Ecclesiastes 7:21 · Bible study
Ecclesiastes 7:21 Commentary: Wisdom in Ignoring Insults and Gossip
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A practical wisdom principle: the wise person does not obsess over every word spoken about them, knowing their own faults.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The wise person intentionally ignores gossip and insults, especially from those close to them, because they know their own sins.
- Key words: 'Give your heart' (Hebrew titten libbekha), to set one’s mind on; 'curse' (mekallelecha), to speak lightly of, revile.
- Main debate: Does 'all words' include harmless talk or only malicious speech? Most commentators agree it is a general warning against fixating on any words.
- Theological theme: Humility rooted in the universality of sin leads to freedom from the need for human approval.
- Best use: Counseling those wounded by gossip; teaching about Christian liberty from public opinion.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
KJV King James Version 1769
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Also give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Tampoco apliques tu corazón á todas las cosas que se hablaren, porque no oigas á tu siervo que dice mal de ti:
Além disso, não dês atenção a todas as palavras que forem ditas, para que não venhas a ouvir que teu servo te amaldiçoa;
Ne fais donc pas attention à toutes les paroles qu’ on dit, de peur que tu n’ entendes ton serviteur te maudire;
Gib auch nicht acht auf alles, was man sagt, daß du nicht hören müssest deinen Knecht dir fluchen.
Geef ook uw hart niet tot alle woorden, die men spreekt, opdat gij niet hoort, dat uw knecht u vloekt.
Non porre dunque mente a tutte le parole che si dicono, per non sentirti maledire dal tuo servo;
Nie do wszystkich też słów, które mówią ludzie przykładaj serca twego; i niech cię to nie obchodzi, choćciby i sługa twój złorzeczył.
поэтому не на всякое слово, которое говорят, обращай внимание, чтобы не услышать тебе раба твоего, когда он злословит тебя;
人所 說 的一切 話，你不要 放在 心上，恐怕 聽見 你的僕人 咒詛你。
Do not give ear to all the words which men say, for fear of hearing the curses of your servant.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ecclesiastes 7:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the core meaning: the wise person does not anxiously collect every word spoken about them, especially harsh words from a servant. The Hebrew idiom 'do not give your heart' (Keil & Delitzsch) means 'do not set your mind on it', a deliberate refusal to dwell on slights. Adam Clarke notes that the word for 'curse' (mekallelecha) means 'make light of thee, speak evil of thee,' not a formal curse. Several commentators (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) tie the verse to the preceding verse 20: because no one is sinless, we should not be quick to take offense. Cambridge points to the parallel in 1 Corinthians 4:3 where Paul says it is 'a very small thing to be judged by human judgment.' The shared insight: the antidote to wounded pride is honest self-knowledge and fear of God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: It is clear that the wise person should not dwell on every word spoken about them, especially because they themselves are not sinless.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of 'all words' | The verse warns against giving undue attention to the things people say, especially negative talk aimed at the listener. | Some commentators (e.g., Gill) see it as applying to all speech, while others (e.g., the Septuagint tradition) limit it to the words of wicked or malicious people. The Hebrew text itself is general. |
| Relationship to verse 20 and verse 22 | The command is grounded in the reality of universal sinfulness (v. 20) and personal guilt (v. 22). | There is minor variation in emphasis: some stress the servant's ingratitude, others the listener's own failings. Both points are present in the text. |
| The meaning of 'curse' | The Hebrew <em>qalal</em> refers to speaking lightly of someone, reviling, or treating with contempt, not a magical or covenantal curse. | None, commentators consistently note the milder sense (Barnes: 'speak evil of'; Clarke: 'make light of'). |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse sits within a wisdom tradition that questions easy answers about prosperity and suffering. Ecclesiastes 7 as a whole pushes back against the notion that righteousness always brings visible reward. The preceding verses (15, 22) warn against two extremes: being 'over-righteous' and 'over-wicked.' The solution is the fear of God. Then verse 20 declares universal human sinfulness, no one does good without sinning.
In ancient Israel, servants stood at the bottom of the social order. To hear a servant curse you was a particular sting, because it came from someone dependent on you. Most honor-shame cultures would demand a sharp response to an insult from a subordinate. Koheleth subverts that instinct: the wise person ignores it. The Hebrew word for 'curse' (qalal) does not mean a magical curse; it means to speak lightly of, revile, or treat as contemptible (Barnes; Clarke).
The phrase 'do not give your heart' (al titten libbekha) is a strong idiom for not attending to or dwelling on something (Wesley; Gill). The verb yedabberu ('people speak') is plural and indefinite, not just servants or gossips, but talk in general (Keil & Delitzsch). The warning applies to all the words that float around. By ignoring them, a person preserves both peace and humility, recognizing that they too have spoken harshly of others (v. 22).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, with minor differences only in orthographic conventions (e.g., presence or absence of the conjunctive waw in some editions). The meaning is not affected.
Reception History
Across church history, this verse has been a touchstone for teaching patience under criticism. In the Protestant tradition, Matthew Henry presented it as part of wisdom's 'precepts,' linking it to the fear of God. Wesley’s notes reduce the command to its essence: 'Do not strictly search into them, nor listen to hear them.' The Cambridge commentary (1880) connects it to 1 Corinthians 4:3, showing how the New Testament echoes this indifference to human judgment. In monastic spirituality, the verse was used to counsel against the vice of curiosity, the restless urge to know what others think of you. Modern pastoral writings apply it to navigating social media, where constant exposure to comment threads can erode peace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The command: Do not give your heart to every word that is spoken. In a world of constant chatter, rumors, criticism, gossip, the wise person chooses what to attend to.
- The danger: If you listen too closely, you are likely to hear something painful, even from someone who depends on you. A servant’s curse stings, but it does not define you.
- The reason: Your own heart knows you have done the same. Honest self-reflection defuses outrage.
Five-point outline
- We are surrounded by words, not all of them deserve our attention.
- Some words are spoken ill of you, even by those closest or lowest in station.
- The impulse to listen, investigate and respond can destroy peace.
- Remember you are not innocent yourself. You have spoken ill of others.
- Therefore, let the fear of God (v. 18) guide your response: ignore, forgive, move on.
Illustration hooks
- Workplace whispers: You overhear a coworker complaining about you. Do you confront, stew, or shrug? This verse suggests shrugging, not out of pride, but because you know you have complained about others.
- Social media fire: A comment thread turns against you. The temptation is to read every reply and defend yourself. The wise person closes the tab and goes for a walk.
- Family hurts: A relative says something cutting at a holiday dinner. Pursuing the matter can ruin the day. Letting it pass may be the wiser, more loving path.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean I should never confront someone who spreads lies about me?
- How do I balance this verse with Jesus’ instructions about confronting sin in Matthew 18?
- Is it okay to defend myself when I am wrongly accused, or should I stay silent?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is part of a passage (Ecclesiastes 7:15, 22) that teaches a balanced, humble wisdom. Before jumping into the details, remember the larger point: fearing God is the key to navigating life’s frustrations, including what others say about us.
Discussion questions
- What does the Hebrew phrase 'do not give your heart' (literally 'do not set your heart on') suggest about the kind of attention these words deserve?
- Why does the writer specify 'your servant cursing you'? What makes that scenario so testing?
- How does verse 20 ('there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin') support the advice in verse 21?
- Read verse 22 aloud. How does remembering your own failures change how you handle criticism?
- Can you think of a time you heard something negative about yourself and let it ruin your day? What would it look like to 'not give your heart' to that?
- How might this passage apply to social media, where we see comments about ourselves or others constantly?
- Where do you need the fear of God (v. 18) to help you let go of an insult or rumor?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Samuel 16:10 | The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” |
| II Samuel 19:19 | He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. |
| Proverbs 30:10 | “Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty. |
| Isaiah 29:21 | who cause a person to be indicted by a word, and lay a snare for one who reproves in the gate, and who deprive the innocent of justice with false testimony. |
| I Corinthians 13:5 | doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; |
| I Corinthians 13:7 | bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that speaking evil of a person is the same as cursing them. He believes such words cause harm and destroy peace in a person’s life.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the word often translated as "curse" in this context actually means to speak evil of someone. He draws a careful distinction between uttering a formal curse and simply using slanderous or abusive speech. The sin here is malicious words, not necessarily an imprecation.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Christians who hold this view point to Ecclesiastes 7:21, while others emphasize 1 Corinthians 4:3. Both seek to be faithful to Scripture.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note draws a sharp contrast between wisdom and political power. A wise person's inner strength, given by God, outweighs the combined influence of ten powerful princes in a city. True security comes not from human alliances but from the wisdom that God grants.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the practical wisdom of ignoring careless or defamatory speech, even from a servant, because every person has flaws. He stresses the Hebrew phrase "give your heart" to it — don't dwell on or replay what is said, since over-attention to such words provokes trouble and resentment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that since people are not perfectly just they deserve God’s forgiveness. They should not hold others too strictly accountable for words spoken against them.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch note that hearing others speak does not mean one actually hears their words. One should ignore people’s talk because it often contains unpleasant gossip that cannot be trusted.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange divides the chapter into three expressions of wisdom: contempt for worldly pleasure, patient resignation to God, and humble fear of God. His distinctive emphasis is that the universal sinfulness of humanity forms the background for all these admonitions, making the fear of God the only safe path between the extremes of hypocritical righteousness and bold lawlessness.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that wisdom protects a person just as money does but gives life to those who possess it. He also says that one should not pay attention to other people’s words for fear of hearing their curses.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley warns against two related actions: actively investigating certain matters and passively allowing oneself to hear them. He sees both as forbidden, suggesting that even unintentional exposure to such things is to be avoided.