Ecclesiastes 5:8

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Ecclesiastes 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

Thou seest

Habakkuk 1:2

Marvel

Zechariah 8:6

1 John 3:13

Revelation 17:6

Matter

Romans 11:33

For

Isaiah 57:15

Luke 1:32

Regardeth

Higher than they

Acts 12:7

General references

Bible References

Thou seest

I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth. This is what I saw: The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors.

"Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action," says the Lord. "I will provide the safety they so desperately desire."

Confuse them, O Lord! Frustrate their plans! For I see violence and conflict in the city.

Then observers will say, "Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded! Yes indeed, there is a God who judges in the earth!"

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

How long, Lord, must I cry for help? But you do not listen! I call out to you, "Violence!" But you do not intervene!

Marvel

And,' says the Lord who rules over all, 'though such a thing may seem to be difficult in the opinion of the small community of those days, will it also appear difficult to me?' asks the Lord who rules over all.

Therefore do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. I was greatly astounded when I saw her.

Matter

Assyria, the club I use to vent my anger, is as good as dead, a cudgel with which I angrily punish.

who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, 'My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,'

Lord, you have been active from ancient times; my sovereign God, you are immortal. Lord, you have made them your instrument of judgment. Protector, you have appointed them as your instrument of punishment.

"For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!

For

For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: "I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.

Regardeth

Say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: "Haven't you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?"' Then say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: "In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth's blood they will also lick up your blood -- yes, yours!"'"

For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build.

For what hope does the godless have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.

"Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action," says the Lord. "I will provide the safety they so desperately desire."

The godly will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

A psalm of Asaph. God stands in the assembly of El; in the midst of the gods he renders judgment.

Then they will know that you alone are the Lord, the sovereign king over all the earth.

A slanderer will not endure on the earth; calamity will hunt down a violent man and strike him down.

Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?" The sovereign Lord who commands armies has spoken.

Indeed Israel is the vineyard of the Lord who commands armies, the people of Judah are the cultivated place in which he took delight. He waited for justice, but look what he got -- disobedience! He waited for fairness, but look what he got -- cries for help!

We have rebelled and tried to deceive the Lord; we turned back from following our God. We stir up oppression and rebellion; we tell lies we concocted in our minds.

But you are always thinking and looking for ways to increase your wealth by dishonest means. Your eyes and your heart are set on killing some innocent person and committing fraud and oppression.

"'See how each of the princes of Israel living within you has used his authority to shed blood.

Certainly I am aware of your many rebellious acts and your numerous sins. You torment the innocent, you take bribes, and you deny justice to the needy at the city gate.

They say to the people: "Journey over to Calneh and look at it! Then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah! Then go down to Gath of the Philistines! Are they superior to our two kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?"

Listen to this, you who trample the needy, and do away with the destitute in the land.

Those who devise sinful plans are as good as dead, those who dream about doing evil as they lie in bed. As soon as morning dawns they carry out their plans, because they have the power to do so.

I said, "Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just,

"I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away, or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much.

"The Lord who rules over all said, 'Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other.

"I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me," says the Lord who rules over all.

For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.

Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten.

Higher than they

God sent an angel to ravage Jerusalem. As he was doing so, the Lord watched and relented from his judgment. He told the angel who was destroying, "That's enough! Stop now!" Now the Lord's angel was standing near the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

For the Lord is a great God, a great king who is superior to all gods.

The Lord's messenger went out and killed 185,000 troops in the Assyrian camp. When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses!

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers.

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

General references

"You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits.

If you make a sale to your fellow citizen or buy from your fellow citizen, no one is to wrong his brother.

I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

Why do you force me to witness injustice? Why do you put up with wrongdoing? Destruction and violence confront me; conflict is present and one must endure strife.