Ecclesiastes 11:5
in Ecclesiastes 11As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all.
KJV
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 11
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAs thou knowest not - the way of the spirit - Why God should have permitted such an such persons to fall into want, and how they came into all their distresses, thou canst not tell, no more than thou canst how their soul is united to their body, how it came to inform that body, or how the child was formed in the womb of its mother. Nor canst thou discern the end which God has in view in these things.
This site's exposition
As you do not know the path of the wind
on Ecclesiastes 11:5-6
From two mysteries, the path of the wind and how the bones are formed, the Teacher argues: so you cannot understand the work of God. The next verse acts on it, Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"As you do not know what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all. "Just as you do not know the way of the spirit and of the soul entering a child, and are unknowing of the types of bone and veins in the stomach of a pregnant woman.
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
As you know not what is the way etc. Above he said that times are not to be observed; here, second, he teaches that divine works are not to be considered or scrutinized, because we cannot; therefore he says: As you know not what is …
Men then sing of the Lord, when either spirits from above, or perfect teachers, make known to us His power. But yet His work is not known; because doubtless even they who preach Him, venerate His unpenetrated judgments. They, therefore, both know Him, Whom they preach, and yet know not His works: because they know, by grace, Him, by Whom they were made, but yet cannot understand His judgments, which are wrought by Him even above their understanding. For that Almighty God is not clearly seen in His doings the Psalmist bears witness, saying, Who hath made darkness His secret place. And again, Thy judgments are a great deep. And again, The deep like a garment is His clothing. Whence also it is well said by Solomon, As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones grow together in the belly of her that is with child, so thou knowest not the works of God, Who is the Maker of all things.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The spirit - Of the soul of man, how it comes into the child in the womb; or how it is united with the body; or how and whether it goes out of the body. The works - What God is doing and will do with thee or others; the counsels and methods of God's providence.
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
spirit--How the soul animates the body! Thus the transition to the formation of the body "in the womb" is more natural, than if with MAURER we translate it "wind" (Ec 1:6;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Just as you do not know, etc., nor the nature of that which is hidden in the womb of her that is with child.
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
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֵֽינְךָ֤ | ʾeinekha | not you | H369 → | 789 times |
| יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ | yodea' | [are] knowing | H3045 → | 945 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| דֶּ֣רֶךְ | derekh | [is] [the] way of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| הָר֔וּחַ | haruach | the wind | H7307 → | 378 times |
| כַּעֲצָמִ֖ים | kaatzamim | like bones | H6106 → | |
| בְּבֶ֣טֶן | beveten | in [the] womb of | H990 → | |
| הַמְּלֵאָ֑ה | hameleah | the full [woman] | H4392 → | 64 times |
| כָּ֗כָה | kakhah | thus | H3602 → | |
| לֹ֤א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תֵדַע֙ | teda' | you know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה | maaseh | [the] work of | H4639 → | 236 times |
| הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה | yaaseh | he makes | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַכֹּֽל׃ | hakol | <the> everything | H3605 → | 5413 times |
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
אֵֽינְךָ֤not you
ʾeinekhaH369 →789 times
יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙[are] knowing
yodea'H3045 →945 times
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
דֶּ֣רֶךְ[is] [the] way of
derekhH1870 →707 times
הָר֔וּחַthe wind
haruachH7307 →378 times
כַּעֲצָמִ֖יםlike bones
kaatzamimH6106 →
בְּבֶ֣טֶןin [the] womb of
bevetenH990 →
הַמְּלֵאָ֑הthe full [woman]
hameleahH4392 →64 times
כָּ֗כָהthus
kakhahH3602 →
לֹ֤אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תֵדַע֙you know
teda'H3045 →945 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה[the] work of
maasehH4639 →236 times
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יַעֲשֶׂ֖הhe makes
yaasehH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַכֹּֽל׃<the> everything
hakolH3605 →5413 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
Psalms 92:5How great are Your works, O LORD, how deep are Your thoughts!
it leads to
- Romans 11:33–34
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 55:8–9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 40:5
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us— none can compare to You— if I proclaim and declare them, they are more than I…
- Romans 11:33–34
Through
Isaiah 40:28Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching…
it leads to
- Psalms 147:5
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.
- 1 Timothy 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Psalms 147:5
Through
John 3:8The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 11:4–5
He who watches the wind will fail to sow, and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap.
- Ecclesiastes 11:4–5
Through
Romans 11:33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
it leads to
- Job 11:7–9
Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
- Job 5:9
the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.
- Job 11:7–9
Where this verse is studied
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11; Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book 27; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.