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Ecclesiastes 9

Eccl. 9:4 KJV (With Strong’s)

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4
For
miy (Hebrew #4310)
also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
KJV usage: any (man), X he, X him, + O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.
Pronounce: me
Origin: an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things, who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things)
to him that is
yesh (Hebrew #3426)
entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive verb (1961); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)
KJV usage: (there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.
Pronounce: yaysh
Origin: perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist
joined
bachar (Hebrew #977)
properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select
KJV usage: acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.
Pronounce: baw-khar'
Origin: a primitive root
chabar (Hebrew #2266)
to join (literally or figuratively); specifically (by means of spells) to fascinate
KJV usage: charm(- er), be compact, couple (together), have fellowship with, heap up, join (self, together), league.
Pronounce: khaw-bar'
Origin: a primitive root
to all the living
chay (Hebrew #2416)
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV usage: + age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
Pronounce: khah'-ee
Origin: from 2421
there is hope
bittachown (Hebrew #986)
trust
KJV usage: confidence, hope.
Pronounce: bit-taw-khone'
Origin: from 982
: for a living
chay (Hebrew #2416)
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV usage: + age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
Pronounce: khah'-ee
Origin: from 2421
dog
keleb (Hebrew #3611)
a dog; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitute
KJV usage: dog.
Pronounce: keh'-leb
Origin: from an unused root means. to yelp, or else to attack
is better
towb (Hebrew #2896)
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
KJV usage: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).
Pronounce: tobe
Origin: from 2895
than a dead
muwth (Hebrew #4191)
causatively, to kill
KJV usage: X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs, slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
Pronounce: mooth
Origin: a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively)
lion
'ariy (Hebrew #738)
from 717 (in the sense of violence); a lion
KJV usage: (young) lion, + pierce (from the margin).
Pronounce: ar-ee'
Origin: or (prolonged) earyeh {ar-yay'}
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More on:

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Dog,
Lion

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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Job 14:7‑12• 7For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
 8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
 9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
 10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
 11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
 12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. (Job 14:7‑12)
;
Job 27:8• 8For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? (Job 27:8)
;
Isa. 38:18• 18For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. (Isa. 38:18)
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Lam. 3:21‑22• 21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
 22It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (Lam. 3:21‑22)
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Luke 16:26‑29• 26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
 27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
 29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. (Luke 16:26‑29)
• Dead! What does that mean? It means that every faculty, as far as can be seen, is stilled forever. The dead lion, whose majesty and strength, while living, would have even now struck me with awe, is less formidable as it lies there than a living dog. (“Ecclesiastes 9” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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4
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.