Ecclesiastes 6:10
in Ecclesiastes 6Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.
KJV
That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 6
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThat which hath been is named already - The Hebrew of this verse might be translated, “Who is he who is? His name has been already called. And it is known that he is Adam; and that he cannot contend in judgment with him who is stronger than he.” “What is more excellent than man; yet can he not, in the lawe, get the victory of him that is mightier than he.” - Coverdale. Adam is his name; and it at once points out, 1. His dignity; he was made in the image of God.
This site's exposition
Whatever exists was named long ago
on Ecclesiastes 6:10-12
More words bring more futility, and the Teacher asks who knows what is good for a man, whose life passes like a shadow. The last question, Who can tell a man what will come after him, states the need the better-than proverbs of chapter 7 take up.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"What has been was already named, and it is known that he is but a man. He cannot contend with one who is mightier than him." Clearly this is predicting the arrival of the Saviour, since he writes 'he will be'; before he was seen in body his name was already written in the Scriptures and was known by prophets and holy men of God, since he was a man; and similar to this, since he is a man, he is not able to walk with his Father.
There are two sorts of names: some names designate those things which by nature have a body; others designate those which by nature are without a body. The names of those with a body designate the characteristics of such a being, such as its size, …
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 6 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
And indeed he forbids to scrutinize this, consequently saying: "He who is to be" etc. Here he calls back from scrutinizing hidden things, such as the divine disposition: on account of which he says: "He who is to be, his name has already been called," …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Is named - This is added as a further instance of the vanity of all things in this life. That which hath been (man, who is the chief of all visible beings) is named already, by God, who, presently after his creation, gave him the following name, to signify what his nature and condition was.
That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He concludes this discourse of the vanity of the creature with this plain inference from the whole, That it is folly to think of making up a happiness for ourselves in the things of this world,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
That which hath been--man's various circumstances is named already--not only has existed, Ec 1:9; 3:15, but has received its just name, "vanity," long ago, and it is known that it--vanity is man--Hebrew, "Adam," equivalent to man "of red dust," as his Creator appropriately named him from his frailty. neither may he contend, &c.-- (Ro 9:20).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Or, “That which has been named - i. e., events past or current, either Ecc 1:9 as they present themselves to man, or Ecc 3:15 as they are ordered by God - was long ago (i. e., was decreed, its nature and place were defined by the Almighty), and was known that it is man;” i. e., the course of events shapes the conduct and character of man, so that what he does and suffers is said to be or constitute the man. God from the beginning definitely ordained the course of events external to man, and constituted man in such a way that events materially affect his conduct and his destiny. Hence, God, by withholding from certain people the gift of contentment, and thus subjecting them to vanity, is acting according to the predetermined course of His Providence which man cannot alter (compare Rom 8:20). Others translate, “What there is, its name is named long ago and known, that it is man;” i. e., “What hath been and is, not only came into existence long ago Ecc 1:9; Ecc 3:15, but also has been known and named, and is acknowledged that it, besides other things, is specially man; that man always remains the same, and cannot go beyond his appointed bounds.” Him that is mightier - i. e., God; compare Ecc 9:1; 1Co 10:22, and marginal references.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Whatever has been has already been named. The stature and greatness that had been established during his lifetime, “has already been named,” i.e., it already was and passed, he already had attained fame, and now it has passed, and it was made known that he was a man.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
That which has been in the world, behold! its name has long been called, and has been made known to the children of men from the day that the first Adam existed, and all is the decree of the Lord; and men cannot stand in judgment with the Lord of the world, who is stronger than he.
For there are many things. With which he occupied himself during his lifetime, such as the games of the kings, [e.g.,] monkeys, elephants and lions. They increased vanity for him, and what remains for him after he dies.
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.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַה־ | mah- | whatever | H4100 → | 752 times |
| שֶּֽׁהָיָ֗ה | shehayah | [that] which <it> has been | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כְּבָר֙ | kevar | already | H3528 → | 9 times |
| נִקְרָ֣א | nikra' | it has been named | H7121 → | |
| שְׁמ֔וֹ | shemo | name its | H8034 → | 864 times |
| וְנוֹדָ֖ע | venoda' | and [is] known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ה֣וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| אָדָ֑ם | ʾadam | humankind [is] | H120 → | 551 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יוּכַ֣ל | yukhal | he is able | H3201 → | 194 times |
| לָדִ֔ין | ladin | to contend | H1777 → | |
| עִ֥ם | ʾim | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| שֶׁתַּקִּ֖יף | shehatkif | [one] who [is] mighty | H8623 → | |
| מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ | mimenu | more than him | H4480 → | 1188 times |
מַה־whatever
mah-H4100 →752 times
שֶּֽׁהָיָ֗ה[that] which <it> has been
shehayahH1961 →3559 times
כְּבָר֙already
kevarH3528 →9 times
נִקְרָ֣אit has been named
nikra'H7121 →
שְׁמ֔וֹname its
shemoH8034 →864 times
וְנוֹדָ֖עand [is] known
venoda'H3045 →945 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
ה֣וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
אָדָ֑םhumankind [is]
ʾadamH120 →551 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
יוּכַ֣לhe is able
yukhalH3201 →194 times
לָדִ֔יןto contend
ladinH1777 →
עִ֥םwith
ʾimH5973 →1050 times
שֶׁתַּקִּ֖יף[one] who [is] mighty
shehatkifH8623 →
מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃more than him
mimenuH4480 →1188 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 40:2“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.”
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 2:16
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
- Isaiah 40:14
Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?
- Romans 11:34–36
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”
- Job 33:13
Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
- Isaiah 45:9–11
Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?
- 1 Corinthians 2:16
Through
Job 33:13Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
it leads to
- Isaiah 45:9
Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 40:2
“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.”
- Isaiah 45:9
Through
Job 9:32For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.
it leads to
- Romans 9:20
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”
- Romans 9:20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 10 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 6; Evagrius Ponticus, SCHOLIA ON ECCLESIASTES 52:6.10-12; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.