Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 8:4

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapterReport issue
More

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

1 selected · 16 available

Add or remove verses within this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

All 14 ranked passages are available for comparison.

From verse 4

  1. Job 9:12Rank 1 from verse 4
    Open

    12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

  2. Romans 13:1–4Rank 2 from verse 4
    Open

    1LET every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

    2Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

    3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

    4For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

  3. Daniel 4:35Rank 3 from verse 4
    Open

    35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

  4. Proverbs 20:2Rank 4 from verse 4
    Open

    2The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

  5. Job 34:18–19Rank 5 from verse 4
    Open

    18Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

    19How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

  6. Proverbs 19:12Rank 6 from verse 4
    Open

    12The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.

  7. Romans 9:20Rank 7 from verse 4
    Open

    20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

  8. 1 Kings 2:25Rank 8 from verse 4
    Open

    25And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.

  9. 1 Kings 2:29–34Rank 9 from verse 4
    Open

    29And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

    30And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

    31And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

    32And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

    33Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord.

    34So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

  10. 1 Kings 2:46Rank 10 from verse 4
    Open

    46So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

  11. Daniel 3:15Rank 11 from verse 4
    Open

    15Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

  12. Job 33:12–13Rank 12 from verse 4
    Open

    12Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

    13Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

  13. Luke 12:4–5Rank 13 from verse 4
    Open

    4And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

    5But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

  14. Proverbs 30:31Rank 14 from verse 4
    Open

    31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 8:4

COMBINED MEANING

word

↗

Sense 1: A spoken or written expression, saying, message, command, promise, report, or matter. Sense 2: God's revealed word.

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

COMBINED MEANING

king

↗

A sovereign ruler; one exercising royal authority over a kingdom.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

power

↗

Sense 1: Ability, strength, force, or effective capacity to act, prevail, or produce an effect. Sense 2: Authority, right, permission, rule, dominion, or control. Sense 3: A person, authority, host, spiritual being, or other agent possessing or manifesting power.

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

COMBINED MEANING

say

↗

Sense 1: To speak, declare, tell, or express. Sense 2: What is said.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

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

READ THE PASSAGE

View in context

Suggested context · Ecclesiastes 8:1–5

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

8:1WHO is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

8:2I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.

8:3Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

8:4Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

Selected passage

8:5Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Ask a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.