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Ecclesiastes 8:10

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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.

And so {H3651} I saw {H7200} the wicked {H7563} buried {H6912}, who had come {H935} and gone {H1980} from the place {H4725} of the holy {H6918}, and they were forgotten {H7911} in the city {H5892} where they had so done {H6213}: this is also vanity {H1892}.

Thus I saw the wicked buried; they had even come from the Holy Place. But those who had acted uprightly were forgotten in the city. This too is a futile thing;

Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is futile.

So I saw the wicked buried, and they came to the grave; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.

Commentary

Ecclesiastes 8:10 describes an observation made by the Preacher: wicked people, who seemed to have standing or access in religious or important public places ("the place of the holy"), are buried and quickly forgotten in the very city where they conducted their affairs. The verse concludes this observation with the familiar declaration that this, too, is vanity.

Context

This verse falls within a section of Ecclesiastes (chapters 7-8) where the Preacher grapples with the complexities and injustices of life "under the sun." He explores the limitations of human wisdom, the difficulty in understanding God's timing and ways, and the frustrating reality that the wicked often seem to prosper or escape immediate judgment, while the righteous suffer. Verse 10 specifically addresses the apparent success and public presence of the wicked, contrasting it with their ultimate fate – death and forgetfulness, highlighting the fleeting nature of their worldly influence.

Key Themes

  • Apparent Injustice: The observation that wicked people have access to or prominence in sacred or public spaces challenges the expected order, where righteousness should be favored.
  • The Fate of the Wicked: Despite their temporary standing, their end is burial and being forgotten, suggesting their impact and legacy are ultimately negligible.
  • Forgetfulness: The swift disappearance from memory in the city where they were known underscores the lack of lasting significance derived solely from worldly position or activity, especially when not rooted in righteousness.
  • Vanity (Hebel): The recurring theme of "vanity of vanities" is applied here, indicating that the perceived success and public presence of the wicked, and their subsequent forgetfulness, is ultimately meaningless and futile in the grand scheme.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated as "vanity" is hebel (הֶבֶל), which literally means "breath," "vapor," or "mist." It conveys a sense of transience, futility, emptiness, and lack of substance or permanence. Applying hebel to the fate of the wicked highlights the insubstantial nature of their worldly achievements and recognition.

"The place of the holy" (מְקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ, meqom qadosh) likely refers to the Temple precincts or a place associated with religious activity or the presence of God in Jerusalem. The wicked having access to or prominence in such a place would have been particularly jarring to the observer.

Related Scriptures

The observation of the wicked's temporary success and ultimate end is a theme found elsewhere in Scripture. The psalmist expresses a similar struggle with the prosperity of the wicked before gaining perspective in the sanctuary, as seen in Psalm 73:17. The contrast between the fleeting flourishing of the wicked and their sudden destruction is also depicted in Psalm 37:35-36.

Practical Application

Ecclesiastes 8:10 serves as a stark reminder that worldly success, recognition, or even access to religious circles do not guarantee lasting significance or divine approval. The temporary nature of life "under the sun" means that reputations, positions, and achievements, particularly for those who disregard God, are ultimately forgotten. The verse encourages believers to look beyond the superficial appearances of this world and focus on what has eternal value, rather than being troubled by the temporary flourishing of the unrighteous.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Ecclesiastes 9:5 (5 votes)

    For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

  • Proverbs 10:7 (4 votes)

    ¶ The memory of the just [is] blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:16 (4 votes)

    For [there is] no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now [is] in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise [man]? as the fool.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:11 (2 votes)

    [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.

  • 2 Kings 9:34 (2 votes)

    And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed [woman], and bury her: for she [is] a king's daughter.

  • 2 Kings 9:35 (2 votes)

    And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of [her] hands.

  • Job 21:18 (2 votes)

    They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.