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Ecclesiastes 9

Eccl. 9:4 KJV (With Strong’s)

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4
For
miy (Hebrew #4310)
also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
KJV usage: any (man), X he, X him, + O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.
Pronounce: me
Origin: an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things, who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things)
to him that is
yesh (Hebrew #3426)
entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive verb (1961); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)
KJV usage: (there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.
Pronounce: yaysh
Origin: perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist
joined
bachar (Hebrew #977)
properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select
KJV usage: acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.
Pronounce: baw-khar'
Origin: a primitive root
chabar (Hebrew #2266)
to join (literally or figuratively); specifically (by means of spells) to fascinate
KJV usage: charm(- er), be compact, couple (together), have fellowship with, heap up, join (self, together), league.
Pronounce: khaw-bar'
Origin: a primitive root
to all the living
chay (Hebrew #2416)
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV usage: + age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
Pronounce: khah'-ee
Origin: from 2421
there is hope
bittachown (Hebrew #986)
trust
KJV usage: confidence, hope.
Pronounce: bit-taw-khone'
Origin: from 982
: for a living
chay (Hebrew #2416)
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV usage: + age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
Pronounce: khah'-ee
Origin: from 2421
dog
keleb (Hebrew #3611)
a dog; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitute
KJV usage: dog.
Pronounce: keh'-leb
Origin: from an unused root means. to yelp, or else to attack
is better
towb (Hebrew #2896)
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
KJV usage: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).
Pronounce: tobe
Origin: from 2895
than a dead
muwth (Hebrew #4191)
causatively, to kill
KJV usage: X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs, slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
Pronounce: mooth
Origin: a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively)
lion
'ariy (Hebrew #738)
from 717 (in the sense of violence); a lion
KJV usage: (young) lion, + pierce (from the margin).
Pronounce: ar-ee'
Origin: or (prolonged) earyeh {ar-yay'}
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More on:

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Dog,
Lion

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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Job 14:7‑12• 7For there is hope for a tree if it be cut down,{HR}That it will shoot again, and its sprout fail not,
 8Though its root wax old in the earth,{HR}And its stump die in the dust:
 9Through the scent of water it flourisheth,{HR}And putteth forth like a young plant.
 10But man dieth, and is prostrate,{HR}And man expireth, and where is he?
 11Waters roll away from a sea,{HR}And the stream becometh waste and dry,
 12So man lieth down, and riseth not:{HR}Till the heavens [be] no more, they wake not,{HR}Nor are roused out of their sleep. (Job 14:7‑12)
;
Job 27:8• 8For what [is] the hope of the impure that he shall gain,{HR}When God shall draw out his soul? (Job 27:8)
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Isa. 38:18• 18For Sheol doth not praise thee, [nor] death celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit do not hope for thy truth. (Isa. 38:18)
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Lam. 3:21‑22• 21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
 22It is of Jehovah's mercies that we are not consumed, because his mercies fail not. (Lam. 3:21‑22)
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Luke 16:26‑29• 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that those who desire to pass hence to you cannot, nor do they [who desire to cross] from there pass over unto us.
 27And he said, I beseech thee then, father, that thou wouldst send him to the house of my father,
 28for I have five brothers, so that he may earnestly testify unto them, that they also may not come to this place of torment.
 29But Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. (Luke 16:26‑29)
• Dead! What does that mean? It means that every faculty, as far as can be seen, is stilled forever. The dead lion, whose majesty and strength, while living, would have even now struck me with awe, is less formidable as it lies there than a living dog. (“Ecclesiastes 9” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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4
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

W. Kelly Translation

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For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope;{HR}For a living dog is better than a dead lion.