Bible Chapter Summary
Ecclesiastes 8 Summary
Wisdom and the Mystery of Death
A wise man's wisdom makes his face to shine and changes boldness into understanding. The Preacher counsels keeping the king's commandment and not hastening away from his sight. No man has power over the spirit to retain it, nor power in the day of death, as death is an inescapable warfare. The Preacher observes that the wicked are buried and soon forgotten in the city where they did evil, confirming this is vanity. Because evil sentences are not speedily executed, men's hearts are set to do evil; yet those who fear God shall be well, but the wicked shall not prosper, his days being as a shadow. He commends mirth and eating and drinking as the only good thing under the sun, though he cannot comprehend the work of God done beneath the sun.
Key themes
Key verses
Ecclesiastes 8:1
“Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.”
Ecclesiastes 8:8
“There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”
Ecclesiastes 8:12-13
“Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:”
Ecclesiastes 8:15
“Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.”
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