Ecclésiaste 10:8 BDS

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:8

Ecclesiastes 10:8. And whoso breaketh an hedge— And whoso forceth his way through a hedge. See the Observations, p. 217. To shew that such a choice as that mentioned in the 7th verse is not only an evil, but likewise a great folly, our author observes, first, that the inconveniences arising from it do not affect the people only, which might be a consideration of little weight with a selfish despotic monarch; but that they reach the prince himself. This he proves by four proverbial sentences, in... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:8

8. The fatal results to kings of such an unwise policy; the wrong done to others recoils on themselves (Ecclesiastes 8:9); they fall into the pit which they dug for others (Esther 7:10; Psalms 7:15; Proverbs 26:27). Breaking through the wise fences of their throne, they suffer unexpectedly themselves; as when one is stung by a serpent lurking in the stones of his neighbor's garden wall (Proverbs 26:27- :), which he maliciously pulls down (Proverbs 26:27- :). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ecclesiastes 10:8-11

Improper timing can also nullify wisdom. Four different situations illustrate the fact that though wisdom is valuable in a variety of everyday tasks (Ecclesiastes 10:8-10), one can lose its advantage if the timing is not right (Ecclesiastes 10:11)."The sum of these four clauses [in Ecclesiastes 10:8-9] is certainly not merely that he who undertakes a dangerous matter exposes himself to danger; the author means to say, in this series of proverbs which treat of the distinction between wisdom and... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

Practical Advice Touching Life’s Puzzles1-8. Cultivate wisdom and tact, specially in the dangers that attend upon courts, but also in ordinary operations.1. Dead flies, etc.] This v. really belongs to the end of Ecclesiastes 9. As a few of the poisonous flies abounding in hot countries would render valueless a whole jar of perfume, so a man by a slight admixture of error may render nugatory much of his own skilful or upright conduct.2. At his right hand.. left] A wise man’s mind directs him to... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Ecclesiastes 10:8

(8) Commentators cannot be said to have been very successful in their attempts to trace a connection between the proverbs of this chapter. Perhaps nothing better can be said than that the common theme of these proverbs is the advantage of wisdom, and here in particular of caution in great enterprises. It is forcing the connection to imagine that the enterprise from which the writer seeks to dissuade, is that of rebellion against the ruler whose error is condemned (Ecclesiastes 10:5).Diggeth a... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

Fences and Serpents Ecclesiastes 10:8 Any attempt to transgress the laws of life which God has enjoined is sure to bring out the hissing snake with its poison. I. All life is given us rigidly walled up. The walls are blessings, like the parapet on a mountain road, that keeps the traveller from toppling over the face of the cliff. II. Every attempt to break down these limitations brings poison into the life. Some serpents' bites inflame, some paralyse; and either an inflamed or a palsied... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

Nor in Devotion to Affairs and its Rewards. Ecclesiastes 9:13-18; Ecclesiastes 10:1-20So far, then, Coheleth has been occupied in retracing the argument of the first Section of the Book. Now he returns upon the second and third Sections: he deals with the man who plunges into public affairs, who turns his wisdom to practical account and seeks to attain a competence, if not a fortune. He lingers over this stage of his argument, probably because the Jews, then as always, even in exile and under... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

CHAPTER 10 This chapter contains a series of proverbs, expressing the wisdom and prudence of the natural man. Here are a number of observations and all show that there is a practical value in wisdom and that it has certain advantages. These maxims are of a different kind than the proverbs in the preceding book. There we are face to face with the wisdom which is from above, here it is the wisdom of man. The name of the Lord is not mentioned once, Similar philosophic utterances can be traced in... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

United Proverbs Ecclesiastes 10:0 In this graphic chapter we have a number of extraordinary sayings, which some commentators have fruitlessly attempted to shape into unity. Bishop Ellicott says: "Commentators cannot be said to have been very successful in their attempts to trace a connection between the proverbs of this chapter. Perhaps nothing better can be said than that the common theme of these proverbs is the advantage of wisdom. It is forcing the connection to imagine that the enterprise... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:8-15

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an 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. (12) The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow... read more