Bible Strands
Ecclesiastes 8:2
Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Preacher addresses a subject who has been summoned to the royal court, urging immediate compliance with royal directives. This instruction follows a description of the wise man whose discernment protects him from sudden royal decrees.
The words — The phrase אֲנִי֙ ('a.Ni) "I" and שְׁבוּעַ֥ת (she.vu.'At) "oath" anchor the command in personal conviction and a sacred vow. The text explicitly ties obedience to the king’s command to a sworn commitment made before God.
The thread — This obligation to honor royal authority appears in Proverbs 24:21, which pairs fear of the LORD with fear of the king, and Titus 3:1, which commands believers to submit to rulers. The historical weight of sworn oaths to God is echoed in 1 Kings 2:43, where failure to keep a divine vow is directly questioned.
Why it lands — The verse demands immediate compliance with established authority as a practical outworking of a prior vow to God. It requires the reader to treat political submission not as political theory but as a binding religious obligation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 24:21 My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
- Titus 3:1 Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,
- 1 Kings 2:43 So why have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the command that I gave you?”
- Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
- 1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
- Exodus 22:11 an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution.
- 2 Samuel 21:7 Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
- 1 Chronicles 29:24 All the officials and mighty men, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.
- Ezekiel 17:13 He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land,