If the snake bites before it is charmed
This phrase highlights the importance of timing and preparation. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, snake charming was a known practice, requiring skill and patience. The snake charmer's role was to control and pacify the snake, preventing harm. This can be seen as a metaphor for the need for wisdom and foresight in handling potentially dangerous situations. The Bible often uses the imagery of snakes to represent danger or evil, as seen in Genesis 3 with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. The failure to act wisely and promptly can lead to unnecessary harm, much like the snake biting before it is charmed.

there is no profit for the charmer
This part of the verse underscores the futility of skill without timely execution. The charmer's expertise is rendered useless if the snake bites before being subdued. This reflects a broader biblical principle that wisdom and action must go hand in hand. James 1:22 emphasizes the importance of being doers of the word, not just hearers. The charmer's profit, or reward, is contingent upon his ability to act effectively and at the right moment. This can also be seen as a warning against complacency and procrastination, urging believers to be vigilant and proactive in their spiritual lives.

1. The Snake
Represents danger or potential harm that can arise unexpectedly if not properly managed or anticipated.

2. The Charmer
Symbolizes someone who possesses skills or knowledge but fails to apply them in a timely manner, resulting in negative consequences.

3. Solomon
Traditionally considered the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was the king of Israel known for his wisdom, wealth, and writings.

4. Ancient Near East
The cultural and historical context in which the practice of snake charming was known, providing a backdrop for the metaphor used in this verse.

5. Wisdom Literature
Ecclesiastes is part of the wisdom literature in the Bible, which includes practical teachings on how to live a life that honors God.Timeliness in Action
The verse underscores the importance of acting at the right time. Skills and knowledge are only beneficial when applied appropriately and promptly.

Preparedness and Wisdom
Just as the charmer must be ready to charm the snake, we must be prepared to use our God-given wisdom and resources effectively to avoid unnecessary harm.

Consequences of Inaction
Failing to act when necessary can lead to negative outcomes. This teaches us the value of diligence and proactive behavior in our spiritual and daily lives.

The Value of Wisdom
Wisdom is not just about having knowledge but also about knowing when and how to apply it. This verse encourages us to seek God's guidance in using our wisdom effectively.

Spiritual Vigilance
The imagery of the snake serves as a reminder to be vigilant against spiritual dangers and to rely on God's wisdom to navigate life's challenges.Top 10 Lessons from Ecclesiastes 10

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In Ecclesiastes 11:1, how is 'casting bread upon the waters' supposed to yield a result when bread would dissolve or sink?

Ecclesiastes 9:11 says events happen by 'time and chance,' so does that undermine the idea of God's sovereign control?(11) This also is a difficult verse. Literally translated it is, If the serpent bite for lack of enchantment, there is no advantage to the master of the tongue. It seems best to follow the LXX. and other interpreters, and take the "master of the tongue" to mean the snake charmer, who possesses the "voice of the charmer" (Psalm 58:5). The whisperings of the snake charmer, so often described by Eastern travellers, are referred to also in Jeremiah 8:17, and in a passage, probably founded on the present text (Ecclesiasticus 12:13), "Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent?" The mention of the serpent in Ecclesiastes 10:8 seems to have suggested another illustration of the advantage of wisdom in the different effects of snake-charming, as used by the expert or the unskilful. The phrase, "master of the tongue," seems to have been chosen in order to lead on to the following verses, which speak of the different use of the tongue by the wise man and the fool.

Enchantment.--According to the primary meaning "whispering" (2Samuel 12:19; Isaiah 26:16). . . .

Verse 11. - The last proverb of this little series shows the necessity of seizing the right opportunity. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment. The Authorized Version is not quite correct. The particle אם, with which the verse begins, is here conditional, and the rendering should be, If the serpent bite, etc.; the apodosis comes in the next clause. The idea is taken up from ver. 8. If one handles a serpent without due precaution or without knowing the secret of charming it, one will suffer for it. The taming and charming of poisonous snakes is still, as heretofore, practiced in Egypt and the East. What the secret of this power is has not been accurately determined; whether it belongs especially to persons of a certain idiosyncrasy, whether it is connected with certain words or intonations of the voice or musical sounds, we do not know. Of the existence of the power from remote antiquity there can be no question. Allusions to it in Scripture are common enough (see Exodus 7:11; Psalm 58:5; Jeremiah 8:17; Ecclus. 12:13). If a serpent before it is charmed is dangerous, what then? The Authorized Version affords no sensible apodosis: And a babbler is no better. The words rendered "babbler" (baul hallashon) are literally "master of the tongue," and by them is meant the ἐπαοιδός, "the serpent-charmer." The clause should run, Then there is no use in the charmer. If the man is bitten before he has time to use his charm, it is no profit to him that he has the secret, it is too late to employ it when the mischief is done. This is to shut the stable door after the steed is stolen. The maxim enforces the warning against being too late; the greatest skill is useless unless applied at the right moment. The Septuagint translates virtually as above, "If a serpent bites when not charmed (ἐν οὐ ψιθυρισμῷ), then there is no advantage to the charmer (τῷ ἐπᾴδοντι)." The Vulgate departs from the context, rendering, Si mordeat serpens in silentio (i.e. probably "uncharmed"), nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit, "He is nothing better who slanders secretly," which St. Jerome thus explains: the serpent and the slanderer are alike, for as the serpent stealthily infuses its poison, so the secret slanderer pours his venom into another's breast.

Parallel Commentaries ...


If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

the snake
הַנָּחָ֖שׁ (han·nā·ḥāš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5175: A serpent

bites
יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ (yiš·šōḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5391: To strike with a, sting, to oppress with usury

before
בְּלוֹא־ (bə·lō·w-)
Preposition-b | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

it is charmed,
לָ֑חַשׁ (lā·ḥaš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3908: A whisper, a private prayer, an incantation, an amulet

there is no
וְאֵ֣ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

profit
יִתְר֔וֹן (yiṯ·rō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3504: Preeminence, gain

for the charmer.
לְבַ֖עַל (lə·ḇa·‘al)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1167: A master, a husband, owner


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 10:11 If the snake bites before it (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)