Ecclesiastes 4:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

I returned

Job 6:29

Malachi 3:18

And considered

The tears

James 5:4

They had

General references

Bible References

I returned

Turn back, please let there be no sin; yea, return again, my righteousness is in this matter.

Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God, and him who does not serve Him.

And considered

And again I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, do not marvel at the matter. For He who is higher than the highest watches; and there are some higher than they.

Surely oppression makes a wise man mad; and a bribe destroys the heart.

And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel serve with harshness.

And it happened after many days the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.

There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, Make bricks! And behold, your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.

The fruit of your land, and all your labors, shall be eaten up by a nation which you do not know. And you shall always be oppressed and crushed,

And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron. And he mightily oppressed the sons of Israel twenty years.

And the anger of Jehovah was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the sons of Ammon.

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.

They lodge the naked without clothing, and give no covering in the cold.

He lies in wait secretly, like a lion in his den. He lies in wait to catch the poor; he catches the poor when he draws him into his net.

A poor man who crushes the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food.

For the vineyard of Jehovah of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant; and He looked for justice, but behold bloody iniquity; for righteousness, but behold a cry!

But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, Bow down so that we may cross; and put your back as the ground, even as the street to those who cross.

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and ruin are in their paths.

And I will come near you to judgment. And I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those who extort from the hired laborer's wages, and turning away the widow, and the orphan, the alien, and not fearing Me, says Jehovah of Hosts.

The tears

My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day, Where is your God?

You feed them with the bread of tears; and give them tears to drink in great measure.

My enemies curse me all the day; and they who are mad against me are sworn against me.

And this is a second thing you have done, covering the altar of Jehovah with tears, weeping, and groaning, yet not facing toward the food offering, and taking it with delight from your hand.

Behold, the hire of the laborers reaping your fields cry out, being kept back by you. And the cries of those who have reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.

They had

I also could speak as you do; if your soul were in my soul's place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

Have pity on me! Have pity on me, my friends! For the hand of God has touched me.

Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to mourn with me, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

I looked on my right hand, and I watched, but no one recognized me; escape was lost to me; no man cared for my soul.

All the brothers of the poor man hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him? He pursues them with words, yet they are lacking.

She bitterly weeps in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers, she has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt deceitfully with her; they became her enemies.

But all this happened that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples fled, forsaking Him.

At my first answer no one was beside me, but all deserted me. May it not be laid to their charge.

General references

And again I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

And I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

For there are many things that increase vanity, and what is man the better?

Why do You show me evil, and You look on toil? For destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention rises up.