 5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) We return now to the thought of Ecc. 8:3. For spirit in the sense of anger, see Jdg. 8:3.
Rise up.Psa. 78:21; 2Sa. 11:20.
Yielding.Literally, healing. (See Pro. 15:4.)
Pacifieth great offences.Rather, probably, quieteth great offences, that is to say, not so much puts an end to the offence felt by the ruler, as to the offences likely to be committed if he do not restrain himself.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Leave not thy place There is something painful in Koheleth’s repeated counsel of behaviour under oppressive rulers. He must have lived in troublous and tyrannical times. In the absence of an arm of vengeance raised upon the tyrant, meekness and deference will tend to pacify him, and prevent extreme outrages. Stay patiently in thy place, and not rush into fury and revolt.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Behaviour Connected With Superiors ( Ecc 10:4-7 ).
Ecc 10:4
‘If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, do not leave your place, for deference will compensate for great offences.’
The picture is that of a court with courtiers standing in their allotted place. To leave his place would be a sign of a man’s rebellion and resentment. So the point is that a king’s temporary anger is best dealt with by his showing deference, and remaining in his place. Then all will be quickly forgotten.
The lesson for us is that we should not too quickly take offence or react to someone else’s anger, especially if they hold a superior position. It can result in loss of job, or future unpleasantness, or loss of favour, and often over something quite unimportant. We could put it, ‘do not resign (or do anything else foolish) over a trifle, just because you are temporarily upset’.
Ecc 10:5
‘There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error that proceeds from a ruler.’
The warning here is that lack of oversight of one in charge can cause great damage. Someone with authority must take care that they carry out their responsibilities properly. Otherwise consequences can be serious. It illustrates also that we should be careful who we put in charge of something.
Ecc 10:6
‘Folly is set at great heights, and the rich sit in a low place.’
Those who make themselves out to be over-important reveal their stupidity, while those who would be rich are careful to show due deference and win favour by humility. They are then more likely to become ‘the rich’ and be invited to take a higher place (compare Luk 14:10).
Ecc 10:7
‘I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.’
The idea here is that some people do not know how to keep their proper place, while others are too great to worry about such details. It is only the unimportant person who has to act so as to ensure that he gets proper recognition. But the danger with such people is that they might try to set themselves higher than they should. The least they then do is make a fool of themselves. More embarrassingly they may be told to get down, or be punished for their arrogance. Servants are often more likely to insist on their proper position because position is important to them. The prince does not mind. His position is sure.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ecc 10:4. If the spirit of the ruler rise up If the anger of the ruler should be kindled against thee, do not resign thy place; for power kept in thy hands will make pacification for great offences. From the 17th verse of the preceding chapter to the present, we have the second instance. The excellency of wisdom is so well known, that, however fond the silly lovers of novelties maybe of hearing a war proclaimed, they will be still fonder of hearing the speeches of a wise man, when their pardons are cool. Wisdom is certainly preferable to the greatest exploits of the most famous warrior; yet no allowance is made for human frailties to excuse one who has so much got the better of them as to deserve the title of a wise man. A single fault of his is sufficient to spoil, in the opinion of mankind, all the good that he has done. They rank him among the fools, notwithstanding it is acknowledged on all hands, nay, declared in several proverbial sentences, that there is an essential difference between the wise and the fool: a difference which the fool betrays at every step he takes, and by his very gait; and which, therefore, ought not to be laid aside and disregarded upon a single instance of a man’s deviating from his right principles, Ecc 10:2-3. Here is annexed a caution (Ecc 10:4.) given to any wise man, if he should fall under the displeasure of his prince on account of those small errors which were just before likened to a dead fly falling into a box of precious perfumes. He must not, upon the first intimation of his master’s anger, give up his employments. Then he would become an inconsiderable man; whereas, whilst he is in possession of them, it may be for the prince’s own interest to make up matters with him, even though he was guilty of much greater faults than what he has really committed.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Ecc 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
Ver. 4. If the spirit of thy ruler rise up, &c., leave not thy place. ] Thine office, duty, and obedience; a metaphor from military matters. A soldier must not start from his station, but keep to the place assigned him by his captain; a so here,
“ Perdidit arma, locum virtutis descruit, &c. ” – Horat.
Others render it, “Do not persist in thy place,” do not stand to affront anger, but go aside a little out of sight, as Jonathan, when his father had thrown a javelin at him, went forth shooting. See Trapp on “ Ecc 8:3 “ See Trapp on “ Pro 15:1 “
For yielding pacifieth great offences.
a Ne audiat.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.
yielding, &c. = gentleness preventeth greater outrages.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Ecc 10:4
Ecc 10:4
“If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.”
Deane believed that this referred to some situation in which a person appointed to some place of service to the ruler (king) should not hastily resign because of some displeasure that might be manifested by the king. We might paraphrase it by saying, “Don’t run when accused, they might think you are guilty”!
Ecc 10:4 The figure of a ruler rising against the wise is revived. When this happens, one should not move from his place or position, for truth does not change. (Cf. COMMENT Ecc 8:3) If one moves from his position of wisdom, his only alternative is to follow the behavior of the fool. Thus, the verse admonishes one to remain consistent in following the greatest of all qualities-wisdom! Such composure practiced by the wise will smother in the birth great offenses. Study Pro 10:12; Pro 15:1; Pro 25:15; Jas 5:6-10. Examples from Old Testament history are found in Jacob overcoming Esau (Genesis 32-33) and David who triumphed over Saul (1 Samuel 26).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
leave: Ecc 8:3
for: 1Sa 25:24-44, Pro 25:15
Reciprocal: Gen 16:6 – fled Gen 16:8 – whence Gen 16:9 – submit Gen 32:4 – servant Gen 33:3 – bowed 2Sa 19:19 – And said 1Ki 12:7 – speak good Est 4:8 – to make supplication Pro 15:18 – he Pro 16:14 – but Pro 20:2 – fear Dan 2:7 – Let Zec 6:8 – quieted Act 12:20 – but Rom 13:3 – rulers 1Co 13:4 – vaunteth not itself Tit 3:1 – to be subject
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ecc 10:4. If the spirit of a ruler His passion or wrath; rise up against thee Upon some misinformation given him, or mismanagement of thine; leave not thy place In anger or discontent. Withdraw not thyself rashly and hastily from his presence and service: see on Ecc 8:3. Continue in a diligent and faithful discharge of thy duty, as becomes a subject, and modestly and humbly submit to him. For yielding pacifieth, &c. Hebrew , healing maketh to cease great sins: that is, a submissive, meek deportment, which is of a healing nature, appeaseth wrath conceived for great offences.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10:4 If the {c} spirit of the ruler riseth against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
(c) If your superior is angry with you, be discrete and not moved.