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Bishop's Bible
Ecclesiastes 4:12
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And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
An enemy might defeat one person, but two people together can defend themselves; a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break.
And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if one ouercome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefolde coard is not easily broken.
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can stand against him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Someone might be able to beat up one of you, but not both of you. As the saying goes, "A rope made from three strands of cord is hard to break."
Moreover, an attacker may defeat someone who is alone, but two can resist him; and a three-stranded cord is not easily broken.
And if a [man] overpower the one, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
An enemy might be able to defeat one person, but two people can stand back-to-back to defend each other. And three people are even stronger. They are like a rope that has three parts wrapped together—it is very hard to break.
And if one is too strong for him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.
Although an assailant may overpower one person, two may withstand him. A threefold cord is not easily broken!
And if one overthrows him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly torn apart.
One maye be ouercome, but two maye make resistauce: A thre folde cable is not lightly broken.
And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.
And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if one preuaile against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold coard is not quickly broken.
And if one should prevail against him, the two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord shall not be quickly broken.
And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if ony man hath maistri ayens oon, tweyne ayen stonden hym; a threfolde corde is brokun of hard.
And if a man prevails against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if one prevaileth against him, two shall withstand him; and a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.
Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.
Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
One man is able to have power over him who is alone, but two can stand against him. It is not easy to break a rope made of three strings.
And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, - and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.
And if a man prevail against one, two shall withstand him: a threefold cord is not easily broken.
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if the one strengthen himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not hastily broken.
By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
And if: This is well illustrated by the fable of the dying father, who, to shew his sons the advantages of union, gave them a bundle of twigs, which could not be broken when bound together, but were easily snapped asunder one by one.
and a: 2 Samuel 23:9, 2 Samuel 23:16, 2 Samuel 23:18, 2 Samuel 23:19, 2 Samuel 23:23, Daniel 3:16, Daniel 3:17, Ephesians 4:3
Cross-References
And in processe of dayes it came to passe, that Cain brought of the fruite of the grounde, an oblation vnto ye lorde:
Habel also brought of the firstlynges of his sheepe, & of the fatte thereof: and the Lorde had respect vnto Habel, and to his oblation.
Beholde, thou hast cast me out this day from the vpper face of the earth, & from thy face shall I be hyd, fugitiue also and a vacabounde shall I be in the earth: and it shall come to passe, that euery one that fyndeth me shal slay me.
Cain also knewe his wyfe, whiche conceaued and bare Henoch, and buyldyng a citie, he called the name of the same citie after the name of his sonne Henoch.
Unto ye same Henoch was borne Irad: Irad begat Mehuiael, Mehuiael begat Methusael, Methusael begat Lamech.
And Lamech saide vnto his wiues Ada and Sella: Heare my voyce ye wyues of Lamech, hearken vnto my speache: for I haue slayne a man to the woundyng of my selfe, & a young man to myne owne punishment.
If Cain shalbe auenged seuen folde, truely Lamech seuentie tymes & seuen tymes.
And your labour shalbe spent in vayne: for your lande shall not geue her increase, neither shall the trees of the lande geue their fruites.
And vpon them that are left alyue of you, I will sende a fayntnesse into their heartes in the landes of their enemies: and the sounde of a shakyng leafe shall chase them, and they shall flee as fleyng from a sworde: they shall fall, no man folowyng vpon them.
Let his children be vagaboundes and go a begging: and let them seeke [foode] out of their barren groundes.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him,.... If an enemy, or a thief, or a robber, attack anyone of them, in friendship and fellowship together, and is more than a match for him; both joined together will be able to resist him; so that he shall not succeed in his enterprise, and do the mischief he designed; see
2 Samuel 10:11; Thus, when Satan attacks a single believer, which he chooses to do when alone; so he tempted Eve in the garden, and Christ in the wilderness; and one or more fellow Christians know of it, they are capable of helping their tempted friend, by their advice and counsel, they not being ignorant of Satan's devices; and by striving together in their prayers to God for him: so when false teachers make their efforts, as they usually do, Satan like, upon the weaker sex, and, when alone, they too often succeed; but when saints stand fast in one spirit, and strive together for the faith of the Gospel, they stand their ground, withstand the enemy, and maintain truth;
and a threefold cord is not quickly broken; or "in haste" c; as two are better than one, so three or more united together, it is the better still; they are able to make head against an enemy; and to conquer him, "vis unita fortior est": if a family, community, city, or kingdom, are divided against themselves, they cannot stand; but, if united, in all probability nothing can hurt them. This doctrine is taught in the fable of the bundle of sticks the old man gave to his sons to break; which, while fastened together, could not be done; but, when art bound, and took out singly, were easily snapped asunder; teaching them thereby unity among themselves, as their greatest security against their common enemy. The same instruction is given by this threefold cord; while it remains twisted together, it is not easily broke, but if the threads are untwisted and unloosed, they are soon snapped asunder: so persons in religious fellowship, be they more or fewer, while they keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, they are terrible, as an army with banners, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against them. And if this is true of the united love and affections of saints, it must be much more so of the love of Father, Son, and Spirit; that threefold cord, with which the saints are drawn and held; and of which it may be said, that it not only is not quickly broken, but that it cannot be broken at all; and therefore those who are held by it are in the utmost safety. Some apply this to the three principal graces, faith, hope, and love, which are abiding ones; and, though they may sometimes be weak and low in their acts and exercise, can never be lost.
c במהרה "in festinatia", Montanus; "in celeritate", Vatablus; "in festinatione", Rambachius.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The spectacle of a prosperous man whose condition is rendered vain by his brotherless, childless isolation.
Ecclesiastes 4:8
A second - Any one associated or connected with him.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Compare a saying from the Talmud: “A man without companions is like the left hand without the right.”
