Words of the Wise Heard in Quiet - Ecclesiastes 9:17

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard”, and in chapter nine and verse seventeen of his book Solomon said, “the words of wise men are heard in quiet” where we read,

The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that rules among fools.

The verse reads, “The words of wise men are heard in quiet …” Solomon began with the words, “the words of wise men” or “the utterances, proclamations and declarations belonging to people both male and female who are skilled, shrewd and prudent” “are heard in quiet” which means “are listened to, perceived by ear and obeyed in restfulness and quietness ”. Solomon said the utterances belonging to people who are shrewd and prudent are perceived in rest and quietness. 

 

The verse continues, “… more than the cry of him that rules among fools.” Solomon added the words, “more than the cry of him” or “to a greater degree compared to the outcry, clamor or shriek” “that rules among fools” which means “that reigns, exercises dominion and has power in the midst and middle of people who are dullards, simpletons, arrogant ones and stupid fellows”. Solomon said the utterances belonging to “shrewd people” are perceived in quietness to a greater degree than the outcry and clamor belonging to the person who reigns and exercises dominion in the midst of dullards and stupid fellows. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon that the utterances of people who are skilled and shrewd are perceived in quietness to a much greater degree that the loud clamor of the person who reigns in the midst of simpletons. For this reason, God wants us to be “wise” and to study to be quiet. (See 1 Thessalonians 4 :11) Just because someone speaks loudly does not mean what they have to say is prudent, and when we yield our lives to God’s Son Jesus who was sent into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit in us to guide us into all truth and to empower us to live according to that truth so we are not only “wise”, but also speak in restfulness so we may be heard and listened to in the world. 

Next time Solomon says, “wisdom is better than weapons of war”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".