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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 7:6–8

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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3 selected · 26 available

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SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

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From verse 6

  1. Psalms 118:12Rank 1 from verse 6
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    12They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

  2. Psalms 58:9Rank 2 from verse 6
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    9Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

  3. Ecclesiastes 2:2Rank 3 from verse 6
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    2I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

  4. Luke 6:25Rank 4 from verse 6
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    25Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

  5. 2 Peter 2:13–17Rank 5 from verse 6
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    13And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

    14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

    15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

    16But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

    17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

  6. Amos 8:10Rank 6 from verse 6
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    10And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

  7. Isaiah 65:13–15Rank 7 from verse 6
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    13Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:

    14Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

    15And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:

  8. Jude 1:12–13Rank 8 from verse 6
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    12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

    13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

  9. Luke 16:25Rank 9 from verse 6
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    25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

  10. Proverbs 29:9Rank 10 from verse 6
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    9If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

From verse 7

  1. Deuteronomy 16:19Rank 1 from verse 7
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    19Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

  2. Exodus 23:8Rank 2 from verse 7
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    8¶ And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

  3. Proverbs 17:23Rank 3 from verse 7
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    23A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

  4. 1 Samuel 8:3Rank 4 from verse 7
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    3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

  5. Deuteronomy 28:33–34Rank 5 from verse 7
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    33The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:

    34So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

  6. Deuteronomy 28:65Rank 6 from verse 7
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    65And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:

  7. Ecclesiastes 4:1Rank 7 from verse 7
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    1SO I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

  8. Isaiah 1:23Rank 8 from verse 7
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    23Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

  9. Proverbs 17:8Rank 9 from verse 7
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    8A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

  10. 1 Samuel 12:3Rank 10 from verse 7
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    3Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

  11. Isaiah 33:15Rank 11 from verse 7
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    15He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

From verse 8

  1. Hebrews 10:36Rank 1 from verse 8
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    36For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

  2. Psalms 126:5–6Rank 2 from verse 8
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    5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

    6He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

  3. Proverbs 14:29Rank 3 from verse 8
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    29He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

  4. 1 Peter 1:13Rank 4 from verse 8
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    13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

  5. James 5:11Rank 5 from verse 8
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    11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

  6. James 5:8Rank 6 from verse 8
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    8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

  7. Proverbs 15:18Rank 7 from verse 8
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    18A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

  8. Galatians 5:22Rank 8 from verse 8
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    22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

  9. Luke 21:19Rank 9 from verse 8
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    19In your patience possess ye your souls.

  10. Proverbs 16:32Rank 10 from verse 8
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    32He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

  11. Luke 16:25Rank 11 from verse 8
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    25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

  12. Romans 2:7–8Rank 12 from verse 8
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    7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

    8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

  13. Proverbs 13:10Rank 13 from verse 8
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    10Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

  14. 1 Peter 2:20–21Rank 14 from verse 8
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    20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

    21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

  15. Proverbs 28:25Rank 15 from verse 8
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    25He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.

  16. Ephesians 4:2Rank 16 from verse 8
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    2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

  17. 1 Peter 5:5–6Rank 17 from verse 8
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    5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

    6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

  18. Isaiah 10:24–25Rank 18 from verse 8
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    24¶ Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.

    25For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

  19. Isaiah 10:28–34Rank 19 from verse 8
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    28He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:

    29They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

    30Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.

    31Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.

    32As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

    33Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

    34And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 7:6

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

thorns

↗

Sense 1: Sharp spines or prickles. Sense 2: Thorn-bearing plants and figures of things that prick, obstruct, or grieve.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

pot

↗

A vessel more deep than broad, made of earth, or iron or other metal, used for several domestic purposes.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

laughter

↗

Convulsive merriment; an expression of mirth peculiar to man, consisting in a peculiar noise and configuration of features, with a shaking of the sides and expulsion of breath.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

fool

↗

Sense 1: A person lacking wisdom or moral understanding. Sense 2: As a verb, to act foolishly or deceive.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

vanity

↗

Emptiness, futility, worthlessness, falsehood, unreliability, or transience.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 7:7

COMBINED MEANING

maketh

↗

Third-person singular present form of make (to form, create, produce, cause, appoint, perform, or render into a stated condition).

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

wise

↗

Sense 1: Possessing or exercising understanding, knowledge, prudence, judgment, discernment, or skill; also a wise person. Sense 2: In phrases such as in no wise, way, manner, respect, or degree.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

mad

↗

Out of sound judgment or self-control; insane, enraged, or violently furious.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

gift

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Sense 1: Something given or bestowed; a present. Sense 2: An endowment or ability. Sense 3: A bribe.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

COMBINED MEANING

destroyeth

↗

Third-person singular present form of destroy. Sense 1: Ruins, demolishes, consumes, or lays waste. Sense 2: Kills or cuts off. Sense 3: Causes a thing's structure, use, activity, or present condition to cease.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

heart

↗

Sense 1: The bodily organ. Sense 2: The inward person: the mind, will, affections, conscience, or moral character.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 7:8

COMBINED MEANING

better

↗

Sense 1: More excellent, more fitting, or to a greater degree. Sense 2: To improve or make better.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

end

↗

Sense 1: The last or concluding part, termination, or limit. Sense 2: A purpose or intended result. Sense 3: As a verb, to cease or bring to a close.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

patient

↗

Enduring delay, suffering, or provocation with steadfastness, forbearance, and self-restraint.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

spirit

↗

Sense 1: An immaterial living or personal being distinct from a body. Sense 2: The inward life, disposition, mind, or courage of a person. Sense 3: The Holy Spirit, the divine Spirit of God.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

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READ THE PASSAGE

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Suggested context · Ecclesiastes 7:2–10

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7:2It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

7:3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

7:4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

7:5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

7:6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

Selected passage

7:7¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

Selected passage

7:8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Selected passage

7:9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

7:10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

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