Ecclesiastes 5:18
in Ecclesiastes 5Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.
KJV
Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 5
Commentary
9 notes on this verseBehold that which I have seen - This is the result of my observations and experience. God gives every man, in the course of his providence, the necessaries of life; and it is his will that he should thankfully use them. For it is his portion - What is requisite for him in the lower world; without them his life cannot subsist, and earthly blessings are as truly the portion of his body and animal life, as the salvation of God is the portion of his soul.
This site's exposition
Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting
on Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
The Teacher states the refrain again: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun is good. The chapter ends on a man who forgets his days because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"So what I have seen to be good is that it is suitable to eat and drink and enjoy pleasure with all one's labour that he toils beneath the sun during the brief span of his life that God has given him, for that is his lot. Furthermore, every man to whom God has given riches and possessions and has given him the power to enjoy them, possess his share and be happy in his work: this is the gift of God.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"This therefore seemed good to me." Here thirdly he commends the enjoyment of gladness in detestation of the affliction of avarice. For since the miser afflicts himself, and nothing profits him, therefore it seemed good to him to eat; and for this reason he says: …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Good - Good or comfortable to a man's self, and comely or amiable in the eye of other men. His portion - Of worldly goods; he hath a better portion in heaven. This liberty is given him by God, and this is the best advantage, as to this life, which he can make of them.
Behold that which I have seen,....
David, when he was perplexed, went into the sanctuary of God, Ps. lxxiii. Let our disappointments in the creature turn our eyes to the Creator; let us have recourse to the word of God's grace and consult that, to the throne of his grace and solicit that. In the word and prayer there is a balm for every wound.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Returns to the sentiment (Ec 3:12, 13, 22); translate: "Behold the good which I have seen, and which is becoming" (in a man). which God giveth--namely, both the good of his labor and his life. his portion--legitimately. It is God's gift that makes it so when regarded as such.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Rather, Behold what I have seen to be good, it is pleasant for a man to eat. Such thankful enjoyment is inculcated by the Law Deu 12:7, Deu 12:18.
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִנֵּ֞ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| רָאִ֣יתִי | raiti | I have seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אָ֗נִי | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| ט֣וֹב | tov | [to be] good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יָפֶ֣ה | yapeh | [is] beautiful | H3303 → | |
| לֶֽאֶכוֹל־ | leekhol- | [is] to eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| וְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹת | velishtot | and to drink | H8354 → | 217 times |
| וְלִרְא֨וֹת | velirot | and to see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| טוֹבָ֜ה | tovah | good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עֲמָל֣וֹ׀ | amalo | toil his | H5999 → | 55 times |
| שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣ל | sheiyaamol | that someone will toil | H5998 → | 11 times |
| תַּֽחַת־ | tachat- | under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ | hashemesh | the sun | H8121 → | 134 times |
| מִסְפַּ֧ר | mispar | [the] number of | H4557 → | 134 times |
| יְמֵי־ | yemei- | [the] days of | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| חַיָּ֛יו | chaiyav | life his | H2416 → | 498 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נָֽתַן־ | natan- | he has given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| ל֥וֹ | lo | to <the> him | ||
| הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ה֥וּא | hu' | that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| חֶלְקֽוֹ׃ | chelko | [is] portion his | H2506 → | 67 times |
הִנֵּ֞הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
רָאִ֣יתִיI have seen
raitiH7200 →1300 times
אָ֗נִיI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
ט֣וֹב[to be] good
tovH2896 →538 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יָפֶ֣ה[is] beautiful
yapehH3303 →
לֶֽאֶכוֹל־[is] to eat
leekhol-H398 →810 times
וְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹתand to drink
velishtotH8354 →217 times
וְלִרְא֨וֹתand to see
velirotH7200 →1300 times
טוֹבָ֜הgood
tovahH2896 →538 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
עֲמָל֣וֹ׀toil his
amaloH5999 →55 times
שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣לthat someone will toil
sheiyaamolH5998 →11 times
תַּֽחַת־under
tachat-H8478 →505 times
הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁthe sun
hashemeshH8121 →134 times
מִסְפַּ֧ר[the] number of
misparH4557 →134 times
יְמֵי־[the] days of
yemei-H3117 →2304 times
חַיָּ֛יוlife his
chaiyavH2416 →498 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
נָֽתַן־he has given
natan-H5414 →2011 times
ל֥וֹto <the> him
lo
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
ה֥וּאthat
hu'H1931 →1879 times
חֶלְקֽוֹ׃[is] portion his
chelkoH2506 →67 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
Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 3:12–13
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 12:7
There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households shall eat and rejoice in all you do, because the LORD your God has blessed you.
- Ecclesiastes 3:12–13
Through
Ecclesiastes 2:24Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 8:15
So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ecclesiastes 3:22
I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?
- 1 Timothy 6:17
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us…
- Ecclesiastes 8:15
Through
1 Timothy 6:17Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us…
it leads to
- Proverbs 11:28
He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.
- Acts 14:17
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
- Matthew 19:23
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
- Proverbs 11:28
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
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 5; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.