Luke 12:19

19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, ¹you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'

Luke 12:19 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 12:19

And I will say to my soul
Himself, see ( Psalms 49:18 ) or to his sensual appetite, which he sought to indulge and gratify, for he was wholly a sensual and carnal man:

soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years:
he foolishly promises himself a long life, when no man can boast of tomorrow, or knows what a day will bring forth; or can assure himself he shall live a day, an hour, or moment longer: and he also depended upon the safety of his goods, thus laid up; whereas his barns might be consumed by fire at once, or his goods be devoured by vermin, or plundered by thieves, and by various ways taken out of his hands; for riches are uncertain things, and make themselves wings and fly away:

take thine case, eat, drink, and be merry;
spend thy life in ease, luxury, and mirth; put away the evil day far from thee: never trouble thyself about a future state, tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundantly; and thou hast enough to make thyself happy, and let nothing disturb thee, and give a loose to all sensual pleasures, and carnal joys. This is the language of epicure among the Jews, and is forbidden to be used, especially on fast days; for so it is said, ^F9

``let not a man say I will go to my house, "and I will eat and drink", (and say) (yvpn Kyle Mylv) , "peace to thee, O my soul"; if he does so, of him the Scripture says, ( Isaiah 22:13 Isaiah 22:14 ) "Behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die---surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you, till ye die"''

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 11. 1.

Luke 12:19 In-Context

17 "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'

18 "Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'

20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'

21 "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Cross References

• 1. Ecclesiastes 11:9