Ecclesiastes 9:17-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:13-18

Solomon still recommends wisdom to us as necessary to the preserving of our peace and the perfecting of our business, notwithstanding the vanities and crosses which human affairs are subject to. He had said (Eccl. 9:11), Bread is not always to the wise; yet he would not therefore be thought either to disparage, or to discourage, wisdom, no, he still retains his principle, that wisdom excels folly as much as light excels darkness (Eccl. 2:13), and we ought to love and embrace it, and be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:17

The words of wise men are heard in quiet ,.... That is, by some persons and at some times, though not by all persons and always; or they are to be heard, or should be heard, though they seldom be, even the words of wise men that are poor: these are to be heard quietly and patiently, without any tumult and contradiction; or should be heard, being delivered with a low and submissive voice, without any noise, or blustering pride, or passion, sedately and with great humility, submitting them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:18

Wisdom is better than weapons of war ,.... And does what they cannot do; of which the wisdom of the poor wise man is a full proof, which delivered the city from a potent prince, when weapons of war could not: see Ecclesiastes 7:10 ; but one sinner destroyeth much good : his own soul by his sins, and the souls of others by his counsels, example, and conversation, which corrupt good manners; so does one sinner in a family, neighbourhood, and town; as one poor wise man does much good,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 9:17

The words of wise men are heard in quiet - In the tumult of war the words of Archimedes were not heard; and his life was lost. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 9:18

Wisdom is better than weapons of war - So proved in the case of Archimedes. But one sinner - Such as the Roman butcher above mentioned. Destroyeth much good - Such as were the life and skill of the Syracusan mathematician. One sinner has often injured the work of God; one stumbling-block has sometimes destroyed a revival of religion. Sin acts like a ferment; whatever comes in contact with it, it assimilates to itself. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:17

The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools . This verse would be better translated, Words of the wise in quiet are heard better than the shout of a chief among fools . The Vulgate takes the tranquility to appertain to the hearers, thus: Verba sapientium audiuntur in silentio ; but, as Delitzsch points out, the contrast between "quiet" and "cry" shows that it is the man, and not his auditors, who is quiet. The sentence says that a wise... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:17-18

Section 10. Here follow some proverbial sayings concerning wisdom and its opposite, which draw the moral from the story in the text. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:18

Wisdom is better than weapons of war . Such is the moral which Koheleth desires to draw from the little narrative given above (see Ecclesiastes 9:14-16 ; and Ecclesiastes 7:19 ). Wisdom can do what no material force can effect, and often produces results which all the implements of war could not command. But one sinner destroyeth much good. The happy consequences which the wise man's counsel might accomplish, or has already accomplished, may be overthrown or rendered useless by the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 9:18

Sinner - The word in the original indicates intellectual as well as moral error. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 9:17

Ecclesiastes 9:17. The words of wise men Though poor; are heard in quiet Are uttered with a modest and low voice, and are, or should be, heard by wise men; more than the cry The clamorous and senseless discourses; of him that ruleth among fools Of a rich and potent, but foolish man, who has some influence on fools like himself, but is justly neglected, and his words disregarded by wise men. Or, as Aben Ezra interprets the verse, connecting it with the preceding, “The words of the... read more

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