Go
Articles on

Ecclesiastes 10

Eccl. 10:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

+
1
Dead
maveth (Hebrew #4194)
death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin
KJV usage: (be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).
Pronounce: maw'-veth
Origin: from 4191
μflies
zbuwb (Hebrew #2070)
a fly (especially one of a stinging nature)
KJV usage: fly.
Pronounce: zeb-oob'
Origin: from an unused root (meaning to flit)
cause the ointment
shemen (Hebrew #8081)
grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness
KJV usage: anointing, X fat (things), X fruitful, oil((-ed)), ointment, olive, + pine.
Pronounce: sheh'-men
Origin: from 8080
of the apothecary
raqach (Hebrew #7543)
to perfume
KJV usage: apothecary, compound, make (ointment), prepare, spice.
Pronounce: raw-kakh'
Origin: a primitive root
to send forth
naba` (Hebrew #5042)
to gush forth; figuratively, to utter (good or bad words); specifically, to emit (a foul odor)
KJV usage: belch out, flowing, pour out, send forth, utter (abundantly).
Pronounce: naw-bah'
Origin: a primitive root
a stinking savor
ba'ash (Hebrew #887)
to smell bad; figuratively, to be offensive morally
KJV usage: (make to) be abhorred (had in abomination, loathsome, odious), (cause a, make to) stink(-ing savour), X utterly.
Pronounce: baw-ash'
Origin: a primitive root
: sob doth a little
m`at (Hebrew #4592)
from 4591; a little or few (often adverbial or compar.)
KJV usage: almost (some, very) few(-er, -est), lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some, soon, X very.
Pronounce: meh-at'
Origin: or miat {meh-awt'}
folly
cikluwth (Hebrew #5531)
from 5528; silliness
KJV usage: folly, foolishness.
Pronounce: sik-looth'
Origin: or sikluwth (Eccl. 1:17) {sik-looth'}
him that is in reputation
yaqar (Hebrew #3368)
from 3365; valuable (obj. or subj.): --brightness, clear, costly, excellent, fat, honourable women, precious, reputation.
Pronounce: yaw-kawr'
for wisdom
chokmah (Hebrew #2451)
wisdom (in a good sense)
KJV usage: skilful, wisdom, wisely, wit.
Pronounce: khok-maw'
Origin: from 2449
and honor
kabowd (Hebrew #3519)
from 3513; properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness
KJV usage: glorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able).
Pronounce: kaw-bode'
Origin: rarely kabod {kaw-bode'}
.
μ
flies of death.
b
Matt. 5:13• 13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (Matt. 5:13)

More on:

+
Apothecary,
Fly,
Ointment

Cross References

+

Ministry on This Verse

+
1-15:  Observations of wisdom and folly;
16-17:  of riot;
18:  slothfulness;
19:  and money.
20:  Men's thoughts of kings ought to be reverent.
Dead flies.
Heb. Flies of death.
the ointment
Ex. 30:34‑35• 34And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight:
 35And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: (Ex. 30:34‑35)
a little.
2 Chron. 19:2• 2And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. (2 Chron. 19:2)
;
Neh. 6:13• 13Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. (Neh. 6:13)
;
Neh. 13:26• 26Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. (Neh. 13:26)
;
Matt. 5:13‑16• 13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
 14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 5:13‑16)
;
Gal. 2:12‑14• 12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
 13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
 14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? (Gal. 2:12‑14)
• {Ch.10} The climax of Ecclesiastes’ exercises seems to have been reached in the previous chapter. The passionate storm is over, and now his thoughts ripple quietly along in proverb and wise saying. It is as if he said “I was altogether beyond my depth. Now I will confine myself only to the present life, without touching on the things unseen, and here I can pronounce with assurance the conclusion of wisdom, and sum up both its advantages and yet inadequacy.” (“Ecclesiastes 10” by F.C. Jennings)
• He shows, in effect, that, take any view of life, and practically wisdom has manifold advantages. (“Ecclesiastes 10” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

+
1
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink and ferment; so a little folly is weightier than wisdom and honourd.

JND Translation Notes

+
d
Or "[so doth] a little folly [for] him who is esteemed for wisdom and honour."