Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God.
Parallel translations
- WEB I say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath to God.
- KJV I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
- NKJV I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God.
- NASB I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.
- NLT Obey the king since you vowed to God that you would.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Preacher counsels obeying the king's command, in part because of an oath made before God. Lawful authority is to be honored as a sacred, God-given responsibility.
Overview
This begins a section on living wisely under earthly rulers. The 'oath to God' likely refers to a covenant of loyalty sworn in God's name, giving obedience to the king a religious weight. Scripture consistently teaches submission to governing authorities as ordained by God, while reserving ultimate allegiance for the Lord (Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Titus 3:1Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,
- Prov 24:21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
- 1 Kgs 2:43So why have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the command that I gave you?”
- 1 Pet 2:13–17Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
- Rom 13:1–5Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
- 2 Sam 21:7Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
- 1 Chr 29:24All the officials and mighty men, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.
- Exod 22:11an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution.
- Ezek 17:13–20He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land,
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Christ at the center
The search that finds everything 'under the sun' to be vapor exposes the emptiness of life without God and drives us to the one who alone gives meaning, the resurrection that makes our labor not in vain.
How Ecclesiastes 8:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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