Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 8:5
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
5. Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing ] The words are once again ambiguous. If the “commandment” is that of the king, they enjoin unhesitating servile obedience as in the interpretation (3) of Ecc 8:3. If, according to the all but invariable use of the word in the O. T., we take it as the “commandment” of God, the meaning is in harmony with the interpretation (4) of the previous precept, and parallel with the French motto, “ Fais ton devoir, avienne que pourra ” (“Do thy duty, come what may”). Here again, it seems natural to assume an intentional ambiguity. A like doubt hangs over the words “shall feel (literally know) no evil thing” which may mean either “shall be anxious about no moral evil,” or more probably “shall suffer no physical evil as the penalty of moral.” Can we not imagine the writer here also with a grave irony, uttering his Delphic oracles, and leaving men to choose their interpretation, according as their character was servile or noble, moved by “the fear of the Lord,” or only by the fear of men?
a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment ] The “heart” as, for the most part, elsewhere in the Old Testament, includes the intellectual as well as the moral element in man’s nature. In the word “time” we have, as in ch. Ecc 3:1, the or “season” on which Greek sages laid so great a stress. What is meant is that the wise man, understanding the true meaning of the previous maxim, will not be impatient under oppression, but will bide his time, and wait in patience for the working of the Divine Law of retribution. This meaning is, however, as before, partially veiled, and the sentence might seem to imply that he should let his action depend on opportunities and be a time-server in the bad sense.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Feel – literally, know. The meaning is, He who obeys the commandment (i. e., the word of the king, Ecc 8:4), will not be an accomplice in any act of rebellion; and if he be a wise man he discerns (literally knows) that the kings commandment or action is liable to correction, if it be wrong, in Gods time and by Gods judgment. Compare Ecc 3:11, Ecc 3:17.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Ecc 8:5
A wise mans heart disoerneth both time and judgment.
A watchnight meditation
Of all seasons of the year the present one inclines us most to thought. If, when the old year is dying, or when the new is being born, men will not think, it is very doubtful if they will ever think at all.
I. A man who is not utterly unwise will see that this is a time for review. It is said of the Emperor Titus that he used to review each day as it drew to its close, and if he could not recall anything which he had done for the good of others he set it down in his note-book that he had lost a day. It was not a bad rule for a heathen king, but hardly good enough for a Christian man. And yet some of us who live in the mid-day of the Gospel do not aim so high, with the poor result that we hit something very much lower than the mark set before us. We come short of the glory of doing the Divine will. It is bad enough to lose one day, but how about losing three hundred and sixty-five? Yes, unless it has been lived in God, consciously in Him and for Him, we may set it down as lost. Let us all find opportunity for a quiet, earnest talk with the hours of the year that has gone. Look well at the old before you greet the new. It will make the new all the better, and when in its turn it becomes old the task of reviewing it will not be so unpleasant.
II. A man of wisdom will see that this is an appropriate time for reconciliations. Has there been a little rift in friendships lute? Now is a good time for mending the instrument and bringing back the harmony, music for the King of kings. Take the tide of good feeling at the flood, and be reconciled to those whom for a while thou mayest have been alienated. When death, the great reconciler, has come, it is never our tenderness we repent of, but our severity. Let us see to it that we enter the new year at peace with God. He is reconciled in Christ to us. Why should we stand out?
III. The wise man who observeth time and judgment will hear a voice at this particular time appealing to his generosity. Yea, there is more than one voice speaking to us on this behalf. There is the very voice of poverty itself speaking in plaintive tones to those who have the sympathetic ear. There is the voice of our own joys and comforts reminding us of the distress of those who are devoid of these things.
IV. This is a time for consecration. To consecrate ourselves to God is to recognize the supreme fact of our existence and to act upon it. This is the time of all times for consecration, while the goodness of God is passing before us. As the mercies of the year marshal past us in grand and swift review let us listen to their pleading and present ourselves to God. (T. Jackson.)
The wise mans improvement of time
I. The Christians spiritual discernment of time.
1. The wise man marks with a discerning eye the successive developments which time has made of Gods gracious purposes towards our guilty race.
2. The man who is spiritually wise, and divinely taught, solemnly ponders the devastations of time. And how fearful have been his ravages! He has overturned the mightiest empires, sapped the loftiest towers, and laid low the proudest cities. But above all, time has with irresistible flood swept away in succession the countless millions of our race. Tamerlane the Tartar reared a vast pyramid, formed of the skulls of those victims whom he had slain in battle; but death wages a more fatal contest over a wider field; and for us there is no discharge from that war. Diseases in all their sad variety are his ministers; and were a pyramid to be erected by him of human bones, it would pierce the clouds of heaven.
3. The Christian marks and ponders the shortness of time. What are six, or ten, or a hundred thousand years? They are but units in eternitys countless reckoning; they are but drops in eternitys unfathomable and shoreless ocean. But when we reckon time by the period of mans life, the days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength in some they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for we are soon cut off, and we flee away. Life is truly like the bridge which the moralist describes; a mighty multitude presses to cross it, but it is filled with openings through which the passengers are continually dropping into a dark and rapid river beneath, and but a few are left; and as these approach the other side they, too, fall through and perish. The Christian, knowing the time, learns to die daily; he cherishes more and more of the pilgrim spirit, and in all his plans and prospects he acts continually under the practical influence of the apostles appeal (Jam 4:13-15). Ye merchants and busy tradesmen, I ask, is it thus in your case? Is such wise discernment of the shortness of time yours?
4. The wise mans heart also discerneth the swiftness of time. And thus it is that human life is compared to a tale that is told, to the weavers shuttle flying rapidly across the web.
5. Finally, the Christian discerns that time is a precious talent for which he must give an account.
II. The lessons and duties suggested by the year that is past, and that which has now begun.
1. In a public and national sense this has been a truly memorable year.
2. The past year is memorable in the review of it, in your history as families.
3. How solemn and affecting to you as a congregation is the review of the past year!
III. In reference to the year on which we have now entered, what important duties devolve upon us!
1. Let us never forget that as we live in a world of change, it becomes us to expect changes and trials, and to calculate upon the probability of being called away by death, ere the year has closed.
2. Let the disciples of the Lord Jesus remember their solemn responsibility to live for the glory of God.
3. Finally, let us unite our prayers with those of the people of God of every name who are met at this season to supplicate, with one accord, the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the Church and the world. (John Weir.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. Both time and judgment.] It is a matter of great importance to be able to discern WHEN and HOW both to speak and act; but when time and manner are both determined, the matter comes next. WHAT shall I speak? WHAT shall I do? When, how, and what, answer to time, manner, and matter. To discern all these, and act suitably, is a lesson for a philosopher, and a study for a Christian.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The commandment; either,
1. Of the king, of which he hath hitherto spoken. Or,
2. Of God; for the word, or commandments, or law are oft used emphatically for the word, law, or command of God, as hath been formerly and frequently observed, and the commandment is put for the commandments, as is very usual. And so Solomon passeth from his former to a new subject.
Shall feel no evil thing; shall be delivered from those mischiefs which befall the disobedient.
Both time and judgment; both when, and how far, and in what manner he may or must keep the commands of the king or God. For the word here rendered judgment doth signify right, as Deu 21:17, as also a cause or controversy, as Num 27:5, and the manner or rule of actions, as Jdg 13:12. The sense is, A wise man knows both what he ought to do, and what are the fittest seasons for doing it, which he seeketh and embraceth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. feelexperience.
timethe neglect of theright “times” causes much of the sinful folly of thespiritually unwise (Ec3:1-11).
judgmentthe rightmanner [HOLDEN]. But asGod’s future “judgment” is connected with the “timefor every purpose” in Ec 3:17,so it is here. The punishment of persisting sinners (Ec8:3) suggests it. The wise man realizes the fact, that as thereis a fit “time” for every purpose, so for the “judgment.”This thought cheers him in adversity (Ecc 7:14;Ecc 8:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing,…. Either the commandment of an earthly king, which should be kept, when agreeably to the laws of the nation, and not inconsistent with the commands of God; and such as do observe it “know no evil” a, as it may be rendered, or no sorrow; they live peaceably and quietly, and enjoy the favour and protection of the government under which they are, and have praise of men; see Ro 13:3; or the commandments of the heavenly King, the singular being put for the plural; so the Targum,
“whoso keepeth the commandments of the Lord shall know no evil in the world to come.”
Nor in this world neither; no evil befalls them; what may be thought to be so is for their good; though they know and are conscious of the evil of sin, and commit it, yet not willingly, and with love to it, and so as to make it the work of their lives; but lament it, repent of it, and forsake it, and do not feel the evil of punishment for it; yea, such enjoy much good; have much communion with God; large discoveries of his love; dwell in him, and shall at last dwell with him in the heavenly city; see Joh 14:21;
and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment; he knows not only what is his duty to do, both with respect to God and men, to a temporal prince or the King eternal; but he knows also the most fit and convenient time of doing it; and lays hold on every opportunity that offers, and which may be called “redeeming time”, Ga 6:10; and he knows the right manner in which it should be performed, with all the agreeable circumstances of it, which he carefully observes; or he knows the judgment that will be passed, or the punishment that will be inflicted on delinquents, either by God or men; and therefore is careful to keep the commandment, and avoid it: and especially he remembers there is a judgment to come, when everything will be brought to an account; and, though he does not know the precise day and hour, yet he knows there will be such a time; so some render it, “the time of judgment” b: the Targum is,
“and the time of prayer, and of judgment, and of truth, is known by the heart of the wise.”
a “non cognoscet”, Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus, Rambachius, Cocceius. b , Sept. so some in Drusius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“Whoso remaineth true to the commandment will experience nothing evil; and the heart of the wise man will know a time and judicial decision.” That by is here to be understood not the commandment of God, at least not immediately, as at Pro 19:16 (Ewald), but that of the king, and generally an injunction and appointment of the superior authority, is seen from the context, which treats not of God, but of the ruler over a state. Knobel and others explain: He who observeth the commandment engageth not with an evil thing, and the wise mind knoweth time and right. But is never thus used (the author uses for this, ), and the same meaning is to be supposed for the repeated : it means to arrive at the knowledge of; in the first instance: to suffer, Eze 25:14; cf. Isa 9:8; Hos 9:7; in the second, to experience, Jos 24:31; Psa 16:11. It may also, indeed, be translated after Ecc 9:12: a wise heart knoweth time and judgment, viz., that they will not fail; but why should we not render both times fut., since nothing stands in the way? We do not translate: a wise heart, a wise mind (Knobel), although this is possible, 1Ki 3:12 (cf. Psa 90:12), but: the heart of a wise man, which is made more natural by Ecc 10:2, Pro 16:23. The heart of a wise man, which is not hurried forward by dynastic oppression to a selfish forgetfulness of duty, but in quietness and hope (Lam 3:26) awaits the interposition of God, will come to the knowledge that there is an eth, a time, when oppression has an end, and a mishpat , when it suffers punishment. Well adapted to the sense in which eth is here used is the remark of Elia Levita in his Tishbi, that corresponds to the German Zeit and the Romanic tempo , but to the German Ziel and the Romanic termino . The lxx translates ; and, inf act, is a hendiadys, which, however, consists in the division of one conception into two. The heart of the wise man remaining true to duty will come to learn that there is a terminus and judicial decision, for everything has an end when it falls under the fate for which it is ripe, especially the sinner.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
5. Keepeth the commandment An obedient subject will seldom be harmed, for even a tyrant needs such subjects.
Time and judgment Better, time of judgment. The wise man will reckon that a day of change, and even of retribution, must come.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ecc 8:5. Whoso keepeth the commandment He that observeth despotic commands, will not discern a wrong order; but the wise man’s heart will discern both time and reason: (Ecc 8:6.) For there is both time and reason to every determination of his will; because man’s evils are multiplied upon him (Ecc 8:7.) by his not knowing futurity; for who will shew him what turn things shall take? Desvoeux. By means of his translation, the opposition is exactly kept up, and every thing is plain. The reason given for advising to withdraw from your observation of the king’s countenance, as soon as you perceive that he is about to give an evil word, or wrong order, is proper; he will do whatsoever he pleaseth; and you cannot expect that he should allow you the liberty of controlling his absolute commands, especially when he is in a passion. The opposition is, between him who prostitutes his discernment to passive obedience, and him who, through a proper use of his reason, deserves the name of a wise man.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Ecc 8:5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
Ver. 5. Whoso keepeth the commandment, ] scil., The king’s commandment. He that is compliant, and goes as far as he can with a good conscience in his obedience to the commands of his superiors, “shall feel no evil,” i.e., he shall lack no good encouragement. Rom 13:3-4 Or if men slight him, God will see to him, Eph 6:7-8 as he did to the poor Israelites in Egypt, and to David under Saul. Mordecai lost nothing at length by his love and loyalty to God and the king. Sir Ralph Percy, slain upon Hedgely Moor, in Northumberland, by the Lord Montacute, general for Edward IV, would noways depart the field, though defeated, but in dying, said, I have saved the bird in my breast, meaning his oath to King Henry VI, for whom he fought. a
And a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment,] scil., When and how to obey kings’ commands, the time, the means, and manner thereof, despatching them without offence to God or man. And this “a wise man’s heart discerneth,” saith the Preacher; it being the opinion of the Hebrews that in the heart especially the soul did keep her court, and exercise her noble operations of the understanding, invention, judgment, &c. Aristotle saith, Sine calore cordis anima in corpore nihil efficit, Without the heat of the heart, the soul does nothing in the body. The Scripture also makes the heart the monarch of this Isle of Man.
a Speed, 869.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Ecc 8:5-9
5He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him. 7If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8No 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. 9All 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.
Ecc 8:5 royal command This is a Persian word (BDB 846) used in reference to an order of the king (or of God, cf. Ecc 12:13).
NASBexperiences no trouble
NKJVwill experience nothing harmful
NRSVwill meet no harm
TEVyou are safe
NJBwill come to no harm
For the word’s wide semantic range, see Ecc 8:3, where it is translated evil matter. Could this refer to the righteous obeying God’s laws? Notice the term procedure (in Ecc 8:5-6), means judgment (BDB 1048).
Ecc 8:6 proper time This is reminiscent of chapter 3 (i.e., God’s timing).
procedure This literally means judgment (BDB 1048).
when a man’s trouble is heavy upon him Trouble here literally means evil (see note at Ecc 8:3). The LXX has knowledge instead of trouble. Life is hard and unpredictable, even for the wise, god-fearing person.
Ecc 8:7 This mystery of life (humans do not know why, when, or how problems/joys come) is a recurrent theme (cf. Ecc 3:22; Ecc 6:12; Ecc 9:12; Ecc 10:14). Human wisdom cannot find the answer to this mystery, so:
1. enjoy life when you can (cf. Ecc 9:11)
2. trust (i.e., fear) in God (cf. Ecc 9:12-13)
3. obey God (cf. Ecc 8:5; Ecc 12:13)
This is all we can do (from the sage’s OT perspective [cf. Ecc 6:12]). Thank God there is a New Testament!
Ecc 8:8 the wind The LXX, KJV, NRSV, and REV have spirit, which is an attempt to balance the next phrase (authority over the day of death). Humans often cannot affect or change the events of their lives! Surely evil will not help (cf. Ecc 8:13)!
The term given to it reflects a direct object from the word Ba’al (BDB 127), which means lord it over or rule. Wickedness is personified as an ineffective taskmaster!
Ecc 8:9 under the sun This recurrent phrase is the key to my interpretation of the book. See note at Ecc 1:3.
a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt This is a general summation of the human situation. The dominance (cf. Gen 1:28) given to humanity in creation has been abused! In Ecclesiastes this usually refers to governmental oppression (cf. Ecc 4:1; Ecc 5:8; Ecc 7:7).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
feel = know.
evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra’a’.
time and judgment = a time, yea, a judgment time. Figure of speech Hendiadys. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
keepeth: Ecc 8:2, Exo 1:17, Exo 1:20, Exo 1:21, Psa 119:6, Hos 5:11, Luk 20:25, Act 4:19, Act 5:29, Rom 13:5-7, 1Pe 3:13, 1Pe 3:14
feel: Heb. know
a wise: Ecc 2:14, Ecc 10:2, 1Ch 12:32, Pro 17:24, Luk 12:56, Luk 12:57, 1Co 2:14, 1Co 2:15, Phi 1:9, Phi 1:10, Col 1:9, Heb 5:14
Reciprocal: Pro 13:23 – destroyed Pro 19:16 – keepeth the Ecc 3:1 – every thing Ecc 9:12 – man 1Co 11:29 – not Jam 3:13 – is a 1Jo 2:5 – whoso
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ecc 8:5. Whoso keepeth the commandment Solomon here passes to a new subject; shall feel no evil thing Shall be delivered from those mischiefs which befall the disobedient. A wise mans heart discerneth, &c. Both when, and in what manner, he must keep the commands of God.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:5 He who keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both {e} time and judgment.
(e) That is, when time is to obey, and how far he should obey.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The wise person also knows when and how to speak and act (Ecc 8:5). Often people suffer harm as a result of not knowing what will happen and when (Ecc 8:6-7). Consequently, they misdirect their words and deeds.