Ecclesiastes 10:5

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: THERE IS AN EVIL ... AS [OR THROUGH: SINCE Kª- IS USED IN ] AN ERROR WHICH PROCEEDETH FROM (LITERALLY, FROM THE FACE OF) THE RULER. Jerome, on the authority of his Jewish assistant, explained the Ruler as God: not that God is capable of "error," but men are tempted to think so, because of the inequality of things in the present state. Those who look only on the present, and who do not by faith survey the whole, and look on to the end, fancy that God does not govern justly (Ecclesiastes 8:2) But applies to the earthly ruler; therefore, so also should this verse....

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 10:5. _AN ERROR_ WHICH _PROCEEDETH FROM THE RULER_] What this error in the ruler is, the two following verses point out: it is simply this - an injudicious distribution of offices, and raising people to places of trust and confidence, who are destitute of _merit_, are neither of _name_ nor _family_ to excite public confidence, and are without _property_; so that they have no _stake_ _in the country_, and their only solicitude must naturally be to enrich themselves, and provide for their poor relatives. This is frequent in the governments of the world; and _favouritism_ has often brought prosperous nations to the brink of ruin. _Folly_ was set in _dignity_; the man of property, sense, and name, in a _low_ _place_. _Servants_ - menial men, _rode upon horses_ - carried every thi...

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

THERE IS AN EVIL [WHICH] I HAVE SEEN UNDER THE SUN,.... Which Solomon had observed in the course of his life, practised in some kingdoms and by some princes on earth, under the sun; for there is nothing of the like kind, as after mentioned, done in heaven, above the sun; AS AN ERROR [WHICH] PROCEEDETH FROM THE RULER; from the supreme ruler of a nation, the king of it; and it is not only as an error, or like one, a seeming one; but it is a real error, bestowing places of honour and profit on undeserving persons: which error proceeds from ignorance of the persons; or from affection to them, and from friendship cultivated with them in the younger time of life, being educated with them; or through the misrepresentation and imposition of those about him, who have ends to serve by their promotion; or through his own lusts and passions, which these men indulge him in. It may be understood of G...

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....

EVIL. Hebrew. _ra'a'_. App-44. UNDER THE SUN. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:3....

_as an error which proceedeth from the ruler_ The last word serves as a link connecting this verse with the preceding. It might be wise at times to bow to the temper of a despotic ruler, but the ruler was not always right. What the DEBATER had seen was to him a blot upon the government of him who allowed it. There lies below the surface the half-suppressed thought that this anomaly, stated in the next verse, was as a blot in the government of the supreme Ruler of the Universe. Technically the word was used in the Mosaic Law of the involuntary sins of ignorance (Leviticus 4:22; Leviticus 4:27; Leviticus 5:18). The unequal distribution of honours seemed to men as a blunder of Providence....

2. Foolishness leads to humiliation. Ecclesiastes 10:5-7 TEXT 10:5-7 5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler 6 folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. 7 I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land. THOUGHT QUESTIONS 10:5-7 378. What is the reason given why folly is set in many exalted places? 379. Where did the error originate? 380. Identify the two illustrations of folly. PARAPHRASE 10:5-7 When the ruler in the land makes a grave mistake, it results in evil doing under the sun. Folly itself is exalted in seats of dignity while the rich men sit in humble seats. Also, as a result of the error I have seen slaves riding on horses, and princes walking on the ground as if the