Ecclesiastes 4:16

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Ecclesiastes 4:14–16 · Berean Standard Bible

14 For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.

15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.

16 There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

2 Samuel 15:12

While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

2 Samuel 15:13

Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

1 Kings 1:5

At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.

1 Kings 1:6

(His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.)

1 Kings 1:7

So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him.

1 Kings 1:40

All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound.

1 Kings 12:10

The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

1 Kings 12:11

Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

1 Kings 12:12

After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”

1 Kings 12:13

And the king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the elders

1 Kings 12:14

and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”

1 Kings 12:15

So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

1 Kings 12:16

When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,

Judges 9:19

if you have acted faithfully and honestly toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, then may you rejoice in Abimelech, and he in you.

Judges 9:20

But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”

2 Samuel 18:7

There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.

2 Samuel 18:8

The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.

2 Samuel 19:9

And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom.

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.