Ecclesiastes 10:16

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! KING IS A CHILD - given to pleasures; behaves with childish levity. Not in years; because a nation may be happy under a young prince, as Josiah; but as Rehoboam, who, though forty-one years old, is called "young and tender-hearted," . EAT IN THE MORNING - the usual time for dispensing justice in the East (); here, given to feasting....

16-20 The happiness of a land depends on the character of its rulers. The people cannot be happy when their princes are childish, and lovers of pleasure. Slothfulness is of ill consequence both to private and public affairs. Money, of itself, will neither feed nor clothe, though it answers the occasions of this present life, as what is to be had, may generally be had for money. But the soul, as it is not redeemed, so it is not maintained with corruptible things, as silver and gold. God sees what men do, and hears what they say in secret; and, when he pleases, brings it to light by strange and unsuspected ways. If there be hazard in secret thoughts and whispers against earthly rulers, what must be the peril from every deed, word, or thought of rebellion against the King of kings, and Lord of lords! He seeth in secret. His ear is ever open. Sinner! curse not THIS KING in thy inmost though...

Verse 16. _WO TO THEE, O LAND, WHEN THY KING_ IS _A CHILD_] _Minorities_ are, in general, very prejudicial to a state. Regents either disagree, and foment civil wars; or oppress the people. Various discordant interests are raised up in a state during a minority; and the young king, having been under the tutelage of interested men, acts _partially_ and _injuriously_ to the interests of the people when he comes to the throne; and this produces popular discontent, and a troubled reign. _THY PRINCES EAT IN THE MORNING!_] They do nothing in order; turn night into day, and day into night; sleep when they should wake, and wake when they should sleep; attending more to chamberings and banquetings, than to the concerns of the state....

Foolish rulers, by their weakness, self-indulgence and sloth, bring decay upon the state: nobleness and temperance insure prosperity: yet the subject must not rebel in word or thought against his king. Ecclesiastes 10:16 A CHILD - Rather, young. The word is applied to Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 13:7 at the time of his accession to the throne, when he was 41 years old. EAT IN THE MORNING - A sign of intemperance (compare Isaiah 5:11). Ecclesiastes 10:17...

EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 10:1 Section 11. _A little folly mars the effect of wisdom, _and is sure to make itself conspicuous. ECCLESIASTES 10:1 DEAD FLIES CAUSE THE OINTMENT OF THE APOTHECARY TO SEND FORTH A STINKING SAVOR. This is a metaphorical confirmation of the truth enunciated at the end of the last chapter, "One sinner destroyeth much good." It is like the apostle's warning to his converts, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (1 Corinthians 5:6). The Hebrew expression is literally, "flies of death," which may mean either "dead flies," as in our version and the Vulgate (muse

WOE TO THEE, O LAND, WHEN THY KING [IS] A CHILD,.... Not so much in age; though it is sometimes an unhappiness to a nation to be governed by a minor, especially if the young king has not good tutors, guardians, ministers, and counsellors, about him; but, if otherwise, a nation may be very happy under a minority, or the government of a young prince; such were Solomon, Joash, Uzziah, Josiah, and our Edward VI: but it rather respects one that is a child in understanding and judgment, in manners and conduct; that minds his pleasures, as children their play; is fickle and changeable, passionate and self-willed, unskilful in government, and yet will not be advised. The Targum applies this to the land of Israel, and instances in wicked Jeroboam, who made the morning sacrifice to cease; see Isaiah 3:12. From considering the bad effects of folly in men in general, in private persons and in subjec...

CHAPTER 10 This chapter contains a series of proverbs, expressing the wisdom and prudence of the natural man. Here are a number of observations and all show that there is a practical value in wisdom and that it has certain advantages. These maxims are of a different kind than the proverbs in the preceding book. There we are face to face with the wisdom which is from above, here it is the wisdom of man. The name of the Lord is not mentioned once, Similar philosophic utterances can be traced in the literature of other ancient nations. They need no detailed annotations....

ECCLESIASTES 9:17 TO ECCLESIASTES 10:15. EXPERIENCE CRYSTALLISED IN PROVERBS. Ecclesiastes 9:17 to Ecclesiastes 10:3 forms a series of proverbs perhaps due to the sage who worked over the original book. In Ecclesiastes 9:17 follow _mg.;_ the contrast is between the quiet but sure voice of the wise and the noisy pretentious clatter of an arch-fool. With Ecclesiastes 9:18, _cf._...

WOE TO THEE, O LAND, &C.— _Woe to thee, O land, whose king was born to be a servant, and whose princes eat early in the morning!_ The propriety of this version is best seen by its opposition to the subsequent verses....

2. Rulers Ecclesiastes 10:16-17 TEXT 10:16-17 16 Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate timefor strength and not for drunkeness. THOUGHT QUESTIONS 10:16-17 388. Why is it a dangerous thing to have rulers who feast in the morning? 389. Why were they eating at this time (Ecclesiastes 10:17)? 390. A land is blessed when a king eats for what purpose? PARAPHRASE 10:16-17 A country is in great trouble when the king behaves as a youth, and the princes frolic and feast in the morning hours! A country is rich whose king is concerned more with justice than he is with jesting,