Ecclesiastes 8:2 net — Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.

NET Bible

"Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him."

— Ecclesiastes 8:2, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Ecclesiastes 8:2 in Other Translations

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Ecclesiastes 8 — Context

1

Human Government Demonstrates Limitations of Wisdom Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person’s wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance.

2

Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.

3

Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste– do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases.

4

Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him,“What are you doing?”

5

Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure.

Ecclesiastes 8:2 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ecclesiastes 8:2 say?
Ecclesiastes 8:2 in the NET Bible reads: “Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.”
Where is Ecclesiastes 8:2 in the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 8:2 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 8, verse 2.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon (traditional; identified as "the Preacher, son of David"). It was written c. 940 BC.
What is the book of Ecclesiastes about?
Ecclesiastes is a candid meditation on life "under the sun" — its pleasures, its pains, and its apparent vanity. The Preacher tries wisdom, wealth, work, and pleasure, finds them all empty without God, and concludes that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole of man.
What are the major themes of Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes explores themes including Vanity, Time, Meaning, Fear of God, Mortality. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ecclesiastes 8:2.
What translation should I read Ecclesiastes 8:2 in?
Ecclesiastes 8:2 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ecclesiastes 8:2?
Ecclesiastes 8:2 reads (NET): “Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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