Ecclesiastes 7:23
in Ecclesiastes 7All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
KJV
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
I will be - Or, I am. There was a time when Solomon thought himself wise enough to comprehend the work of God, and therefore needed for himself the self-humbling conviction declared in this verse. It - i. e. Wisdom. Compare Ecc 8:17.
This site's exposition
All this I tested by wisdom
on Ecclesiastes 7:23-26
The Teacher reports the limit of his search: What exists is out of reach and very deep. The search turned up one thing more bitter than death, the woman who is a snare. Gill and Henry set the line beside Solomon's wives in 1 Kings 11.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Gregory of NazianzusON THEOLOGY, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 2 (28).21 · Written before 390.
proposed
Now the subject of God is harder to come at, in proportion as it is more perfect than any other, and is open to more objections, and the solutions of them are more laborious. For every objection, however small, stops and hinders the course of our argument and cuts off its further advance, just like people who suddenly check with the rein the horses in full gallop and turn them right around by the unexpected shock.
"And do not heed all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you. For often your own heart knows that you likewise have cursed others. "Make sure to do only those things which have been taught, and strengthened by the help of wisdom, prepare yourself for either good or bad outcomes, and don't worry about what your enemies might say about you, or what kind of reputation you have.
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 2 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
This wisdom is spread out among all things. For everything possesses a rule of wisdom and displays divine wisdom by reason of some characteristic; and the man who would know all characteristics would clearly see this wisdom. And it is to this study that the …
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Above he treated the vanity of mutability and iniquity; in this part he intends to treat the vanity of penality. And because punishment is twofold: one kind, which is the occasion of sin, such as concupiscence; another kind, which is pure affliction, such as death …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He owns and laments the deficiencies of his wisdom. He had wisdom enough to see the vanity of the world and to experience that that would not make a portion for a soul. But, when he came to enquire further, he found himself at a loss; his eye was too dim, his line was too short, and, though he discovered this, there were many other things which he could not prove by wisdom.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The Value of a Good Name. 1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:93%@v1-3
Proved - I have found to be true, by the help of that singular wisdom which God had given me. I said - I determined that I would attain perfection of wisdom.
All this have I proved by wisdom,.... Referring either to all that he had been discoursing of hitherto in this book, concerning the vanity of natural wisdom and knowledge, of pleasure, power, and riches; or to the several useful instructions given in this chapter, particularly concerning patiently bearing everything from the hands of God or men, Ecc 7:
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
All this--resuming the "all" in Ec 7:15; Ec 7:15-22 is therefore the fruit of his dearly bought experience in the days of his "vanity." I will be wise--I tried to "be wise," independently of God. But true wisdom was then "far from him," in spite of his human wisdom, which he retained by God's gift.
All this have I proved by wisdom - These rules I have laid down for my own conduct, and sought after more wisdom; but have fallen far short of what I wished to be.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| זֹ֖ה | zoh | this | H2090 → | 11 times |
| נִסִּ֣יתִי | nisiti | I have put to [the] test | H5254 → | |
| בַֽחָכְמָ֑ה | vachakhemah | by <the> wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| אָמַ֣רְתִּי | ʾamarti | I said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶחְכָּ֔מָה | ʾechkamah | let me be wise | H2449 → | 27 times |
| וְהִ֖יא | vehi' | and it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| רְחוֹקָ֥ה | rechokah | [was] far | H7350 → | |
| מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ | mimeni | from me | H4480 → | 1188 times |
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
זֹ֖הthis
zohH2090 →11 times
נִסִּ֣יתִיI have put to [the] test
nisitiH5254 →
בַֽחָכְמָ֑הby <the> wisdom
vachakhemahH2451 →153 times
אָמַ֣רְתִּיI said
ʾamartiH559 →5305 times
אֶחְכָּ֔מָהlet me be wise
ʾechkamahH2449 →27 times
וְהִ֖יאand it
vehi'H1931 →1879 times
רְחוֹקָ֥ה[was] far
rechokahH7350 →
מִמֶּֽנִּי׃from me
mimeniH4480 →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
Genesis 3:5“For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
it leads to
- Ezekiel 28:2
“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of…
- 2 Thessalonians 2:4
He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
- 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- Ezekiel 28:2
Through
Romans 1:22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:19–21
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
- Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- Romans 11:25
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles…
- 1 Corinthians 1:19–21
Through
1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
it leads to
- Romans 1:22
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
- Romans 1:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 11 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, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 2; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7; Gregory of Nazianzus, ON THEOLOGY, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 2 (28).21; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.