Ecclesiastes 8:4

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ל֖וֹ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃

Transliteration

In-ʾăšer dĕbar-melek šilṭôn and-mî yōʾmar-to-him mah-taʿăśeh

Grammar Details

• *ʾăšer*: relative particle - that/which/where
• *dĕbar*: noun, masculine singular construct - word of
• *melek*: noun, masculine singular - king
• *šilṭôn*: noun, masculine singular - authority/power
• *mî*: interrogative pronoun - who
• *yōʾmar*: qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - will say
• *mah*: interrogative pronoun - what
• *taʿăśeh*: qal imperfect, 2nd masculine singular - you do/you will do

Word Meanings

• *ʾăšer*: that/which/where
• *dĕbar*: word/command/matter
• *melek*: king/sovereign
• *šilṭôn*: authority/power/dominion
• *yōʾmar*: will say/can say/dares say
• *taʿăśeh*: you do/you will do/are you doing

Referenced Verses

• Job 9:12 : 12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
• Job 34:18-19 : 18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly? 19 How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.
• Dan 4:35 : 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
• Rom 13:1-4 : 1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
• Luke 12:4-5 : 4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
• Rom 9:20 : 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
• Prov 19:12 : 12 The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.
• Prov 20:2 : 2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
• Prov 30:31 : 31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
• Dan 3:15 : 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
• Job 33:12-13 : 12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. 13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
• 1 Kgs 2:25 : 25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
• 1 Kgs 2:29-34 : 29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him. 30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. 31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father. 32 And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah. 33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD. 34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
• 1 Kgs 2:46 : 46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.