Ecclesiastes 12:2-12

2 before * * the ¹sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;

3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men ²stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and ³those who look through windows grow dim;

4 and the doors on the street are shut as the ⁴sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the ⁵daughters of song will sing softly.

5 Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal ⁶home while ⁷mourners go about in the street.

6 Remember Him before * * the silver cord is broken and the ⁸golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed;

7 then the ⁹dust will return to the earth as it was, and the ¹⁰spirit will return to ¹¹God who gave it.

8 "¹²Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all is vanity!"

Purpose of the Preacher

9 In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged ¹³many proverbs.

10 The Preacher sought to find ¹⁴delightful words and to write ¹⁵words of truth correctly.

11 The ¹⁶words of wise men are like ¹⁷goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven ¹⁸nails; they are given by one Shepherd.

12 But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of ¹⁹many books is endless *, and excessive ²⁰devotion to books is wearying to the body.

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Ecclesiastes 12:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 12

This chapter begins with advice to young men, which is continued from the preceding; and particularly to remember their Creator in the days of their youth; enforced from the consideration of the troubles and inconveniences of old age, Ec 12:1; which, in an allegorical way, is beautifully described, Ec 12:2-6; and from the certainty of death, when it would be too late, Ec 12:7. And then the wise man returns to his first proposition, and which he kept in view all along, that all is vanity in youth or old age, Ec 12:8; and recommends the reading of this book, from the diligence, pains and labour, he used in composing it; from the sententious matter in it; from the agreeable, acceptable, and well chosen words, in which he had expressed it; and from the wisdom, uprightness, truth, efficacy, and authority of the doctrines of it, Ec 12:9-11; and from its preference to other books, which were wearisome both to author and reader, Ec 12:12. And it is concluded with the scope and design, the sum and substance of the whole of it, reducible to these two heads; the fear of God, and obedience to him, Ec 12:13; and which are urged from the consideration of a future judgment, into which all things shall be brought, Ec 12:14.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 20

1. Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 13:10; Ezekiel 32:7, 8; Joel 3:15; Matthew 24:29
2. Psalms 35:14; Psalms 38:6
3. Genesis 27:1; Genesis 48:10; 1 Samuel 3:2
4. Jeremiah 25:10; Revelation 18:22
5. 2 Samuel 19:35
6. Job 17:13; Job 30:23
7. Genesis 50:10; Jeremiah 9:17
8. Zechariah 4:2, 3
9. Genesis 3:19; Job 34:15; Psalms 104:29; Ecclesiastes 3:20
10. Job 34:14; Ecclesiastes 3:21; Luke 23:46; Acts 7:59
11. Numbers 16:22; Numbers 27:16; Isaiah 57:16; Zechariah 12:1
12. Ecclesiastes 1:2
13. 1 Kings 4:32
14. Proverbs 10:32
15. Proverbs 22:20, 21
16. Proverbs 1:6; Proverbs 22:17; Ecclesiastes 7:5; Ecclesiastes 10:12
17. Acts 2:37
18. Ezra 9:8; Isaiah 22:23
19. 1 Kings 4:32
20. Ecclesiastes 1:18

Footnotes 7

[a]. Or "holes"
[b]. Lit "be brought low"
[c]. Lit "they"
[d]. So with Gr; Heb "removed"
[e]. Or "breath"
[f]. Lit "planted"
[g]. Lit "making"