Ecclesiastes 4:11

11 Again, if two people sleep together, they keep each other warm; but how can one person be warm by himself?

Ecclesiastes 4:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 4:11

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat
The Targum adds, in the winter; when it is a cold season, they warm one another by lying together. The Targum interprets it of a man and his wife; it is true of others; see ( 1 Kings 1:1 1 Kings 1:2 ) ; but how can one be warm [alone]?
not soon, nor easily, in time of cold weather. This is true in a spiritual sense of persons in a Christian communion and religious society; when they are grown cold in their love, lukewarm in their affections, and backward and indifferent to spiritual exercises, yet by Christian conversation may be stirred up to love and good works: so two cold flints struck against each other, fire comes out of them; and even two cold Christians, when they come to talk with each other about spiritual things, and feel one another's spirits, they presently glow in their affections to each other, and to divine things; and especially if Christ joins them with his presence, as he did the two disciples going to Emmaus, then their hearts burn within them.

Ecclesiastes 4:11 In-Context

9 Two are better than one, in that their cooperative efforts yield this advantage:
10 if one of them falls, the other will help his partner up - woe to him who is alone when he falls and has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two people sleep together, they keep each other warm; but how can one person be warm by himself?
12 Moreover, an attacker may defeat someone who is alone, but two can resist him; and a three-stranded cord is not easily broken.
13 Better a youth who is poor but wise than a king who is old but foolish, no longer willing to listen to advice.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.