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Ecclesiastes 11

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Generosity and Investing Wisely 1–3

1
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. ​
2
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. ​
3
If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. ​

Diligent Sowing Without Knowing the Outcome 4–6

4
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. ​
5
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. ​
6
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. ​

Youthful Joy and Divine Judgment 7–10

7
Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: ​
8
But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. ​
9
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. ​
10
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Ecclesiastes 11

Verse 1

Cast thy bread upon the waters — 'Cast' is shalach, to send out, the verb of Isa 32:20: 'ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass'. The next verse turns the image to giving. Prov 19:17 promises the return: 'that which he hath given will he pay him again.'

Verse 2

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight — 'Portion' is cheleq, a share. Seven and then eight is the Hebrew way of saying 'many', as in 'in six troubles: yea, in seven' (Job 5:19). The reason is that 'thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth'; Ps 112:9 says of the giver, 'He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor.'

Verse 3

the clouds be full of rain — The clouds 'empty themselves' (ruq) 'upon the earth' and the tree lies 'toward the south, or toward the north' (darom, tsafon) wherever it fell. Neither can be turned by watching, which leads to v.4. Isa 55:10 gives rain a purpose: it 'watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud'.

Verse 4

observeth the wind — 'Observeth' is shamar, to watch or keep, the verb of 'keep his commandments' in 12:13; here what is watched is the weather. The farmer who waits for sure conditions neither sows nor reaps, like the sluggard who 'will not plow by reason of the cold' (Prov 20:4).

Verse 5

the way of the spirit — Ruach is 'wind' in v.4 and 'spirit' here, so the unseen course of either is meant. The hidden growth in the womb is that of Ps 139:15, 'when I was made in secret'. Christ makes the same comparison: 'The wind bloweth where it listeth… so is every one that is born of the Spirit' (John 3:8).

Verse 6

In the morning sow thy seed — The answer to v.4 is work at both ends of the day. 'Prosper' is kasher, to succeed, found elsewhere only in Esth 8:5 and Eccl 10:10, and 'withhold' is yanach, to let rest. Paul states the same principle of giving: 'he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully' (2 Cor 9:6).

Verse 7

the light is sweet — Mathoq is the sweetness of honey, as of the LORD's judgments, 'sweeter also than honey' (Ps 19:10). To 'behold the sun' is to be alive; of the stillborn it is said, 'he hath not seen the sun' (6:5). The pleasure of life leads straight to the warning of v.8.

Verse 8

the days of darkness — 'Remember' is zakar, the verb of 12:1, 'Remember now thy Creator'. 'Vanity' is hebel, breath, the word of 1:2. 'All that cometh' takes in the days of darkness as well as the years of rejoicing. Christ speaks of the same limit: 'Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you' (John 12:35).

Verse 9

Rejoice, O young man — The call to joy is real, and the limit comes at its end: 'God will bring thee into judgment' (mishpat), the word that closes the book, 'every work into judgment' (12:14). 'The ways of thine heart… the sight of thine eyes' recalls the fringe commandment, 'seek not after your own heart and your own eyes' (Num 15:39).

Verse 10

remove sorrow from thy heart — Ka'as, vexation, is the 'grief' of 1:18, 'in much wisdom is much grief'. 'Childhood' (yaldut) is the 'youth' of v.9, and 'youth' (shacharuth, from the word for dawn) occurs only here; both are hebel, a passing breath. Paul warns Timothy, 'Flee also youthful lusts' (2 Tim 2:22).