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Ecclesiastes 5:9

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Ecclesiastes 5:9 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.
Ecclesiastes 5:9 — American Standard Version

Context — Ecclesiastes 5

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that is was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God.
8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.
9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.
10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.
11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding [of them] with his eyes?
12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all, etc.] Or, “the excellency of the earth in” or “above all things [is] this”f122; that God most high rules over all the earth, and is higher than the kings of it, and all oppressors in it; or in all respects there is a preference, a superior excellency in the country as opposed to the city, especially in this, that there are not so many tumults, riots, and oppressions there; though this is mostly understood of the preference and superior excellency of agriculture, or tillage of the earth. So the Targum, “the excellency of the praise of tilling the earth is above all things:” and to the same purpose Jarchi and Aben Ezra; and the profit arising from…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“"The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" (Ch2 26:10). Therefore the common Lord of all, high and low, will punish at last those who rob the "poor" of their share in it (Pro 22:22-23; Amo 8:4-7).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The king himself is served by the field - Rather, the king is subject to the field, i. e., is dependent on its cultivation. The higher ranks, if they oppress the lower, lose thereby their own means of subsistence. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Profit - The fruits of the earth. For all - Necessary and beneficial to all men. The wise man, after some interruption, returns to his former subject, the vanity of riches, one evidence whereof he mentions in this verse, that the poor labourer enjoys the fruits of the earth as well as the greatest monarch. Is served - Is supported by the fruits of the field. Ecclesiastes 5:13”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the profit: Gen 1:29, Gen 1:30, Gen 3:17-19; Psa 104:14, Psa 104:15, Psa 115:16; Pro 13:23, Pro 27:23-27; Pro 28:19; Jer 40:10-12 the king: Sa1 8:12-17; 1Kings 4:7-23; Ch1 27:26-31 Ecclesiastes 5:10”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“The author, on the other hand, now praises the patriarchal form of government based on agriculture, whose king takes pride, not in bloody conquests and tyrannical caprice, but in the peaceful promotion of the welfare of his people: "But the advantage of a country consists always in a king given to the arable land." What impossibilities have been found here, even by the most recent expositors! Ewald, Heiligst., Elster, Zckl. translate: rex agro factus = terrae praefectus; but, in the language of this book, not עבד but מלך עשׁה is the expression used for "to make a king." Gesen., Win., de Wette, Knobel, Vaih. translate: rex qui colitur a terra (civibus). But could a country, in the sense of…”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification