Ecclesiastes 4:14
For from a house of prisoners he hath come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he hath been poor.
Young's Literal Translation
In The King James Version
For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
In Context
Cross References
Genesis 41:14And Pharaoh sendeth and calleth Joseph, and they cause him to run out of the pit, and he shaveth, and changeth his garments, and cometh in unto Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:41And Pharaoh saith unto Joseph, 'See, I have put thee over all the land of Egypt.'
1 Samuel 2:8He raiseth from the dust the poor, From a dunghill He lifteth up the needy, To cause [them] to sit with nobles, Yea, a throne of honour He doth cause them to inherit, For to Jehovah [are] the fixtures of earth, And He setteth on them the habitable world.
2 Kings 23:31A son of twenty and three years [is] Jehoahaz in his reigning, and three months he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah,
2 Kings 24:6And Jehoiakim lieth with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigneth in his stead.
2 Kings 25:7And the sons of Zedekiah they have slaughtered before his eyes, and the eyes of Zedekiah he hath blinded, and bindeth him with brazen fetters, and they bring him to Babylon.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 4:14-16
The Advantages of Society. 13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.… Read the whole commentary →