Ecclesiastes 8:10

Authorized King James Version

And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
כֵּן
And so
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner
#2
רָאִיתִי֩
I saw
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
#3
רְשָׁעִ֨ים
the wicked
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
#4
קְבֻרִ֜ים
buried
to inter
#5
וָבָ֗אוּ
who had come
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
#6
וּמִמְּק֤וֹם
from the place
properly, a standing, i.e., a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)
#7
קָדוֹשׁ֙
of the holy
sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) god (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a sanctuary
#8
יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ
and gone
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
#9
וְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּ
and they were forgotten
to mislay, i.e., to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention
#10
בָעִ֖יר
in the city
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
#11
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
#12
כֵּן
And so
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner
#13
עָשׂ֑וּ
where they had so done
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
#14
גַּם
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
#15
זֶ֖ה
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
#16
הָֽבֶל׃
this is also vanity
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb

Analysis

This verse develops the salvation theme central to Ecclesiastes. The concept of divine revelation reflects the development of salvation within biblical theology. The literary structure and word choice here contribute to biblical literature contributing to the canon's theological witness, advancing the author's theological argument. The original language emphasizes careful word choice that would have carried specific theological weight for the original audience, providing deeper understanding of the author's theological intention.

Historical Context

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood divine revelation. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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