Ecclesiastes 5:9
New International Version
The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

New Living Translation
Even the king milks the land for his own profit!

English Standard Version
But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.

Berean Standard Bible
The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

King James Bible
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

New King James Version
Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

New American Standard Bible
After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.

NASB 1995
After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

NASB 1977
After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

Legacy Standard Bible
But the advantage of the land in everything is this—a king committed to a cultivated field.

Amplified Bible
After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

Christian Standard Bible
The profit from the land is taken by all; the king is served by the field.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The profit from the land is taken by all; the king is served by the field.

American Standard Version
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the profit of Earth in all is a King cultivating a field.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Also the abundance of the earth is for every one: the king is dependent on the tilled field.

Contemporary English Version
And since the king is the highest official, he benefits most from the taxes paid on the land.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Moreover there is the king that reigneth over all the land subject to him.

English Revised Version
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Yet, a king is an advantage for a country with cultivated fields.

Good News Translation
Even a king depends on the harvest.

International Standard Version
Also, the increase of the land belongs to everyone; the king himself is served by his field.

JPS Tanakh 1917
But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.

Literal Standard Version
And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.

Majority Standard Bible
The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

New American Bible
But profitable for a land in such circumstances is a king concerned about cultivation.

NET Bible
The produce of the land is seized by all of them, even the king is served by the fields.

New Revised Standard Version
But all things considered, this is an advantage for a land: a king for a plowed field.

New Heart English Bible
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

Webster's Bible Translation
Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

World English Bible
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

Young's Literal Translation
And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Futility of Wealth
8If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. 9The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. 10He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.…

Cross References
Ecclesiastes 5:8
If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.

Ecclesiastes 5:10
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.


Treasury of Scripture

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

the profit

Genesis 1:29,30
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat…

Genesis 3:17-19
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; …

Psalm 104:14,15
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; …

the king

1 Samuel 8:12-17
And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots…

1 Kings 4:7-23
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision…

1 Chronicles 27:26-31
And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub: …

Jump to Previous
Abundance Advantage Country Cultivated Dependent Earth Field Fields Generally Good Increase Maketh Moreover Profit Profitable Profits Servant Served Way Worked
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Abundance Advantage Country Cultivated Dependent Earth Field Fields Generally Good Increase Maketh Moreover Profit Profitable Profits Servant Served Way Worked
Ecclesiastes 5
1. vanities in divine service
8. in murmuring against oppression
9. and in riches
18. Joy in riches is the gift of God.














(9) Is served by.--Or, is servant to. Many eminent interpreters connect this verse with what precedes, and translate, "and on the whole the profit of the land is a king devoted to agriculture," an observation which it is hard to clear of the charge of irrelevance. I prefer, as in our version, to connect with the following verses, and the best explanation I can give of the connection of the paragraph is that it contains a consideration intended to mitigate the difficulty felt at the sight of riches acquired by oppression, namely, that riches add little to the real happiness of the possessors.

Verse 9. - It has been much debated whether this verse should be connected with the preceding or the following paragraph. The Vulgate takes it with the preceding verse, Et insuper universae terrae rex imperat servienti; so the Septuagint; and this seems most natural, avarice, wealth, and its evils in private life being treated of in vers. 10 and many following. Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. The writer seems to be contrasting the misery of Oriental despotism, above spoken of, with the happiness of a country whose king was content to enrich himself, not by war, rapine, and oppression, but by the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, by cherishing the natural productions of his country, and encouraging his people in developing its resources. Such was Uzziah, who" loved husbandry" (2 Chronicles 26:10); and in Solomon's own time the arts of peace greatly flourished. There is much difficulty in interpreting the verse. The Vulgate rendering, "And moreover the King of the whole earth rules over his servant," probably means that God governs the king. But the present Hebrew text does not support this translation. The Septuagint has, Καὶ περίσσεια γῆς ἑπὶ παντί ἐστὶ βασιλεὺς τοῦ ἀγροῦ εἰργασμένου, which makes more difficulties. "Also the abundance of the earth is for every one, or upon every thing; the king (is dependent on) the cultivated land, or, there is a king to the land when cultivated," i.e. the throne itself depends on the due cultivation of the country. Or, removing the comma, "The profit of the land in everything is a king of the cultivated field." The Hebrew may safely be rendered, "But the profit of a land in all things is a king devoted to the field," i.e. who loves and fosters agriculture. It is difficult to suppose that Solomon himself wrote this sentence, however we may interpret it. According to the Authorized Version, the idea is that the profit of the soil extends to every rank of life; even the king, who seems superior to all, is dependent upon the industry of the people, and the favorable produce of the land. He could not be unjust and oppressive without injuring his revenues in the end. Ben-Sirs sings the praises of agriculture: "Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry., which the Most High hath ordained" (Ecclus. 7:15). Agriculture held a very prominent position in the Mosaic commonwealth. The enactments concerning the firstfruits, the sabbatical year, landmarks, the non-alienation of inheritances, etc., tended to give peculiar importance to cultivation of the soil. Cicero's praise of agriculture is often quoted. Thus ('De Senect.,' 15. sqq.; 'De Off.,' 1:42):" Omninm return, ex quibus aliquid acquiritur, nihil est agricultura melius, nihil uberius, nihil dulcius, nihil heroine libero dignius."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The produce
וְיִתְר֥וֹן (wə·yiṯ·rō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3504: Preeminence, gain

of the earth
אֶ֖רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

is taken by all;
בַּכֹּ֣ל (bak·kōl)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the king himself
מֶ֥לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

profits
נֶעֱבָֽד׃ (ne·‘ĕ·ḇāḏ)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

from the fields.
לְשָׂדֶ֖ה (lə·śā·ḏeh)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704: Field, land


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 5:9 Moreover the profit of the earth (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 5:8
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