The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 9:10 Explained

Ecclesiastes 9:10

KJV: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

YLT: All that thy hand findeth to do, with thy power do, for there is no work, and device, and knowledge, and wisdom in Sheol whither thou art going.

Darby: Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

ASV: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

Discover Ecclesiastes 9:10

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Ecclesiastes 9:10?

MEANING: What does Ecclesiastes 9:10 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 9:10 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Ecclesiastes 9:10?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Whatsoever thy hand  findeth  to do,  do  [it] with thy might;  for [there is] no work,  nor device,  nor knowledge,  nor wisdom,  in the grave,  whither thou goest. 

What does Ecclesiastes 9:10 Mean?

Study Notes

there is no work
Ecclesiastes 9:10 is no more a divine revelation concerning the state of the dead than any other conclusion of "the Preacher" Ecclesiastes 1:1 is such a revelation. Reasoning from the standpoint of man "under the sun" the natural man can see no difference between a dead man and a dead lion. Ecclesiastes 9:4 . A living dog is better than either. No one would quote Ecclesiastes 9:2 as a divine revelation. These reasonings of man apart from divine revelation are set down by inspiration just as the words of Satan; Genesis 3:4 ; Job 2:4 ; Job 2:5 are so set down. But that life and consciousness continue between death and resurrection is directly affirmed in Scripture.; Isaiah 14:9-11 ; Matthew 22:32 ; Mark 9:43-48 ; Luke 16:19-31 ; John 11:26 ; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 ; Philippians 1:21-23 ; Revelation 6:9-11 .
grave Heb. "Sheol," .
hell
Sheol is, in the O.T., the place to which the dead go.
(1) Often, therefore, it is spoken of as the equivalent of the grave, merely, where all human activities cease; the terminus toward which all human life moves (e.g. Genesis 42:38 grave Job 14:13 grave Psalms 88:3 grave
(2) To the man "under the sun," the natural man, who of necessity judges from appearances, sheol seems no more than the grave-- the end and total cessation, not only of the activities of life, but of life itself. Ecclesiastes 9:5 ; Ecclesiastes 9:10
(3) But Scripture reveals sheol as a place of sorrow Isaiah 14:9-171 ; Psalms 18:5 ; Psalms 116:3 ; in which the wicked are turned Psalms 9:17 and where they are fully conscious; 1713945643_93 ; Ezekiel 32:21 see, especially, Jonah 2:2 what the belly of the great fish was to Jonah that sheol is to those who are therein). The sheol of the O.T. and hades of the N.T. (See Scofield " Luke 16:23 ") are identical.

Verse Meaning

Solomon"s second recommendation was diligent work (cf. John 9:4).He viewed work as is a privilege that the dead do not have. Probably toil connected with the curse on nature is in view here. We will be active in service in heaven, for example, but this will not be work as we know it now ( Revelation 22:3). If you think work is not a blessing, spend some time talking with someone who has been out of work for a long time.

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 9

1  like things happen to good and bad
4  there is a necessity of death unto men
7  Comfort is all their portion in this life
11  God's providence rules over all
13  wisdom is better than strength

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 9:10 mean?

Whatever whatever finds your hand to do with your might do [it] for [there is] no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going there -
כֹּ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּמְצָ֧א יָֽדְךָ֛ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ֖ עֲשֵׂ֑ה כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ וְדַ֣עַת וְחָכְמָ֔ה בִּשְׁא֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה הֹלֵ֥ךְ שָֽׁמָּה ס

כֹּ֠ל  Whatever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  whatever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תִּמְצָ֧א  finds 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
יָֽדְךָ֛  your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת  to  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
בְּכֹחֲךָ֖  with  your  might 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
עֲשֵׂ֑ה  do  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֵ֨ין  [there  is]  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן֙  or  device 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶשְׁבֹּון  
Sense: account, reasoning, reckoning.
וְדַ֣עַת  or  knowledge 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: דַּעַת 
Sense: knowledge.
וְחָכְמָ֔ה  or  wisdom 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
בִּשְׁא֕וֹל  in  the  grave 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular
Root: שְׁאֹול  
Sense: sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הֹלֵ֥ךְ  are  going 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Ecclesiastes 9:10?

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