Ecclesiastes 11:2
in Ecclesiastes 11Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
KJV
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
⋯
This verse in Ecclesiastes 11
Commentary
13 notes on this verseThe Old Testament too knew this number eight which in Latin we call the Octave, for the preacher says, give a portion to seven and also to eight. The number seven belongs to the Old Testament, the number eight to the New, for then Christ rose, and the day of new salvation shone upon all. This is the day whereof the Prophet says, This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This site's exposition
Cast your bread upon the waters
on Ecclesiastes 11:1-2
Cast your bread upon the waters carries two readings, sea trade, or alms given without certainty of return. Both share one shape, an act done now whose outcome lies beyond sight. Divide your portion among seven, or even eight extends the counsel to spreading what is given or risked.
This site's exposition
Divide your portion among seven
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read seven as the full number and eight as one more, so the portion reaches as many as possible. Ambrose and Jerome took seven for the Sabbath and eight for the day Christ rose. Jerome gives both days equal honor.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you do not know what evil shall be upon the earth. "And in Ezekiel there are found seven or eight steps leading up to the temple. [Ez. 40, 26.31.] And after the 'ethical' Psalm, that is one hundred and eighteen, all the psalms are of fifteen steps by which we are first taught the law, and when the seventh is finished, we then climb to the Gospel through the 'eight steps' [Ier. 'ogdoadem']. Therefore it is taught that we should believe with equal respect in each, the same for the old as for the new. The Jews dedicated their seventh part, believing in the Sabbath, but did not dedicate that eighth, denying the resurrection on the day of the Lord. On the other hand, heretics, Marcion and Manichaeus and all who rip up the ancient law with their savage mouths, dedicate their eighth part, taking up the Gospel. But they do not save as holy the seventh, spurning the old law. For we are not able to understand the worthy crucifixions, the worthy punishments already in mind, which are reserved for those who are moved to wickedness on earth, that is for the Jews and the heretics, and for those denying the other of the two. The Hebrews understand this passage in this way: keep both the Sabbath and the rite of circumcision, for if you do not adhere to these wickedness will come over you unexpectedly.
The one who "gives a part to the seven" commits to the Old Testament, which was before the arrival of the Savior. The number seven indicates the institution of the sabbath. The one who "gives a part to the eight" is the one who believes …
Now the seventh day denotes the mystery of the Law, the eighth that of the Resurrection, as you have in Ecclesiastes, Give a portion to seven and also to eight.
Before the Lord's resurrection there was rest for the departed but resurrection for none: "Rising from the dead he dies no more, death has no more dominion over him." But after such resurrection had taken place in the Lord's body, so that the head of the church might foreshadow what the body of the church hopes for at the end, then the Lord's day—that is the eighth, which is also the first—began to be observed.
The Medieval Church1 voice
They need not be hesitant to pray at their own special hours, that is, the second, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth, tenth, and eleventh, inasmuch as seven or eight are harmonious with the words of Solomon: "Make seven or eight portions." [This is] in order that …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Give portions to seven etc. Here secondly he exhorts to giving abundantly: and he sets forth the exhortation and subjoins the reason. He exhorts therefore to abundance, saying: Give portions to seven and also to eight, that is, according to the capacity of your powers …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Give a portion to seven - Never cease giving while thou seest a person in distress, and hast wherewithal to relieve him. Thou knowest not what evil - Such may be the change of times, that thou mayest yet stand in need of similar help thyself. Do as thou wouldst be done by.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
portion--of thy bread. seven--the perfect number. eight--even to more than seven; that is, "to many" (so "waters," Ec 11:1), nay, even to very many in need (Job 5:19;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The verse means: “Let your hospitality and your alms be extensive: for you know not what reverses may befall either that person who by your liberality will be strengthened to meet them, or yourself who may come to need grateful friends.” Compare Luk 16:9. Seven, and also to eight - A definite number for an indefinite (compare marginal reference).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Cast you your bread upon the waters. Do goodness and kindness to a person about whom your heart tells you that you will never see him again, 1 Do kindness without anticipating reciprocity from the receiver. (Sforno) Or, when giving charity, needy Torah scholars should be given priority.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
When the clouds are filled with rain. If you have seen clouds full of rain, you know that they will ultimately empty their rains upon the earth. In the place where the benefit grows and is discernible, there it is destined [for the rains] to come to rest.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| תֶּן־ | ten- | give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| חֵ֥לֶק | chelek | a portion | H2506 → | 67 times |
| לְשִׁבְעָ֖ה | leshivah | to seven | H7651 → | |
| וְגַ֣ם | vegam | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| לִשְׁמוֹנָ֑ה | lishmonah | to eight | H8083 → | |
| כִּ֚י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תֵדַ֔ע | teda' | you know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יִּהְיֶ֥ה | yihyeh | will it be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| רָעָ֖ה | raah | calamity | H7451 → | 662 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
תֶּן־give
ten-H5414 →2011 times
חֵ֥לֶקa portion
chelekH2506 →67 times
לְשִׁבְעָ֖הto seven
leshivahH7651 →
וְגַ֣םand also
vegamH1571 →769 times
לִשְׁמוֹנָ֑הto eight
lishmonahH8083 →
כִּ֚יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תֵדַ֔עyou know
teda'H3045 →945 times
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
יִּהְיֶ֥הwill it be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
רָעָ֖הcalamity
raahH7451 →662 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָאָֽרֶץ׃the earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Job 5:19He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.
it leads to
- Psalms 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will…
- Psalms 91:3–10
Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague.
- Proverbs 24:16
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
- 2 Peter 2:9
if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
- Psalms 34:19
Through
Proverbs 6:16There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
it leads to
- Psalms 11:5
The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.
- Proverbs 8:13
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
- Proverbs 11:20
The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
- Psalms 11:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Letter XLIV, To Horontianus; Ambrose of Milan, Letter XXVI, To Irenaeus; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 55; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES 317:15; Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes; Fructuosus of Braga, GENERAL RULE FOR MONASTERIES 10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.