Ecclesiastes 12:2
in Ecclesiastes 12before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
KJV
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 12
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Illustrating "the evil days" (Jer 13:16). "Light," "sun," &c., express prosperity; "darkness," pain and calamity (Isa 13:10; 30:26). clouds . . . after . . . rain--After rain sunshine (comfort) might be looked for, but only a brief glimpse of it is given, and the gloomy clouds (pains) return.
This site's exposition
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth
on Ecclesiastes 12:1-2
The book's last counsel is aimed at its youngest reader: Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come. In the poem of old age, the clouds return after the rain: as Delitzsch puts it, one trouble follows another like rain returning on rain.
This site's exposition
the clouds return after the rain
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that after rain a man looks for sunshine, and old age gives a brief glimpse before the clouds return. Wesley records the Chaldee paraphrase, which read the sun, moon and stars as beauty of the face and brightness of the eyes. Clarke calls it winter.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain. "If we take this from the creation of the world, this chapter agrees with the words of the Lord, in which He says, "there will be trouble and difficulty as there has not been since the beginning of creation, but this will not happen. For the sun will grow dark and the moon will not shed light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the virtues of heaven will be moved" [Matth. 24, 21.19.].
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 12 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
With respect to the absence of what is pleasant, he says: "Before the sun grows dark," in whose sight there is great delight: above in chapter eleven: "The light is sweet, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun"; whence Tobit 5: …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And those expressions may be understood of the outward parts of the body, and especially of the face, the beauty of the countenance, the pleasant complexion of the cheeks, the liveliness of the eyes, which are compared to the sun, and moon, and stars, and which are obscured in old age, as the Chaldee paraphrast understands it.
The conclusion, All is vanity, ver. 8. The preacher's end in this book, ver. 9-12. The sum of all, to fear God and keep his commandments, in consideration of the judgment to come, ver. 13, 14.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-13-anchored-1-7
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened,.... The wise man proceeds to describe the infirmities of old age, and the troubles that attend it; in order to engage young men to regard God and religion, before these come upon them, which greatly unfit for his service.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened - i.e., in the Spring, prime, and prosperity of life. Nor the clouds return - The infirmities of old age of which Winter is a proper emblem, as spring is of youth, in the former clause of this verse.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
While ... not - Or, Before. The darkening of the lights of heaven denotes a time of affliction and sadness. Compare Eze 32:7-8; Job 3:9; Isa 5:30. Contrast this representation of old age with 2Sa 23:4-5.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
So remember your Creator. There. Mishnayos Avos:1. we learned, Akavya the son of Mahalalel says, reflect upon three things, etc.
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. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עַ֠ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְ | techshakh | it will become dark | H2821 → | |
| הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ | hashemesh | the sun | H8121 → | 134 times |
| וְהָא֔וֹר | vehaor | and the light | H216 → | 121 times |
| וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ | vehaiyareach | and the moon | H3394 → | |
| וְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים | vehakokhavim | and the stars | H3556 → | |
| וְשָׁ֥בוּ | veshavu | and they will return | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| הֶעָבִ֖ים | heavim | the clouds | H5645 → | 31 times |
| אַחַ֥ר | ʾachar | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃ | hagashem | the rain | H1653 → |
עַ֠דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְit will become dark
techshakhH2821 →
הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙the sun
hashemeshH8121 →134 times
וְהָא֔וֹרand the light
vehaorH216 →121 times
וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַand the moon
vehaiyareachH3394 →
וְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑יםand the stars
vehakokhavimH3556 →
וְשָׁ֥בוּand they will return
veshavuH7725 →1056 times
הֶעָבִ֖יםthe clouds
heavimH5645 →31 times
אַחַ֥רafter
ʾacharH310 →715 times
הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃the rain
hagashemH1653 →
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
Genesis 27:1When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.
it leads to
- Genesis 48:10
Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 3:2
And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 48:10
Through
Isaiah 5:30In that day they will roar over it, like the roaring of the sea. If one looks over the land, he will see darkness and distress; even the light will be obscured by clouds.
it leads to
- Isaiah 8:22
Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.
- Joel 2:10
Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
- Isaiah 8:22
Through
1 Samuel 3:2And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.
it leads to
- Genesis 27:1
When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 90:10
The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 27:1
Through
1 Samuel 4:18As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 4:21–22
And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed.
- 1 Peter 4:17–18
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
- 1 Samuel 4:21–22
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; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 12; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes; Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes; 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 John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.