Ecclesiastes 2:7
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While we often focus on the king's vast wealth in herds and flocks, the verse subtly distinguishes between purchased slaves and those "born in my house." This distinction highlights a deeper layer of possession—not just owning people, but having them integrated into his very household from birth, signifying an even more profound and established dominion over his human resources.
I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The narrator, reflecting on his pursuit of pleasure and possessions, describes amassing immense wealth. He details acquiring numerous servants, both purchased and born into his household, and possessing more livestock than anyone before him in Jerusalem. This extravagant display of power and riches serves as part of his experiment to find fulfillment in worldly achievements.
Kings and wealthy rulers always had a vast retinue of staff. But did you know there were different kinds of people serving in the household?
In this verse, Solomon distinguishes between two main groups of servants:
This distinction shows the complex structure of ancient households and how status, even within servitude, could vary.
Solomon boasts of his possessions, but what does 'great possessions of herds and flocks' truly represent in the context of ancient Jerusalem?
Solomon's declaration, 'I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem,' points to an immense scale of wealth and resource management.
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Understand the original words
qinyan · Hebrew Noun
A collective term for property or riches; in biblical context, it often denotes material wealth that can be accumulated but is ultimately fleeting.
This passage directly details the immense provisions for Solomon's daily table, showcasing the scale of resources, including livestock, that Ecclesiastes 2:7 reflects. It highlights the sheer material abundance Solomon commanded, mirroring the 'great possessions of herds and flocks' mentioned.
1 Kings 10:5This verse describes the Queen of Sheba's astonishment at Solomon's 'house,' his servants, and the provisions for them, directly connecting to the extravagant lifestyle and extensive household described in Ecclesiastes 2:7. It emphasizes the grandeur and the multitude of servants and possessions.
Genesis 14:14This verse mentions Abraham rescuing his kinsman Lot with 'his trained servants, born in his own house,' drawing a parallel to the distinction made in Ecclesiastes 2:7 between purchased slaves and those born into servitude. It highlights the value and 'ownership' placed on those born into a household.
Matthew 6:25-26Jesus speaks about not worrying about what to eat or wear, contrasting human striving for possessions with God's provision for the birds of the air, who are 'much more valuable than they.' This provides a spiritual counterpoint to the material accumulation described in Ecclesiastes, questioning the ultimate satisfaction derived from such wealth.
1 Chronicles 27:29-31This passage lists David's overseers for his livestock, including vast numbers of cattle and sheep. It demonstrates that extensive landholdings and large herds were a feature of Israelite royalty even before Solomon, providing a historical context for the scale of possessions mentioned in Ecclesiastes 2:7.
clarkeEcclesiastes 2:7: "I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:"
Servants and maidens - For my works, fields, folds, and various domestic labors. Servants born in any house - Besides those hired from without, he had married couples in the precincts of his grounds, palaces, etc., who, when their children grew up, got them employment with themselves. Great and small cattle - Oxe…
ellicottEcclesiastes 2:7: "I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:"
(7) Got me .—The servants acquired by purchase are distinguished from those born in the house. (Concerning the number of Solomon’s servants, see 1Kings 4:27 ; 1Kings 10:5 ; and of his cattle, 1Kings 4:23 , 1Kings 8:63 .)
While we often focus on the king's vast wealth in herds and flocks, the verse subtly distinguishes between purchased slaves and those "born in my house." This distinction highlights a deeper layer of possession—not just owning people, but having them integrated into his very household from birth, signifying an even more profound and established dominion over his human resources.
The narrator, reflecting on his pursuit of pleasure and possessions, describes amassing immense wealth. He details acquiring numerous servants, both purchased and born into his household, and possessing more livestock than anyone before him in Jerusalem. This extravagant display of power and riches serves as part of his experiment to find fulfillment in worldly achievements.
The narrator, reflecting on his pursuit of pleasure and possessions, describes amassing immense wealth. He details acquiring numerous servants, both purchased and born into his household, and possessing more livestock than anyone before him in Jerusalem. This extravagant display of power and riches serves as part of his experiment to find fulfillment in worldly achievements.
"I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem." — While we often focus on the king's vast wealth in herds and flocks, the verse subtly distinguishes between purchased slaves and those "born in my house." This distinction highlights a deeper layer of…
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Last reviewed October 2026
