Ecclesiastes 8:9

The World Marred By Oppression And Injustice

⁸ No one has authority over the wind to restrain it, and there is no authority over the day of death; there is no furlough in battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape. ⁹ All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm. ¹⁰ In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they did so. This too is futile.

As One Man

In the World

On Earth

Under the Sun

Exodus 14:5-9

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said: “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.”

Ecclesiastes 5:8

If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.

Exodus 14:28

The waters came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh, that had gone after them into the sea. None of them survived.

Deuteronomy 2:30

But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us travel through his land, for the Lord your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to hand him over to you, as has now taken place.

2 Kings 14:10-12

You have indeed defeated Edom, and you have become overconfident. Enjoy your glory and stay at home. Why should you stir up such trouble that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

2 Kings 25:7

They slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes. Finally, the king of Babylon blinded Zedekiah, bound him in bronze chains, and took him to Babylon.

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 3:10

I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-8

Again, I saw futility under the sun:

Ecclesiastes 5:13

There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

Ecclesiastes 7:25

I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness.