Ecclesiastes 5:9
"Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all,.... Or, "the excellency of the earth in" or "above all things is this" (y); that God most high rules over all the earth, and is higher than the kings of it, and all oppressors in it; or in all respects there is a preference, a superior excellency in the country as opposed to the city, especially in this, that there are not so many tumults, riots, and oppressions there; though this is mostly understood of the preference and superior excellency of agriculture, or tillage of the earth. So the Targum, "the

excellency of the praise of tilling the earth is above all things:'' and to the same purpose Jarchi and Aben Ezra; and the profit arising from it is enjoyed by all; it is for all, even the beasts of the field have grass from hence, as well as man has bread corn, and all other necessaries; the king himself is served by the field; his table is served with bread corn, and flesh, and wine, and fruits of various sorts, the produce of the earth, which spring from it, or are nourished by it; were it not for husbandry the king himself and his family could not subsist; and therefore it becomes kings to encourage it, and not oppress those who are employed in it: or "the king is a servant to the field" (z); some kings have addicted themselves to husbandry, and been great lovers of it, as Uzziah was, Ch2 26:10 ; and some of the Chinese emperors, as their histories (a) show; and the kings of Persia (b): Vulcan, in the shield of Achilles, represented the reapers, gatherers, and binders of sheaves at work in the field, and a king standing among the sheaves with a sceptre in his hand, looking on with great pleasure, while a dinner is prepared by his orders for the workmen (c); many of the Roman generals, and high officers, were called from the plough, particularly Cincinnatus (d); and these encouraged husbandry in their subjects, as well as took care of their own farms. There is another sense of the words given, besides many more; "and the most excellent Lord of the earth (that is, the most high God) is the King of every field that is tilled; (that is, the King of the whole habitable world;) or the King Messiah, Lord of his field, the church, and who is the most eminent in all the earth (e).'' The Midrash interprets it of the holy blessed God. (y) "et praestantia terrae in omnibus ipsa", Montanus; "porro excellentia terrae prae omnibus est", Vatablus; "et praecellentia terrae in omnibus est", Gejerus. (z) "rex agro sit servus", Montanus, Piscator, Gejerus; "rex agro servit", Mercerus, so some in Drusius. (a) Vid. Martin. Sinic. Histor. l. 2. p. 36. & l. 4. p. 92. & l. 3. p. 287. (b) Xenophon. Oeconom. p. 482. (c) Homer. Iliad. 18. v. 550-558. (d) Flor. Hist. Roman. l. 1. c. 11. (e) So Schmidt Rambachius.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (13 words)

H0157 אָהַב
Definition:

97t;אָשֵהבּGenesis 27:14;אָהַבGenesis 37:33t.;אֲֵ˜הבָךָDeuteronomy 15:16; 3feminine singularאָֽהֲבָהSongs 1:7+, etc.;Imperfect(הָֿ֑ב) יֶאֱהַבProverbs 3:12+; 1 singularאֵהָ֑בProverbs 8:17(compare Ew§ 1 97t;אָשֵהבּGenesis 27:14;אָהַבGenesis 37:33t.;אֲֵ˜הבָךָDeuteronomy 15:16; 3feminine singularאָֽהֲבָהSongs 1:7+, etc.;Imperfect(הָֿ֑ב) יֶאֱהַבProverbs 3:12+; 1 singularאֵהָ֑בProverbs 8:17(compare Ew§ 1

Possible Meanings:
  • amours (semantic_range)
H3701 כֶּסֶף
Definition:

9silver, money(Late Hebrewid.; Phoenician, Zinjirliכסף; Aramaicכַּסְמָּא; PalmyreneכספאVogNo. 23; Assyriankaspu; probably thepalemetal Thes and others, compare RSJPh xiv,125) —׳כabsoluteGenesis 20:16+ 9silver, money(Late Hebrewid.; Phoenician, Zinjirliכסף; Aramaicכַּסְמָּא; PalmyreneכספאVogNo. 23; Assyriankaspu; probably thepalemetal Thes and others, compare RSJPh xiv,125) —׳כabsoluteGenesis 20:16+

H3808 לֹא
Definition:

11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, 11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay,

H7646 שָׂבַע
Definition:

); —Qal79Perfect3masculine singularשָׂבַע1 Chronicles 23:1,׳וְשׂconsecutiveDeuteronomy 31:20; 3pluralשָׂבֵ֑עוּIsaiah 9:19,׳ושׂconsecutiveDeuteronomy 14:29;Deuteronomy 26:12, etc.;Imperfect3masculine s ); —Qal79Perfect3masculine singularשָׂבַע1 Chronicles 23:1,׳וְשׂconsecutiveDeuteronomy 31:20; 3pluralשָׂבֵ֑עוּIsaiah 9:19,׳ושׂconsecutiveDeuteronomy 14:29;Deuteronomy 26:12, etc.;Imperfect3masculine s

Possible Meanings:
  • seven (semantic_range)
H3701 כֶּסֶף
Definition:

9silver, money(Late Hebrewid.; Phoenician, Zinjirliכסף; Aramaicכַּסְמָּא; PalmyreneכספאVogNo. 23; Assyriankaspu; probably thepalemetal Thes and others, compare RSJPh xiv,125) —׳כabsoluteGenesis 20:16+ 9silver, money(Late Hebrewid.; Phoenician, Zinjirliכסף; Aramaicכַּסְמָּא; PalmyreneכספאVogNo. 23; Assyriankaspu; probably thepalemetal Thes and others, compare RSJPh xiv,125) —׳כabsoluteGenesis 20:16+

H4310 מִי
Definition:

WSG 123 f.): —who ?(τίς;quis ?)Genesis 3:11הִגִּיד לְךָ מִיwho told thee ?Genesis 24:65מִי הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶהwhois this man ?Genesis 27:18מי אתה בניwhoart thou, my son ?Numbers 22:9;Judges 1:1;Judges 6: WSG 123 f.): —who ?(τίς;quis ?)Genesis 3:11הִגִּיד לְךָ מִיwho told thee ?Genesis 24:65מִי הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶהwhois this man ?Genesis 27:18מי אתה בניwhoart thou, my son ?Numbers 22:9;Judges 1:1;Judges 6:

Possible Meanings:
  • who? (semantic_range)
  • whose (semantic_range)
  • who among (semantic_range)
  • whose (semantic_range)
  • whosoever (semantic_range)
H0157 אָהַב
Definition:

97t;אָשֵהבּGenesis 27:14;אָהַבGenesis 37:33t.;אֲֵ˜הבָךָDeuteronomy 15:16; 3feminine singularאָֽהֲבָהSongs 1:7+, etc.;Imperfect(הָֿ֑ב) יֶאֱהַבProverbs 3:12+; 1 singularאֵהָ֑בProverbs 8:17(compare Ew§ 1 97t;אָשֵהבּGenesis 27:14;אָהַבGenesis 37:33t.;אֲֵ˜הבָךָDeuteronomy 15:16; 3feminine singularאָֽהֲבָהSongs 1:7+, etc.;Imperfect(הָֿ֑ב) יֶאֱהַבProverbs 3:12+; 1 singularאֵהָ֑בProverbs 8:17(compare Ew§ 1

Possible Meanings:
  • amours (semantic_range)
H1995 הָמוֹן
Definition:

14(feminineJob 31:34)sound, murmur, roar, crowd, abundance; — absolute׳ה1 Samuel 4:1427t. ( +2 Kings 25:11=אָמוֺןin ""Jeremiah 52:15, see II.אָמוֺןabove); constructהֲמוֺןGenesis 17:1430t. +Ezekiel 39: 14(feminineJob 31:34)sound, murmur, roar, crowd, abundance; — absolute׳ה1 Samuel 4:1427t. ( +2 Kings 25:11=אָמוֺןin ""Jeremiah 52:15, see II.אָמוֺןabove); constructהֲמוֺןGenesis 17:1430t. +Ezekiel 39:

H3808 לֹא
Definition:

11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, 11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay,

H8393 תְּבוּאָה
Definition:

373t.; constructתְּבוּאַתLeviticus 23:3911t.; suffixתְּבוּאָתִיJob 31:12;Proverbs 8:19;תְּבוּאָתְּךָDeuteronomy 14:282t.;תְּבוּאָתֶ֑ךָProverbs 3:9;תְּכוּאָתוֺLeviticus 19:25+Ezekiel 48:18Qr (Ktתבואתה) 373t.; constructתְּבוּאַתLeviticus 23:3911t.; suffixתְּבוּאָתִיJob 31:12;Proverbs 8:19;תְּבוּאָתְּךָDeuteronomy 14:282t.;תְּבוּאָתֶ֑ךָProverbs 3:9;תְּכוּאָתוֺLeviticus 19:25+Ezekiel 48:18Qr (Ktתבואתה)

Possible Meanings:
  • product (semantic_range)
  • revenue (semantic_range)
  • product (semantic_range)
  • yield (semantic_range)
  • income (semantic_range)
H1571 גַּם
Definition:

6וַתִּתֵּן גַּם לְאִישָׁהּand gavealsoto her husband,Genesis 3:27and takealsoof the tree of life,Genesis 7:3;Genesis 19:21;Genesis 24:19;Genesis 26:21;Genesis 29:27;Genesis 30:15;Genesis 32:21(גַּם הִ 6וַתִּתֵּן גַּם לְאִישָׁהּand gavealsoto her husband,Genesis 3:27and takealsoof the tree of life,Genesis 7:3;Genesis 19:21;Genesis 24:19;Genesis 26:21;Genesis 29:27;Genesis 30:15;Genesis 32:21(גַּם הִ

Possible Meanings:
  • moreover (semantic_range)
  • yea (semantic_range)
H2088 זֶה
Definition:

“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). The demonstrative fixes Eve’s identity as God’s specific gift to Adam.• Covenant Signs: “This is the sign of the covenant I am maki “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). The demonstrative fixes Eve’s identity as God’s specific gift to Adam.• Covenant Signs: “This is the sign of the covenant I am maki

H1892 הֶבֶל
Definition:

2+; constructהֲבֵלEcclesiastes 1:2(twice in verse);Ecclesiastes 12:8, suffixהֶבְלִיetc.Ecclesiastes 6:12;Ecclesiastes 7:15;Ecclesiastes 9:9(twice in verse); pluralהֲבָלִיםJeremiah 10:8+; constructהַבְ 2+; constructהֲבֵלEcclesiastes 1:2(twice in verse);Ecclesiastes 12:8, suffixהֶבְלִיetc.Ecclesiastes 6:12;Ecclesiastes 7:15;Ecclesiastes 9:9(twice in verse); pluralהֲבָלִיםJeremiah 10:8+; constructהַבְ

Possible Meanings:
  • act emptily (semantic_range)
  • become vain (semantic_range)
  • became vain (semantic_range)
  • cause to become vain (semantic_range)

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