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Ecclesiastes 10:1

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Ecclesiastes 10:1

Verse 1 of 20

Scripture focus

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: [so doth] a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom [and] honour.

Ecclesiastes 10:1 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:1

Theological / Devotional

Dead flies. Literally, “flies of death,” that is, flies about to die. Oriental lands are particularly distressed by multitudes of flies and other insect pests. If, at death, a number of them should fall into the perfumed lotion of the perfumer and decompose there, the lotion would be spoiled.

Apothecary. Rather, “perfumer,” literally, “mixer,” or “compounder.”

To send forth a stinking savour. Literally, “to stink,” or “to ferment,” “to bubble.”

A little folly. The last part of the verse reads, literally, “more weighty than wisdom and honor is a little folly.” Just one act of folly may ruin a good reputation. A life spent circumspectly may end in ruin as the result of a single foolish deed.

By SdaBc