Ecclesiastes 1 · Verse 12

Ecclesiastes 1:12

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Ecclesiastes 1:12, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 1:12 in other translations

BSBI, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
WEBI, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
ASVI the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
YLTI, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
DARBYI, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
BBEI, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
WebsterI the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

What does Ecclesiastes 1:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. Resumption of Ec 1:1, the intermediate verses being the introductory statement of his thesis. Therefore, "the Preacher" (Koheleth) is repeated. was king--instead of "am," because he is about to give the results of his past experience during his long reign. in Jerusalem--specified, as opposed to David, who reigned both in Hebron and Jerusalem; whereas Solomon reigned only in Jerusalem. "King of Israel in Jerusalem," implies that he reigned over Israel and Judah combined; whereas David, at Hebron, reigned only over Judah, and not, until he was settled in Jerusalem, over both Israel and Judah.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 I the Preacher was king - This is a strange verse, and does not admit of an easy solution. It is literally, "I, Choheleth, have been king over Israel, in Jerusalem." This book, as we have already seen, has been conjectured by some to have been written about the time that Ptolemy Philadelphus formed his great library at Alexandria, about two hundred and eighty-five years before our Lard; and from the multitude of Jews that dwelt there, and resorted to that city for the sake of commerce, it was said there was an Israel in Alexandria. See the introduction. It has also been conjectured from this, that if the book were written by Solomon, it was intended to be a posthumous publication. "I that was king, still continue to preach and instruct you." Those who suppose the book to have been written after Solomon's fall, think that he speaks thus through humility. "I was once worthy of the name of king: but I fell into all evil; and, though recovered, I am no longer worthy of the name." I am afraid this is not solid.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and mourn. Let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this vanity and misery; to value Christ; to seek rest in the knowledge, love, and service of the Saviour.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ecclesiastes 1:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אֲנִ֣י'a.NiIH589
קֹהֶ֗לֶתko.He.letTeacherH6953
הָיִ֥יתִיha.Yi.tiI wasH1961
מֶ֛לֶךְMe.lekhkingH4428
עַל\־'al-overH5921
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם\׃bi.ru.sha.Limin JerusalemH3389

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 1:12

  • Ecclesiastes 1:1

    The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

  • 1 Kings 4:1-19

    So king Solomon was king over all Israel. And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1; 1Ki 4:1-19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 1:11

    There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:12

    I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:13

    And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 1

Ecclesiastes 1:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Yo el Predicador fuí rey sobre Israel en Jerusalem.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Moi, le prédicateur, j’ai été roi sur Israël à Jérusalem,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich, Prediger, war König über Israel, in Jerusalem.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israël in Jerusalem;