Ecclesiastes 10:17
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
It’s easy to skim over "for strength, and not for drunkenness" and think it’s just about healthy eating habits. But the verse is actually highlighting a profound contrast: true leadership uses resources to empower the land, while corrupt leadership wastes them on self-indulgence that leads to ruin. This points to a nobility of character, not just birth, as essential for wise governance and the land's well-being.
Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following a lament about foolish rulers and the chaos they bring, the Teacher shifts to describe what makes a land truly prosperous. He contrasts the foolishness of princes who feast early and irresponsibly with the wisdom of leaders who are noble in character and use meals to restore their strength for duty. This verse paints a picture of good governance and responsible living as the foundation for a flourishing society.
Is true nobility found in your family tree or in your character? This verse challenges us to look beyond mere titles.
The verse speaks of a king who is the 'son of nobles.' While this can refer to noble lineage, the ancient commentators emphasize that true nobility lies in character and disposition.
The True Noble:
When we gather to eat and drink, is it to fuel our responsibilities or to escape them?
The verse contrasts two ways of feasting: 'for strength, and not for drunkenness.' This isn't just about avoiding alcohol; it's about the purpose behind our sustenance and gatherings.
Intentional Eating and Drinking:
Ask a follow-up
This passage highlights the ideal ruler, emphasizing that a just king brings stability and prosperity, contrasting with a wicked one who brings ruin, echoing Ecclesiastes' point about the land's blessing under a noble king.
Isaiah 3:1-7This prophecy describes the consequences of poor leadership—a land in chaos because its princes and rulers are incompetent and self-indulgent, mirroring the warning against rulers who feast for drunkenness rather than strength.
Romans 13:1-7This New Testament passage speaks to the God-ordained role of governing authorities, underscoring the responsibility they have to serve for good, which aligns with the 'due season' and 'for strength' aspects of wise leadership presented in Ecclesiastes.
1 Samuel 8:10-18This passage describes Samuel's warning about the abuses of kingship if Israel were to demand a king, detailing how rulers could exploit and burden their people, serving their own desires rather than the land's well-being.
pooleEcclesiastes 10:17: "Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!"
The son of nobles; not so much by birth, as even the worst of kings commonly are, and have been, as by their noble and worthy dispositions, and endowments, and carriages; for such a one is opposed to the child in the former verse. Sons of nobles are put for noble persons, as the sons of men for men , and the sons of physicians for physicia…
jfbEcclesiastes 10:17: "Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!"
- son of nobles—not merely in blood, but in virtue, the true nobility (So 7:1; Isa 32:5, 8).in due season—(Ec 3:1), not until duty has first been attended to.for strength—to refresh the body, not for revelry (included in "drunkenness").
It’s easy to skim over "for strength, and not for drunkenness" and think it’s just about healthy eating habits. But the verse is actually highlighting a profound contrast: true leadership uses resources to empower the land, while corrupt leadership wastes them on self-indulgence that leads to ruin. This points to a nobility of character, not just birth, as essential for wise governance and the land's well-being.
Following a lament about foolish rulers and the chaos they bring, the Teacher shifts to describe what makes a land truly prosperous. He contrasts the foolishness of princes who feast early and irresponsibly with the wisdom of leaders who are noble in character and use meals to restore their strength for duty. This verse paints a picture of good governance and responsible living as the foundation for a flourishing society.
Following a lament about foolish rulers and the chaos they bring, the Teacher shifts to describe what makes a land truly prosperous. He contrasts the foolishness of princes who feast early and irresponsibly with the wisdom of leaders who are noble in character and use meals to restore their strength for duty. This verse paints a picture of good governance and responsible living as the foundation for a flourishing society.
"Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!" — It’s easy to skim over "for strength, and not for drunkenness" and think it’s just about healthy eating habits. But the verse is actually highlighting a profound contrast: true leadership uses resour…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
