Ecclesiastes 9:5
in Ecclesiastes 9For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
KJV
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 9
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
See Ecc 8:12, note; Ecc 8:14, note. The living are conscious that there is a future before them: but the dead are unconscious; they earn nothing, receive nothing, even the memory of them soon disappears; they are no longer excited by the passions which belong to people in this life; their share in its activity has ceased. Solomon here describes what he sees, not what he believes; there is no reference here to the fact or the mode of the existence of the soul in another world, which are matters of faith.
This site's exposition
For the living know that they will die
on Ecclesiastes 9:5-6
The line the dead know nothing is spoken from the vantage the whole book keeps, what is visible under the sun. Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all; there is no more reward for them, their memory is forgotten. Their love, their hate, their jealousy have already perished- nor will they ever again have a share in whatever is done beneath the sun.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 9 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
And he proves this first with regard to the act of cognition. "For the living know that they are to die": at least of this they are certain: 2 Kings 14: "We all die, and like waters that flow down into the earth, which do …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
If a man's condition be, upon any account, bad, there is hope it will be amended. If the heart be full of evil, and madness be in it, yet while there is life there is hope that by the grace of God there may be a blessed change wrought; but after men go to the dead (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Any thing - Of the actions and events of this world. Reward - The fruit of their labours in this world, are utterly lost as to them. Forgotten - Even in those places where they had lived in great power and glory.
For the living know that they shall die,.... Death is certain, it is the demerit of sin, the appointment of God and the time of it is fixed; it may be known that it will be, from the word of God that assures it, from all experience which confirms it, and from the decline of nature, and the seeds of death in men.
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)
proposed
Ps 90:12). dead know not anything--that is, so far as their bodily senses and worldly affairs are concerned (Job 14:21; Isa 63:16); also, they know no door of repentance open to them, such as is to all on earth. neither . . . reward--no advantage from their worldly labors (Ec 2:18-22; 4:9). memory--not of the righteous (Ps 112:6;
The living know that they shall die - This is so self-evident that none can doubt it; and therefore all that have this conviction should prepare for death and eternal blessedness. But the dead know not any thing - Cut off from life, they know nothing of what passes under the sun. Their day of probation is ended, and therefore they can have no farther reward in living a holy life; nor can they be liable to any farther punishment for crimes in a state of probation, that being ended.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֧י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הַֽחַיִּ֛ים | hachaiyim | the living | H2416 → | 498 times |
| יוֹדְעִ֖ים | yodim | [are] knowing | H3045 → | 945 times |
| שֶׁיָּמֻ֑תוּ | sheiyamutu | that they will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וְהַמֵּתִ֞ים | vehametim | and the dead | H4191 → | 839 times |
| אֵינָ֧ם | ʾeinam | not they | H369 → | 789 times |
| יוֹדְעִ֣ים | yodim | [are] knowing | H3045 → | 945 times |
| מְא֗וּמָה | meumah | anything | H3972 → | 32 times |
| וְאֵֽין־ | veein- | and not | H369 → | 789 times |
| ע֤וֹד | od | still | H5750 → | 490 times |
| לָהֶם֙ | lahem | [belongs] to <the> them | ||
| שָׂכָ֔ר | sakhar | a reward | H7939 → | |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִשְׁכַּ֖ח | nishkach | it is forgotten | H7911 → | 102 times |
| זִכְרָֽם׃ | zikhram | memory their | H2143 → |
כִּ֧יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הַֽחַיִּ֛יםthe living
hachaiyimH2416 →498 times
יוֹדְעִ֖ים[are] knowing
yodimH3045 →945 times
שֶׁיָּמֻ֑תוּthat they will die
sheiyamutuH4191 →839 times
וְהַמֵּתִ֞יםand the dead
vehametimH4191 →839 times
אֵינָ֧םnot they
ʾeinamH369 →789 times
יוֹדְעִ֣ים[are] knowing
yodimH3045 →945 times
מְא֗וּמָהanything
meumahH3972 →32 times
וְאֵֽין־and not
veein-H369 →789 times
ע֤וֹדstill
odH5750 →490 times
לָהֶם֙[belongs] to <the> them
lahem
שָׂכָ֔רa reward
sakharH7939 →
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
נִשְׁכַּ֖חit is forgotten
nishkachH7911 →102 times
זִכְרָֽם׃memory their
zikhramH2143 →
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 6:5For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?
it leads to
- Psalms 88:10–12
Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Selah
- Psalms 115:17
It is not the dead who praise the LORD, nor any who descend into silence.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- Psalms 30:9
“What gain is there in my bloodshed, in my descent to the Pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?
- Isaiah 38:18–19
For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
- Psalms 88:10–12
Through
Ecclesiastes 1:11There is no remembrance of those who came before, and those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow after.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 2:16
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the…
- Psalms 9:6
The enemy has come to eternal ruin, and You have uprooted their cities; the very memory of them has vanished.
- Ecclesiastes 2:16
Through
Isaiah 26:14The dead will not live; the departed spirits will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them; You have wiped out all memory of them.
it leads to
- Revelation 18:2–3
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable…
- Revelation 18:2–3
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 9; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.