Ecclesiastes 4:11

11 If two lie down together, they will be warm, but a person alone will not be warm.

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 people are better than one, because they get more done by working together.
10 If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help.
11 If two lie down together, they will be warm, but a person alone will not be warm.
12 An enemy might defeat one person, but two people together can defend themselves; a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break.
13 A poor but wise boy is better than a foolish but old king who doesn't listen to advice.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.