Ecclesiastes 10:4

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. IF THE SPIRIT (ANGER) OF THE RULER ... - (.) "yielding pacifieth." This explains "leave not thy place" - do not, in a resisting spirit, withdraw from thy post of duty. If this be true as to our relation to an earthly ruler, how much more so in our relation to the King of kings! (.) GREAT OFFENCES. "Yielding (literally, soundness) pacifieth" the irritated ruler, so as to prevent his committing "great offences." So Jacob overcame Esau (; ), and David Saul, ...

4-10 Solomon appears to caution men not to seek redress in a hasty manner, nor to yield to pride and revenge. Do not, in a passion, quit thy post of duty; wait awhile, and thou wilt find that yielding pacifies great offences. Men are not preferred according to their merit. And those are often most forward to offer help, who are least aware of the difficulties, or the consequences. The same remark is applied to the church, or the body of Christ, that all the members should have the same care one for another....

Verse Ecclesiastes 10:4. _IF THE SPIRIT OF THE RULER RISE UP AGAINST THEE_] If the king get incensed against thee. _LEAVE NOT THY PLACE_] Humble thyself before him, that is _thy_ _place_ and duty; for yielding to him, and not standing stoutly in thy defence, pacifieth _great offenses_: and then, when his anger is appeased, he will hear any thing in thy justification, if thou have any thing to offer. This is good advice to a _child_ in reference to his _parents_, and to an _inferior_ of any kind in reference to his _superiors_. Several of the fathers understood this differently, _If the_ _spirit of the ruler_ - the influence of Satan - _hath risen up against_ and prevailed over thee, to bring thee into some sin; _leave not_ _thy place_ - do not despair of God's mercy; humbl

IF THE SPIRIT ... - i. e., If he is angry. LEAVE NOT THY PLACE - i. e., Do not lose thy self-control and quit his presence. Gentleness on thy part will calm both thyself and him, and prevent great wrongs being committed by either....

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

IF THE SPIRIT OF THE RULER RISE UP AGAINST THEE,.... The wrath of the civil magistrate, the chief ruler of the land, the sovereign prince or king, to whom men are and should be subject: if his wrath on any occasion breaks out in a furious manner, and, like a storm and tempest, is very blustering and threatening: LEAVE NOT THY PLACE; at court; thine office under the prince, do not throw it up in a passion, and quit his service upon it; and much less forget thy duty and allegiance to him, and go into disloyalty and rebellion; see Ecclesiastes 8:3; FOR YIELDING PACIFIETH GREAT OFFENCES; bearing his anger patiently, submitting to his displeasure quietly, making no returns, or at least giving soft answers, and behaving in a modest and humble manner; in time his wrath will subside, and he will be pacified, and forgive the offences committed; or be conv

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....

SPIRIT. Hebrew. _ruach._ App-9. YIELDING, &C.. gentleness preventeth greater outrages....

_If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee_ To the picture of the boastful self-assertion of the fool is appended as a contrast, that of the self-effacement of the wise. The scene brought before us is that of a statesman, or minister, whose advice runs counter to that of the ruler. The "spirit," what we should call the "temper," of the latter "rises up" against the former. What shall the adviser do? His natural impulse is to "leave his place," _i. e._either to cut short his interview, or, resign his office. He won't be slighted, will not put up with contradiction. That, however, is precisely what the wise of heart will not do. _Yielding, i. e._the temper of conciliation (the Hebrew noun is literally the _healing_, or the _healthy, mood of mind) puts to rest,_or _puts a stop to, great offences_. The history of all nations, our own included, presents manifold instances of both modes...