Ecclesiastes 8:3

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Ecclesiastes 8:1–5 · Berean Standard Bible

1 Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

2 Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God.

3 Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.

4 For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

5 Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.

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.

Ecclesiastes 10:4

If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.

Proverbs 14:29

A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.

1 Kings 1:50

But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.

1 Kings 1:51

It was reported to Solomon: “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me not to put his servant to the sword.’”

1 Kings 1:52

And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”

1 Kings 2:21

So Bathsheba said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”

1 Kings 2:22

King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”

1 Kings 2:23

Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.

1 Kings 2:24

And now, as surely as the LORD lives—the One who established me, who set me on the throne of my father David, and who founded for me a dynasty as He promised—surely Adonijah shall be put to death today!”

Isaiah 48:4

For I knew that you are stubborn; your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze.

Jeremiah 44:16

“As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!

Jeremiah 44:17

Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster.

Acts 5:8

“Tell me,” said Peter, “is this the price you and your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”

Acts 5:9

“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

Proverbs 16:14

The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.

Proverbs 16:15

When a king’s face brightens, there is life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

Proverbs 30:31

a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.

Daniel 4:35

All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

Daniel 5:19

Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.