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the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Bishop's Bible

Ecclesiastes 2:7

I bought seruauntes and maydens, and had a great housholde: As for cattel and sheepe, I had more substaunce of them then all they that were before me in Hierusalem.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Epicureans;   Investigation;   Pleasure;   Servant;   Vanity;   Wisdom;   Worldliness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Servants;   Vanity;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Joy;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, the Book of;   Solomon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;   Israel, History of;   Jewels, Jewelry;   Joy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Cattle;   Ecclesiastes;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Winter ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Cattle;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Servant;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Slave;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher;   Get;   Mad;   Maid;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ḳohelet (Ecclesiastes) Rabbah;   Patriotism;   Sheep;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for October 1;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned livestock—large herds and flocks—more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.
Hebrew Names Version
I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Yerushalayim;
King James Version
I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
English Standard Version
I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
New American Standard Bible
I bought male and female slaves, and I had slaves born at home. I also possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.
New Century Version
I bought male and female slaves, and slaves were also born in my house. I had large herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem had ever had before.
Amplified Bible
I bought male and female slaves and had slaves born in my house. I also possessed herds and flocks larger than any who preceded me in Jerusalem.
World English Bible
I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;
Geneva Bible (1587)
I haue gotten seruants and maides, and had children borne in the house: also I had great possession of beeues and sheepe aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem.
Legacy Standard Bible
I bought male and female slaves, and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.
Berean Standard Bible
I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
Contemporary English Version
I owned slaves, and their sons and daughters became my slaves. I had more sheep and goats than anyone who had ever lived in Jerusalem.
Complete Jewish Bible
I bought male and female slaves, and I had my home-born slaves as well. I also had growing herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, more than anyone before me in Yerushalayim.
Darby Translation
I acquired servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that had been in Jerusalem before me.
Easy-to-Read Version
I bought men and women slaves, and there were slaves born in my house. I owned many great things. I had herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. I owned more things than any other person in Jerusalem did.
George Lamsa Translation
I got for myself menservants and maidservants, and had a great household; also I had great possessions of cattle and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem.
Good News Translation
I bought many slaves, and there were slaves born in my household. I owned more livestock than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem.
Lexham English Bible
I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children born in my house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem.
Literal Translation
I bought slaves and slave girls, and the sons of the house were mine. Also livestock, a herd and a great flock were mine, above all that were before me in Jerusalem.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I bought seruauntes and maydes, and had a greate housholde. As for catell and shepe, I had more substaunce of them, then all they yt were before me in Ierusalem.
American Standard Version
I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
Bible in Basic English
I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
King James Version (1611)
I got me seruants and maydens, and had seruants borne in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattell, aboue all that were in Ierusalem before me.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I got servants and maidens, and servants were born to me in the house: also I had abundant possession of flocks and herds, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
English Revised Version
I bought menservants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
I hadde in possessioun seruauntis and handmaidis; and Y hadde myche meynee, and droues of grete beestis, and grete flockis of scheep, ouer alle men that weren bifore me in Jerusalem.
Update Bible Version
I bought male slaves and female slaves, and had slaves born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
Webster's Bible Translation
I procured [me] servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
New English Translation
I purchased male and female slaves, and I owned slaves who were born in my house; I also possessed more livestock—both herds and flocks— than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem.
New King James Version
I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
New Living Translation
I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me.
New Life Bible
I bought men and women servants, and had other servants who were born in my house. I had more flocks and cattle than anyone before me in Jerusalem.
New Revised Standard
I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I acquired, men-servants and women-servants, and, the children of the household, were mine, - also possessions, herds and flocks in abundance, were mine, beyond all who had been before me in Jerusalem;
Douay-Rheims Bible
I got me menservants, and maidservants, and had a great family: and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem:
Revised Standard Version
I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
Young's Literal Translation
I got men-servants, and maid-servants, and sons of the house were to me; also, I had much substance -- herd and flock -- above all who had been before me in Jerusalem.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.

Contextual Overview

1 Then sayde I thus in my heart: Nowe go to, I will take myne ease, and haue good dayes: But lo, that is vanitie also. 2 Insomuch that I saide vnto the man geuen to laughter, thou art mad: and to mirth, what doest thou? 3 So I thought in my heart to geue my fleshe vnto wine, and agayne to apply my mynde vnto wisdome, and to comprehende foolishnesse: vntyll the tyme that among all the thynges which are vnder the sunne, I myght see what were best for men to do so long as they liue vnder heauen. 4 I made gorgious faire workes: I builded my houses, and planted vineyardes. 5 I made me orchardes and gardens of pleasure, and planted trees in them of all maner of fruites. 6 I made pooles of water, to water the greene and fruitfull trees withall. 7 I bought seruauntes and maydens, and had a great housholde: As for cattel and sheepe, I had more substaunce of them then all they that were before me in Hierusalem. 8 I gathered together siluer and golde, and the chiefe treasures of kynges and landes: I haue prouided me men singgers and women singers, and the delites of the sonnes of men, as a woman taken captiue, and women taken captiues. 9 And I was greater and in more worship then all my predecessours in Hierusalem: For wisdome remayned with me. 10 And loke whatsoeuer myne eyes desired, I let them haue it: and wherin soeuer my heart delited or had any pleasure, I withhelde it not from it: Thus my heart reioyced in all that I did, and this was my portion of all my trauayle.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

servants: 1 Kings 9:20-22, Ezra 2:58, Nehemiah 7:57

and had: Genesis 17:12, Genesis 17:13

servants born in my house: Heb. sons of my house

also: Genesis 13:2, 2 Kings 3:4, 1 Chronicles 27:29-31, 2 Chronicles 26:10, 2 Chronicles 32:27-29, Job 1:3, Job 42:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 14:14 - born Genesis 15:3 - born Genesis 30:43 - General Exodus 21:4 - shall be her Jeremiah 2:14 - he a homeborn

Cross-References

Genesis 2:14
The name of ye thirde ryuer is Hidekel, & it goeth toward the east side of Assiria: & the fourth ryuer is Euphrates.
Genesis 2:15
And the Lord God toke the man, and put hym in the garden of Eden, that he myght worke it, and kepe it.
Genesis 2:20
And the man gaue names to all cattell, and foule of the ayre, & euery beast of the fielde: but for man founde he not an helpe lyke vnto hym.
Genesis 2:21
The Lord God caused a deepe sleepe to fall vpon Adam, and he slept, and he toke one of his ribbes, and closed vp the place with fleshe in steade therof.
Genesis 3:23
Therefore the Lorde God sent hym foorth fro the garden of Eden, to worke the grounde whence he was taken.
Genesis 7:22
So that all that had the breath of lyfe in his nostrilles throughout all that was on the drye lande, dyed.
Numbers 16:22
And they fell vpon their faces, and sayde: O God, the God of spirites of all fleshe, hath not one man sinned? Wilt thou be wroth with all the multitude?
Numbers 27:16
Let the Lord God of the spirites of all fleshe set a man ouer ye congregation,
Job 4:19
Howe much more in them that dwel in houses of clay, and whose foundation is but dust, which shall be consumed as it were with a moth?
Job 27:3
Whyle my breath is in me, and the winde that God hath geuen me is in my nostrels,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I got [me] servants and maidens,.... Menservants, and maidservants; the Targum adds,

"of the children of Ham, and of the rest of the strange people;''

these were such as he hired, or bought with his money;

and had servants born in my house; and these were all employed by him; either as his retinue and equipage, his attendants and bodyguards; or to take care of his household, his gardens, and pools; or for his horses and chariots, and for various offices; see 1 Kings 4:26 Ezra 2:58. Villalpandus computes the number of his servants to be forty eight thousand; if there were any pleasure and happiness in such a numerous attendance, Solomon had it;

also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me; oxen, cows, horses, asses, camels, mules, c. also sheep and goats which, as they were profitable, so it was pleasant to see them grazing on the hills and valleys, in the fields, mountains, and meadows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I got - Rather, I bought, in distinction from those born in the house. The “children of Solomon’s servants” (compare Ezra 2:55, Ezra 2:58) were more probably of Canaanite origin 1 Kings 9:20-21; 1 Kings 5:15 than Hebrews 1 Kings 9:22.

Possessions of great and small cattle - Rather, herds of oxen and sheep.

All ... before me - King David’s herds and flocks are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 27:29, 1 Chronicles 27:31 : but we have no specific account of the wealth of other Canaanite or Hebrew inhabitants of Jerusalem before Solomon.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 2:7. Servants and maidens — For my works, fields, folds, and various domestic labors.

Servants born in any house — Besides those hired from without, he had married couples in the precincts of his grounds, palaces, etc., who, when their children grew up, got them employment with themselves.

Great and small cattleOxen, neat, horses, asses, mules, camels, and such like; with sheep and goats. And multitudes of most of these he needed, when we are told that his household consumed daily ten stall-fed oxen, with twenty from the pasture, with a hundred sheep; besides harts, roebucks, fallow deer, fatted fowls, and other kinds of provision. Probably, such another court for splendor and expense was not in the universe.


 
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