Ecclesiastes 5:9

9 The produce of the land is exploited by everyone; {even the king profits from the field [of the poor]}!

Ecclesiastes 5:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 5:9

Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all
Or, "the excellency of the earth in" or "above all things [is] this" ^F25; that God most high rules over all the earth, and is higher than the kings of it, and all oppressors in it; or in all respects there is a preference, a superior excellency in the country as opposed to the city, especially in this, that there are not so many tumults, riots, and oppressions there; though this is mostly understood of the preference and superior excellency of agriculture, or tillage of the earth. So the Targum,

``the excellency of the praise of tilling the earth is above all things:''

and to the same purpose Jarchi and Aben Ezra; and the profit arising from it is enjoyed by all; it is for all, even the beasts of the field have grass from hence, as well as man has bread corn, and all other necessaries; the king [himself] is served by the field;
his table is served with bread corn, and flesh, and wine, and fruits of various sorts, the produce of the earth, which spring from it, or are nourished by it; were it not for husbandry the king himself and his family could not subsist; and therefore it becomes kings to encourage it, and not oppress those who are employed in it: or "the king [is a] servant to the field" ^F26; some kings have addicted themselves to husbandry, and been great lovers of it, as Uzziah was, ( 2 Chronicles 26:10 ) ; and some of the Chinese emperors, as their histories ^F1 show; and the kings of Persia {b}: Vulcan, in the shield of Achilles, represented the reapers, gatherers, and binders of sheaves at work in the field, and a king standing among the sheaves with a sceptre in his hand, looking on with great pleasure, while a dinner is prepared by his orders for the workmen ^F3; many of the Roman generals, and high officers, were called from the plough, particularly Cincinnatus ^F4; and these encouraged husbandry in their subjects, as well as took care of their own farms. There is another sense of the words given, besides many more;

``and the most excellent Lord of the earth (that is, the most high God) is the King of every field that is tilled; (that is, the King of the whole habitable world;) or the King Messiah, Lord of his field, the church, and who is the most eminent in all the earth ^F5.''

The Midrash interprets it of the holy blessed God.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (ayh lkb Ura Nwrtyw) "et praestantia terrae in omnibus ipsa", Montanus; "porro excellentia terrae prae omnibus est", Vatablus; "et praecellentia terrae in omnibus est", Gejerus.
F26 (dben hdvl Klm) "rex agro sit servus", Montanus, Piscator, Gejerus; "rex agro servit", Mercerus, so some in Drusius.
F1 Vid. Martin. Sinic. Histor. l. 2. p. 36. & l. 4. p. 92. & l. 3. p. 287.
F2 Xenophon. Oeconom. p. 482.
F3 Homer. Iliad. 18. v. 550-558.
F4 Flor. Hist. Roman. l. 1. c. 11.
F5 So Schmidt Rambachius.

Ecclesiastes 5:9 In-Context

7 For with many dreams [come] vanities and numerous words. Therefore, fear God!

8 Do not be surprised if you see the poor being oppressed with violence or [do not see] justice and righteousness in the province. For one official is watched by a higher official, and [there are] even higher officials over them!

9 The produce of the land is exploited by everyone; {even the king profits from the field [of the poor]}!

10 Whoever loves money is not satisfied [with] money, and whoever loves wealth [is] not [satisfied with] profit. This also [is] vanity!

11 When prosperity increases, those who consume it increase. {So its owner gains nothing, except to see his wealth before it is spent}.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "for the field is even worked for the king"