I say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath to God.
Parallel translations
- KJV I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
- BSB Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before 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 them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
- Prov 24:21My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious:
- 1 Kgs 2:43Why then have you not kept the oath of Yahweh, and the commandment that I have instructed you with?”
- 1 Pet 2:13–17Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme;
- Rom 13:1–5Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.
- 2 Sam 21:7But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
- 1 Chr 29:24All the princes, the mighty men, and also all of the sons of king David submitted themselves to Solomon the king.
- Exod 22:11the oath of Yahweh shall be between them both, whether he hasn’t put his hand to his neighbor’s goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.
- Ezek 17:13–20He took some of the royal offspring, and made a covenant with him. He also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.