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Ecclesiastes 4

Eccl. 4:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

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So I returned
shuwb (Hebrew #7725)
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
KJV usage: ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
Pronounce: shoob
Origin: a primitive root
, and considered
ra'ah (Hebrew #7200)
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
KJV usage: advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.
Pronounce: raw-aw'
Origin: a primitive root
all the oppressions
`ashuwq (Hebrew #6217)
passive participle of 6231; used in plural masculine as abstractly, tyranny
KJV usage: oppressed(-ion). (Doubtful.)
Pronounce: aw-shook'
Origin: or mashuq {aw-shook'}
that are done
`asah (Hebrew #6213)
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows)
KJV usage: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
Pronounce: aw-saw'
Origin: a primitive root
under the sun
shemesh (Hebrew #8121)
the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (arch.) a notched battlement
KJV usage: + east side(-ward), sun ((rising)), + west(-ward), window. See also 1053.
Pronounce: sheh'-mesh
Origin: from an unused root meaning to be brilliant
: and behold the tears
dim`ah (Hebrew #1832)
weeping
KJV usage: tears.
Pronounce: dim-aw'
Origin: feminine of 1831
of such as were oppressed
`ashaq (Hebrew #6231)
to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow
KJV usage: get deceitfully, deceive, defraud, drink up, (use) oppress((-ion)), -or), do violence (wrong).
Pronounce: aw-shak'
Origin: a primitive root (compare 6229)
, and they had no comforter
nacham (Hebrew #5162)
properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)
KJV usage: comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).
Pronounce: naw-kham'
Origin: a primitive root
; and on the ηside
yad (Hebrew #3027)
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows)
KJV usage: (+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, (broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X yourselves.
Pronounce: yawd
Origin: a primitive word
of their oppressors
`ashaq (Hebrew #6231)
to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow
KJV usage: get deceitfully, deceive, defraud, drink up, (use) oppress((-ion)), -or), do violence (wrong).
Pronounce: aw-shak'
Origin: a primitive root (compare 6229)
there was power
koach (Hebrew #3581)
from an unused root meaning to be firm; vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its hardiness) a large lizard
KJV usage: ability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.
Pronounce: ko'-akh
Origin: or (Dan. 11:6) kowach {ko'-akh}
; but they had no comforter
nacham (Hebrew #5162)
properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)
KJV usage: comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).
Pronounce: naw-kham'
Origin: a primitive root
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η
band.

More on:

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Comforter,
Sun

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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1-3:  Vanity is increased unto men by oppression;
4:  by envy;
5-6:  by idleness;
7-8:  by covetousness;
9-12:  by solitariness;
13-16:  by wilfulness.
I returned.
Job 6:29• 29Return, I pray, let there be no wrong;{HR}Yea, return; I am still right therein. (Job 6:29)
;
Mal. 3:18• 18Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. (Mal. 3:18)
and considered.
Eccl. 3:16• 16And moreover I saw under the sun,{HR}That in the place of judgment wickedness was there;{HR}And in the place of righteousness wickedness was there. (Eccl. 3:16)
;
Eccl. 5:8• 8If thou seest the oppression of the poor,{HR}And the violent taking away of judgment{HR}And justice in a province,{HR}Marvel not at the matter:{HR}For one higher than the high regardeth;{HR}And there are higher than they. (Eccl. 5:8)
;
Eccl. 7:7• 7Surely oppression maketh a wise man foolish;{HR}And a gift destroyeth the understanding. (Eccl. 7:7)
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Ex. 1:13‑14,16,22• 13And the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor;
 14and they embittered their life with hard labour in clay and bricks, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service with which they made them serve [was] with rigor.
 16and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see [them] upon the birth-stool, if a son, then ye shall kill him; but if a daughter, then she shall live.
 22And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, but every daughter ye shall save alive. (Ex. 1:13‑14,16,22)
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Ex. 2:23‑24• 23And it came to pass during these many days, that the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and cried; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
 24And God heard their groaning; and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. (Ex. 2:23‑24)
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Ex. 5:16‑19• 16There is no straw given to thy bondmen, and they say to us, Make brick; and behold, thy bondmen are beaten, but it is the fault of thy people.
 17And he said, Ye are idle, idle! therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.
 18And now go—work! and straw shall not be given you, and ye shall deliver the measure of bricks.
 19And the officers of the children of Israel saw that it stood ill with them, because it was said, Ye shall not diminish anything from your bricks, the daily work. (Ex. 5:16‑19)
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Deut. 28:33,48• 33The fruit of thy ground and all thy labour, shall a people that thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed continually.
 48thou shalt serve thine enemies whom Jehovah will send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of everything; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. (Deut. 28:33,48)
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Judg. 4:3• 3And the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. (Judg. 4:3)
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Judg. 10:7‑8• 7And the anger of Jehovah was hot against Israel, and he sold him into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the children of Ammon.
 8And they oppressed and crushed the children of Israel in that year; eighteen years they oppressed all the children of Israel that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. (Judg. 10:7‑8)
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Neh. 5:1‑5• 1And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
 2And there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many, and we must procure corn that we may eat and live.
 3And there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards and houses that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
 4There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
 5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already; neither is it in the power of our hand to redeem them, for other men have our fields and our vineyards. (Neh. 5:1‑5)
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Job 24:7‑12• 7They make the naked lodge without clothing,{HR}And without covering in the cold.
 8With the rain of mountains they are drenched,{HR}And, shelterless, they embrace a rock.
 9They pluck the orphan from the breast,{HR}And on the poor lay distraint.
 10Naked they go without clothing,{HR}And hungry they bear the sheaf,
 11They make oil within their walls,{HR}They tread wine-vats and they thirst.
 12Out of the city mortals groan,{HR}And the soul of the wounded crieth out;{HR}Yet God regardeth not the folly! (Job 24:7‑12)
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Psa. 10:9‑10• 9He lieth in wait in the secret place like a lion in his covert;{HR}He lieth in wait to catch the afflicted;{HR}He catcheth the afflicted when he draweth him into his net.
 10And he is crushed, he is brought low,{HR}The wretched hath fallen by his might. (Psa. 10:9‑10)
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Prov. 28:3,15‑16• 3A poor man who oppresseth the helpless{HR}Is a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
 15A roaring lion, and a ranging bear,{HR}Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
 16The prince void of intelligence is also a great oppressor:{HR}He that hateth covetousness shall prolong [his] days. (Prov. 28:3,15‑16)
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Isa. 5:7• 7For the vineyard of Jehovah of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold a cry. (Isa. 5:7)
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Isa. 51:23• 23and I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee, who have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy back as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over. (Isa. 51:23)
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Isa. 59:7,13‑15• 7Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts [are] thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction [are] in their paths.
 13in transgressing and lying against Jehovah, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
 14And judgment is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter.
 15And truth is lacking; and he [that] departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. And Jehovah saw, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. (Isa. 59:7,13‑15)
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Mal. 3:5• 5And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts. (Mal. 3:5)
the tears.
Psa. 42:3,9• 3My tears have been food to me by day and by night,{HR}Whilst they say unto me all the day, Where [is] thy God?
 9I will say unto God my rock,{HR}Why hast thou forgotten me?{HR}Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? (Psa. 42:3,9)
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Psa. 80:5• 5Thou hast caused them to eat bread of tears{HR}And to drink tears a large measure. (Psa. 80:5)
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Psa. 102:8‑9• 8All the day mine enemies reproach me,{HR}And they that are mad against me swear by me.
 9For I have eaten ashes like bread,{HR}And mingled my drink with weeping, (Psa. 102:8‑9)
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Mal. 2:13• 13And this have ye done again, covering the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering anymore, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. (Mal. 2:13)
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James 5:4• 4Behold, the hire of the labourers who reaped your fields, that is kept back of you crieth out, and the cries of those that reaped entered into the ears of Jehovah of hosts. (James 5:4)
they had.
Job 16:4• 4I also could speak like you,{HR}If your soul were instead of my soul,{HR}I could weave words against you,{HR}And shake my head at you; (Job 16:4)
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Job 19:21‑22• 21Pity me, pity me, O ye, my friends,{HR}For the hand of God hath stricken me.
 22Why do ye persecute me as God,{HR}And are ye not satisfied with my flesh? (Job 19:21‑22)
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Psa. 69:20• 20Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am overwhelmed;{HR}And I looked for mourning, and [there was] none,{HR}And for comforters, and found none. (Psa. 69:20)
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Psa. 142:4• 4Look on the right hand and see:{HR}There is none that knoweth me:{HR}Refuge hath failed me;{HR}There is none caring for my soul. (Psa. 142:4)
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Prov. 19:7• 7All the brothers of the poor hate him;{HR}How much more do his friends go far from him?{HR}He pursueth [with] words: they are not. (Prov. 19:7)
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Lam. 1:2,9• 2She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks;{HR}Among all her lovers she hath no comforter;{HR}All her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
 9Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end;{HR}Therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter.{HR}O Jehovah, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself. (Lam. 1:2,9)
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Matt. 26:56• 56But all this is come to pass that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled. (Matt. 26:56)
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2 Tim. 4:16‑17• 16At my first defence no one took my part, but all deserted me: may it not be laid to their account.
 17But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, that through me the proclamation might be fully made, and all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of a lion's mouth. (2 Tim. 4:16‑17)
side.
Heb. hand.
• {v.1-3} Wherever men have power they use it to bring forth tears; therefore far better, cries Solomon, to be out of such a scene altogether; yea, better still, never to have come into it at all. (“Ecclesiastes 4” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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And I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors was power, and they had no comforter.

W. Kelly Translation

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Then I returned and saw all the oppressions{HR}That are done under the sun:{HR}And behold, the tears of such as were oppressed,{HR}And they had no comforter;{HR}And on the side of their oppressors there was power,{HR}But they had no comforter.