Ecclesiastes 10:20 - Exposition

Curse not the king, no not in thy thought. Under the above-mentioned circumstances, a man might be tempted to abuse and curse these ill-conditioned rulers. Koheleth warns against this error; it is dangerous to give way to it (comp. Exodus 22:28 ). In Ecclesiastes 8:2 the motive for submission to the king is placed on religious grounds; in the present passage the ground is prudence, regard for personal safety, which might be compromised by plain speaking, especially when one has to do with such depraved and unscrupulous persons. We may compare David's generous conduct to his cruel persecutor Saul, whom he spared because he was the Lord's anointed ( 1 Samuel 24:6 , l0; 1 Samuel 26:9 , etc.; 2 Samuel 1:14 ). Madda, "thought," "consciousness," is rare, and is supposed to belong to late Hebrew (see 2 Chronicles 1:10 , 2 Chronicles 1:11 , 2 Chronicles 1:12 ; Daniel 1:4 , Daniel 1:17 ). The Septuagint translates it συνείδησις : Vulgate, cogitatio . To encourage such thoughts in the mind is to run the risk of openly expressing them at some unguarded moment; for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Curse not the rich in thy bedchamber . In ability to injure, the rich stand in the same category as the king. You are not safe ἐν τανιείοις κοιτώνων σου , "in your very bedchamber," where, if anywhere, you would fancy yourself free from espionage. But "walls have ears," says the proverb (comp. Habakkuk 2:11 ; Luke 19:40 ); and the King of Syria is warned, "Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the King of Israel the words thou speakest in thy bedchamber" ( 2 Kings 6:12 ). "That which ye have spoken in the ear in closets ( ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις ) shall be proclaimed upon the housetops" ( Luke 12:3 ). For a bird of the air shall carry the voice . A proverbial saying, common to all languages, and not to be referred especially to the story of the cranes of Ibycus (see Erasmus,' Adag.,' s . v . " Ultio malefacti ") or to the employment of carrier pigeons. We say of secret information, "a little bird told me." Plumptre quotes Aristophanes, 'Aves,' 575—

οὐδείς οἶδεν τὸν θησαυρὸν τὸν ἐμὸν πλὴν εἴ τις ἄρ ὄρνις

"No one knows of my treasure, save, it may be, a bird."

On which the Scholiast notes, "There is a proverb extant, ' No one observes me but the passing bird'" (comp. Erasmus, ' Adag.,' s.v. "Occulta"). In Koheleth's day informers evidently plied their trade industriously, and here meet, not only with notice, but ironically with reprobation. On the general sentiment of the verse, we may quote Juvenal, 'Sat.,' 9.102, "O Corydon, Corydon," thus versified in Ginsburg's commentary—

"And dost thou seriously believe, fond swain,

The actions of the great unknown remain?

Poor Corydon! even beasts would silence break,

And stocks and stones, if servants did not, speak.

Bolt every door, stop every cranny tight,

Close every window, put out every light;

Let not a whisper reach the listening ear,

No noise, no motion; let no soul be near;

Yet all that passed at the cock's second crow,

The neighboring vintner shall, ere day-break, know."

That which hath wings (compare Latin ales ); the possessor ( baal ) of a pair of wings, a periphrasis for "a bird," as in Proverbs 1:17 . We had "master of the tongue," Proverbs 1:11 ; so in Daniel 8:6 , Daniel 8:20 , "having horns," is "master ( baal ) of horns."