Ecclesiastes 9:12

12 For man 1does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and 2like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are 3snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

Ecclesiastes 9:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 9:12

For man also knoweth not his time
Though it is fixed and settled by the Lord, yet times and seasons are kept in his own power, and not known by men; not the time of his death, nor of any calamity and distress coming upon him, nor the proper season and opportunity of doing himself good, and avoiding evil; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are
caught in the snare;
as fishes are suddenly taken in a net, unhappy for them, which is at once east over them, while they are sporting and playing in the water, and catching at the bait; and as birds, being decoyed, are unawares taken in a snare; that is, both of them know not the time of their being caught; so [are] the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth
suddenly upon them;
they are no more able to guard against a time of adversity and calamity, and the evil of it, which comes at once upon them, than the poor fishes or silly birds are to avoid the net and snare; and are, like them, at such a time, in the utmost security, indulging themselves in ease and pleasure: so the day of death, and of judgment, will come like a thief in the night; or like a snare upon men, when they think nothing of it, but are giving up themselves to their lusts and pleasures; see ( 1 Thessalonians 5:2 1 Thessalonians 5:3 ) ( Luke 21:34 Luke 21:35 ) ( Luke 17:26 Luke 17:30 ) ; for pleasure, as Plato says, is the bait of evils, with which men are caught, as fishes with the hook F7.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 Apud Ciceronem de Senectute, c. 12. "Hic ubi saepe occultum visus decurrere piscis ad hamum", Horat. Epist. l. 1. Ep. 8. v. 73, 74.

Ecclesiastes 9:12 In-Context

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might,for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.
12 For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
14 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.

Cross References 3

  • 1. [Ecclesiastes 8:7]
  • 2. Proverbs 7:23
  • 3. [Proverbs 29:6; Ezekiel 12:13; Hosea 7:12; Luke 21:34, 35; 1 Thessalonians 5:3]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.