Ecclesiastes 10:9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:4-11

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:9

Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith ,.... That carries them from the quarry, where they are dug; or takes them from a heap, where they lie; or that attempts to pull them out of a building, where they are put; or removes them from places, where they are set as boundaries and landmarks; all which is troublesome, and by which men get hurt; the stones fall upon them, or are too heavy for them, or they do what they should not do, and so bring themselves into trouble; as do all such... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:9

Whoso removeth stones - This verse teaches care and caution. Whoever pulls down an old building is likely to be hurt by the stones; and in cleaving wood many accidents occur for want of sufficient caution. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:8-11

Section 13. Various proverbs expressing the benefit of prudence and caution, and the danger of folly . The connection with what has preceded is not closely marked, but is probably to be found in the bearing of the maxims on the conduct of the wise man who has incurred the resentment of a ruler, and might be inclined to disaffection and revolt. They are intentionally obscure and capable of a double sense—a necessary precaution if the writer lived under Persian despots. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:9

Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith . It is natural to consider this clause as suggested by the breaking of a wall in the preceding verse; but as this would occasion a jejune repetition, it is better to take it of the work of the quarryman, as in 1 Kings 5:17 , where the same verb is used. The dangers to which such laborers are exposed are well known. Here, again, but unsuccessfully, some have seen a reference to the removal of landmarks, comparing 2 Kings 4:4 , where the word... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:8-10

The figures seem to be taken from the work of building up and pulling down houses. In their general application, they recommend the man who would act wisely to be cautious when taking any step in life which involves risk.Ecclesiastes 10:8Breaketh an hedge - Rather: “breaks through a wall.”Serpent - The habit of snakes is to nestle in a chink of a wall, or among stones (compare Amos 5:19).Ecclesiastes 10:9Be endangered - Rather: “cut himself.” read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 10:8-9

Ecclesiastes 10:8-9. He that diggeth a pit, &c. The meaning of these verses, which may be considered as common proverbs, is, that those who are seeking and striving to injure others, often bring mischiefs thereby on their own heads; as he that digs a pit for another may, unawares, fall into it himself; and he who, in those hot countries, was pulling up a hedge, was in danger of being bit by a serpent lurking in it; and he that removes stones to undermine his neighbour’s house, may... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

Thoughts on wisdom and folly (9:13-10:20)A simple story illustrates how a person may be wise and humble, but the good he does is not appreciated by those who benefit from it. Riches, status and a show of power are the things people admire. If a person lacks these, he is ignored or despised, even though his quiet words of wisdom may save a city from destruction (13-18).One foolish act can spoil a lot of good. Stupidity leads to wrongdoing and marks a person out as a fool in the eyes of everyone... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:9

"Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby."These truisms have the simple meaning that certain tasks carry with them an element of risk and danger. "If you work in a stone quarry, you get hurt by stones; if you split wood, you get hurt doing it."[7] The spiritual application of this is that if one is engaged in any kind of an enterprise or activity that is designed to defraud or damage other people, it will most certainly be the same thing... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:9

9. removeth stones—namely, of an ancient building [WEISS]. His neighbor's landmarks [HOLDEN]. Cuts out from the quarry [MAURER]. endangered—by the splinters, or by the head of the hatchet, flying back on himself. Pithy aphorisms are common in the East. The sense is: Violations of true wisdom recoil on the perpetrators. read more

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