Ecclesiastes 2:7

7 I bought male and female slaves, and slaves were also born in my house. I had large herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem had ever had before.

Ecclesiastes 2:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 2:7

I got [me] servants and maidens
Menservants, and maidservants; the Targum adds,

``of the children of Ham, and of the rest of the strange people;''

these were such as he hired, or bought with his money; and had servants born in my house;
and these were all employed by him; either as his retinue and equipage, his attendants and bodyguards; or to take care of his household, his gardens, and pools; or for his horses and chariots, and for various offices; see ( 1 Kings 4:26 1 Kings 4:27 ) ( Ezra 2:58 ) . Villalpandus computes the number of his servants to be forty eight thousand; if there were any pleasure and happiness in such a numerous attendance, Solomon had it; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that
were in Jerusalem before me;
oxen, cows, horses, asses, camels, mules, &c. also sheep and goats; which, as they were profitable, so it was pleasant to see them grazing on the hills and valleys, in the fields, mountains, and meadows.

Ecclesiastes 2:7 In-Context

5 I made gardens and parks, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.

6 I made pools of water for myself and used them to water my growing trees.

7 I bought male and female slaves, and slaves were also born in my house. I had large herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem had ever had before.

8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, treasures from kings and other areas. I had male and female singers and all the women a man could ever want.

9 I became very famous, even greater than anyone who had lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom helped me in all this.