Ecclesiastes 9:14-15
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The verse sets up a classic David vs. Goliath scenario, but the real surprise is that the text doesn't even hint at how this seemingly doomed city was saved. The focus isn't on the "great king" and his imposing siege works, but on the potential for wisdom to overcome overwhelming might, a crucial point that the subsequent verses will reveal.
There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage introduces an illustration about a small, vulnerable city under siege by a powerful king, emphasizing the extensive preparations made by the attacker. This story serves to highlight the surprising power of wisdom, even from an unexpected source, as foreshadowed in the preceding verses and further developed in the following verse which reveals how this city was saved.
Imagine a tiny town facing down a massive army. How can the impossible happen? This verse hints at a powerful truth.
The passage presents a vivid picture: a small city, with hardly any defenders, is attacked by a mighty king with an overwhelming force. He lays siege, building massive siege works to break down its walls.
This isn't just a random story; it's Solomon's way of illustrating a profound principle:
Wisdom Over Strength
Even when facing seemingly insurmountable odds, wisdom can achieve what raw power cannot. The commentaries point out that historical accounts, like the defense of Syracuse by Archimedes or the saving of Lampsacus by Anaximenes, showcase how one insightful mind could thwart vast military might.
It’s a reminder that in life's battles, brains can often triumph over brawn. This doesn't negate the need for strength, but it highlights the incredible power of strategic thinking and clever solutions.
Every great victory has a story, but not every hero gets the spotlight. This verse sets up a scenario where the savior might be overlooked.
The imagery of the 'little city' with 'few men' under siege by a 'great king' powerfully symbolizes vulnerability. What's often missed in this description is the reason such a city might be saved.
The Poor Wise Man
Commentators suggest this scenario likely points to a 'poor wise man' (as introduced in the following verse, Ecclesiastes 9:15). This individual, though lacking in status or power, possesses the wisdom to devise a strategy that thwarts the mighty king.
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This highlights a recurring theme in Scripture: God often uses the seemingly weak and overlooked to accomplish His purposes. It challenges our human tendency to value only the powerful and prominent, reminding us that true effectiveness comes from divine enablement and wise counsel, regardless of outward appearance.
Understand the original words
misken · Hebrew Adjective
Describes an individual possessing little material wealth or social status. Biblically, the poor are often subjects of divine concern, and their humility can sometimes be the vessel through which God works.
This passage describes a nearly identical scenario where a city was besieged, but a wise person's counsel saved it, highlighting the power of wisdom in a crisis, just as the verse suggests.
Luke 14:31Jesus uses a similar parable of a king going to war against another kingdom, emphasizing the need to assess strength and strategy before conflict, which parallels the strategic situation described in Ecclesiastes.
Proverbs 24:6This proverb directly states that 'By wise guidance you can wage your war,' underscoring the central theme of wisdom's effectiveness against overwhelming force, which is the core lesson of the verse.
1 Samuel 14:6Jonathan confronts a mighty Philistine army with only his armor-bearer, demonstrating that victory doesn't always depend on the size of the force but on divine help and courageous wisdom.
clarkeEcclesiastes 9:14: "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:"
There was a little city, and few men within it - Here is another proof of the vanity of sublunary things; the ingratitude of men, and the little compensation that genuine merit receives. The little history mentioned here may have either been a fact, or intended as an instructive fable. A little city, with few to defend it, being besie…
henryEcclesiastes 9:13-18: "This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:"
9:13-18 A man may, by his wisdom, bring to pass that which he could never do by his strength. If God be for us, who can be against us, or stand before us? Solomon observes the power of wisdom, though it may labour under outward disadvantages. How forcible are right words! But wise and good men must often content themselves with the satisfaction of having done good, or, at least, endeavoured to do it…
The verse sets up a classic David vs. Goliath scenario, but the real surprise is that the text doesn't even hint at how this seemingly doomed city was saved. The focus isn't on the "great king" and his imposing siege works, but on the potential for wisdom to overcome overwhelming might, a crucial point that the subsequent verses will reveal.
This passage introduces an illustration about a small, vulnerable city under siege by a powerful king, emphasizing the extensive preparations made by the attacker. This story serves to highlight the surprising power of wisdom, even from an unexpected source, as foreshadowed in the preceding verses and further developed in the following verse which reveals how this city was saved.
This passage introduces an illustration about a small, vulnerable city under siege by a powerful king, emphasizing the extensive preparations made by the attacker. This story serves to highlight the surprising power of wisdom, even from an unexpected source, as foreshadowed in the preceding verses and further developed in the following verse which reveals how this city was saved.
"There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered…" — The verse sets up a classic David vs. Goliath scenario, but the real surprise is that the text doesn't even hint at how this seemingly doomed city was saved. The focus isn't on the "great king" and h…
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Last reviewed October 2026
