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Ecclesiastes 8

Eccl. 8:17 KJV (With Strong’s)

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17
Then I beheld
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 work
ma`aseh (Hebrew #4639)
an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property
KJV usage: act, art, + bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well, ((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, - manship), wrought.
Pronounce: mah-as-eh'
Origin: from 6213
of God
'elohiym (Hebrew #430)
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV usage: angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
Pronounce: el-o-heem'
Origin: plural of 433
, that a man
'adam (Hebrew #120)
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
KJV usage: X another, + hypocrite, + common sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
Pronounce: aw-dawm'
Origin: from 119
cannot
yakol (Hebrew #3201)
a primitive root; to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
KJV usage: be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.
Pronounce: yaw-kole'
Origin: or (fuller) yakowl {yaw-kole'}
find out
matsa' (Hebrew #4672)
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
KJV usage: + be able, befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
Pronounce: maw-tsaw'
Origin: a primitive root
t the work
ma`aseh (Hebrew #4639)
an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property
KJV usage: act, art, + bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well, ((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, - manship), wrought.
Pronounce: mah-as-eh'
Origin: from 6213
that is 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
: because
'aher (Hebrew #834)
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
KJV usage: X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
Pronounce: ash-er'
Origin: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number)
though
shel (Hebrew #7945)
used with prepositional prefix, and often followed by some pronominal affix; on account of, whatsoever, whichsoever
KJV usage: cause, sake.
Pronounce: shel
Origin: for the rel. 834
a man
'adam (Hebrew #120)
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
KJV usage: X another, + hypocrite, + common sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
Pronounce: aw-dawm'
Origin: from 119
labor
`amal (Hebrew #5998)
to toil, i.e. work severely and with irksomeness
KJV usage: (take) labour (in).
Pronounce: aw-mal'
Origin: a primitive root
to seek it out
baqash (Hebrew #1245)
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
KJV usage: ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).
Pronounce: baw-kash'
Origin: a primitive root
, yet he shall not find
matsa' (Hebrew #4672)
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
KJV usage: + be able, befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
Pronounce: maw-tsaw'
Origin: a primitive root
it; yea further; though a wise
chakam (Hebrew #2450)
wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)
KJV usage: cunning (man), subtil, ((un-)), wise((hearted), man).
Pronounce: khaw-kawm'
Origin: from 2449
man think
'amar (Hebrew #559)
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV usage: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.
Pronounce: aw-mar'
Origin: a primitive root
to know
yada` (Hebrew #3045)
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) (as follow)
KJV usage: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), X will be, wist, wit, wot.
Pronounce: yaw-dah'
Origin: a primitive root
it, yet shall he not be able
yakol (Hebrew #3201)
a primitive root; to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
KJV usage: be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.
Pronounce: yaw-kole'
Origin: or (fuller) yakowl {yaw-kole'}
to find
matsa' (Hebrew #4672)
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
KJV usage: + be able, befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
Pronounce: maw-tsaw'
Origin: a primitive root
it.
t
Job 5:9• 9Who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvellous things without number; (Job 5:9)
;
Psa. 40:5• 5Thou, O Jehovah my God, hast multiplied thy marvellous works, and thy thoughts toward us: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee; would I declare and speak them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psa. 40:5)
;
Rom. 11:33• 33O depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable his judgments, and untraceable his ways! (Rom. 11:33)

More on:

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God,
Sun

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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that a man.
Eccl. 3:11• 11He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth. (Eccl. 3:11)
;
Eccl. 7:23‑24• 23All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
 24Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out? (Eccl. 7:23‑24)
;
Eccl. 11:5• 5As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all. (Eccl. 11:5)
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Job 5:9• 9Who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvellous things without number; (Job 5:9)
;
Job 11:7‑9• 7Canst thou by searching find out +God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?
 8It is as the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?
 9The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. (Job 11:7‑9)
;
Psa. 40:5• 5Thou, O Jehovah my God, hast multiplied thy marvellous works, and thy thoughts toward us: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee; would I declare and speak them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psa. 40:5)
;
Psa. 73:16• 16When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes; (Psa. 73:16)
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Psa. 104:24• 24How manifold are thy works, O Jehovah! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. (Psa. 104:24)
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Prov. 30:3‑4• 3I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
 4Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest? (Prov. 30:3‑4)
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Isa. 40:28• 28Dost thou not know, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not nor tireth? There is no searching of his understanding. (Isa. 40:28)
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Rom. 11:33• 33O depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable his judgments, and untraceable his ways! (Rom. 11:33)
• All shall be right. None shall then be perplexed because “there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous.” All shall be absolutely right. No whisper shall be heard, even in hell itself, of the charges that men so boldly and blasphemously cast at His holy name now. (“Ecclesiastes 8” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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17
then I saw that all is the work of God, and thate man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however man may labour to seek it out, yet doth he not find it; and even, if a wiseman think to know it, he shall not be able to find it out.

JND Translation Notes

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e
Lit. "I saw all the work of God, that."