Ecclesiastes 4:14

For he came out of prison ¹  to become king, even though he had been born poor in what would become his ²  kingdom.

Ge 41:14,33-44; 1Ki 14:26,27; 2Ki 23:31-34; 2Ki 24:1,2,6,12; 2Ki 25:7,27-30; Job 5:11; Ps 113:7,8; La 4:20; Da 4:31

¹ tn Heb “came from the house of bonds.”

² tn The phrase “what would become” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity. However, it is not altogether clear whether the 3rd person masculine singular suffix (“his”) on בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ (bÿmalkhuto, “his kingdom”) refers to the old foolish king or to the poor but wise youth of 4:13.