ECC 5

Ecclesiastes 5:19

WEB

Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

BSB

Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.

KJV

Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

Matthew Henry

Verses 18–20

Ecclesiastes 5:18–20

Solomon, from the vanity of riches hoarded up, here infers that the best course we can take is to use well what we have, to serve God with it, to do good with it, and take the comfort of it to ourselves and our families; this he had pressed before, Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:22. Observe, 1. What it is that is here recommended to us, not to indulge the appetites of the flesh, or to take up with present pleasures or profits for our portion, but soberly and moderately to make use of what Providence has allotted for our comfortable passage through this world. We must not starve ourselves through covetousness, because we cannot afford ourselves food convenient, nor through eagerness in our worldly pursuits, nor through excessive care and grief, but eat and drink what is fit for us to keep our bodies in good plight for the serving of our souls in God's service. We must not kill ourselves with labour, and then leave others to enjoy the good of it, but take the comfort of that which our hands have laboured for, and that not now and then, but all the days of our life which God gives us. Life is God's gift, and he has appointed us the number of the days of our life (Job 14:5); let us therefore spend those days in serving the Lord our God with joyfulness and gladness of heart. We must not do the business of our calling as a drudgery, and make ourselves slaves to it, but we must rejoice in our labour, not grasp at more business than we can go through without perplexity and disquiet, but take a pleasure in the calling wherein God has put us, and go on in the business of it with cheerfulness. This it to rejoice in our labour, whatever it is, as Zebulun in his going out and Issachar in his tents. 2. What is urged to recommend it to us. (1.) That it is good and comely to do this. It is well, and it looks well. Those that cheerfully use what God has given them thereby honour the giver, answer the intention of the gift, act rationally and generously, do good in the world, and make what they have turn to the best account, and this is both their credit and their comfort; it is good and comely; there is duty and decency in it. (2.) That it is all the good we can have out of the things of this world: It is our portion, and in doing thus we take our portion, and make the best of bad. This is our part of our worldly possession. God must have his part, the poor theirs, and our families theirs, but this is ours; it is all that falls to our lot out of them. (3.) That a heart to do thus is such a gift of God's grace as crowns all the gifts of his providence. If God has given a man riches and wealth, he completes the favour, and makes that a blessing indeed, if withal he gives him power to eat thereof, wisdom and grace to take the good of it and to do good with it. If this is God's gift, we must covet it earnestly as the best gift relating to our enjoyments in this world. (4.) That this is the way to make our own lives easy and to relieve ourselves against the many toils and troubles which our lives on earth are incident to (Ecc 5:20): He shall not much remember the days of his life, the days of his sorrow and sore travail, his working days, his weeping days. He shall either forget them or remember them as waters that pass away; he shall not much lay to heart his crosses, nor long retain the bitter relish of them, because God answers him in the joy of his heart, balances all the grievances of his labour with the joy of it and recompenses him for it by giving him to eat the labour of his hands. If he does not answer all his desires and expectations, in the letter of them, yet he answers them with that which is more than equivalent, in the joy of his heart. A cheerful spirit is a great blessing; it makes the yoke of our employments easy and the burden of our afflictions light.

Cross-references: Eccl 2:24 · Eccl 3:22 · Job 14:5 · Eccl 5:20

Hebrew interlinear

ל֣וֹloprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · sing

H1571

גַּםgam/gam/

adv — assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

Derivation: by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;

properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and

KJV: again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.

גַּם

adv — also

גַּם 768 adv. denoting addition, also, moreover, yea

H3605

כֹּלkôl/kole/

n-m — whole, all, any, every

Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).

כֹּל

n.m — the whole

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

2. Absolutely:

a. without the art., all things, all

b. with the art. הַכֹּל

(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

H120

אָדָםʼâdâm/aw-dawm'/

n-m — ruddy, human being, mankind

Derivation: from 119;

ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)

KJV: × another, hypocrite, common sort, × low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

אָדָם

n.m — Adam

אָדָם 560 n.m. Gn 1:27 man, mankind

1. a man = human being

2. coll. man, mankind

3. n.pr.m. Adam, first man (without art.)

4. n.pr.loc. city in Jordan valley (as built?)

H834

אֲשֶׁרʼăsher/ash-er'/

r — who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Derivation: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.

KJV: × after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.

אֲשֶׁר

part. of relation — who

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

בַאֲשֶׁר

adv — in which

בַאֲשֶׁר

a. in (that) which

b. adv. in (the place) where

c. conj. in that, inasmuch as

d. on account of whom?

כַּאֲשֶׁר

conj — according as

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

1. according to that which, according as, as

2. with a causal force, in so far as, since

3. with a temporal force, when

מֵאֲשֶׁר

adv — who

מֵאֲשֶׁר

a. from (or than) that which

b. adv. from (the place) where

c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H5414

נָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/

v — give, put, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.

נָתַן

vb — give

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

1. give

2. Put, set

3. Make, constitute

Niph. 82

1. be given

2. Be put, set

Hoph.

1.

a. be given, bestowed

b. = be given to one for wife

2. be put upon

H430

אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/

n-m — gods, God, magistrates

Derivation: plural of 433;

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.

אֱלֹהִים

n.m.pl — gods

אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.

1. pl. in number.

a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

c. angels

d. gods

2. pl. intensive

a. god or goddess

b. godlike one

c. works of God, or things belongng to him

d. God

3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

4. אֱלֹהִים = God

H6239

עֹשֶׁרʻôsher/o'-sher/

n-m — wealth

Derivation: from 6238;

wealth

KJV: × far (richer), riches.

עֹ֫שֶׁר

riches

עֹ֫שֶׁר riches

H5233

נֶכֶסnekeç/neh'-kes/

n-m — treasure

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to accumulate;

treasure

KJV: riches, wealth.

נֶ֫כֶס

n.m — riches

[נֶ֫כֶס] n.m. only pl. riches, treasures

H7980

שָׁלַטshâlaṭ/shaw-lat'/

v — dominate, govern, permit

Derivation: a primitive root;

to dominate, i.e. govern; by implication, to permit

KJV: (bear, have) rule, have dominion, give (have) power.

שָׁלַט

vb — domineer

שָׁלַט vb. domineer, be master of (late)

Qal domineer, lord it over

Hiph.

1. give power of

2. get mastery of

H398

אָכַלʼâkal/aw-kal'/

v — eat

Derivation: a primitive root;

to eat (literally or figuratively)

KJV: × at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, × freely, × in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, × quite.

אָכַל

vb — eat

אָכַל 806 vb. eat

Qal

1. eat, human subject

2. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour

3. fig. of fire, devour, consume

4. of sword, devour, slay

5. in genl., devour, consume, destroy

6. fig. of oppression, devour the poor

Niph.

1. be eaten by man

2. be devoured by fire, consumed

3. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh

Pu. be consumed

Hiph.

1. cause to eat, feed with

2. cause to devoure, obj. sword

H4480

מִןmin/min/

prep — part, from, out of

Derivation: or מִנִּי; or מִנֵּי; (constructive plural) (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482;

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, × neither, × nor, (out) of, over, since, × then, through, × whether, with.

מִן־

prep — out of

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

1. with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

a. from, against

b. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

c. of position, off, on the side of, on

2. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

3. Partitively

4. Of time

a. as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

b. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

c. towards, to

5. (וְעַד) עַדמִן from … even to

6. In comparisons, beyond, above

7. מן is prefixed to an infin.:

a. with causal force, from, on account of, through

b. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

c. with a temporal force, since, after

8. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

9. In compounds:

מֵן

n. [m.] — portion

[מֵן] n. [m.] portion

H5375

נָשָׂאnâsâʼ/naw-saw'/

v — lift

Derivation: or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 [7]), a primitive root;

to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

KJV: accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ( man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, × needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, swear, take (away, up), × utterly, wear, yield.

נָשָׂא

vb — lift

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

1. lift, lift up

2. Bear, carry

3. Take, take away

Niph.

1. be lifted up

2. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

3. be borne, carried

4. be taken away, carried off

Pi.

1. lift up = exalt

2. fig. = desire, long

3. carry, bear continuously

4. take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

1. cause one to bear iniquity

2. appar. cause to bring, have brought

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H2506

חֵלֶקchêleq/khay'lek/

n-m — smoothness, allotment

Derivation: from 2505;

properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment

KJV: flattery, inheritance, part, × partake, portion.

חֵ֫לֶק

n.[m.] — smoothness

חֵ֫לֶק n.[m.] smoothness, seductiveness of speech, only sg. cstr. Pr 7:21

חֵ֫לֶק

n.m — portion

חֵ֫לֶק n.m. portion, tract, territory

1. portion, share

2. portion, tract, of land

3. hence portion, i.e. (acquired) possession

4. chosen portion, habitual mode of life

5. portion, award, from God

H8055

שָׂמַחsâmach/saw-makh'/

v — brighten, be, blithe, gleesome

Derivation: a primitive root;

probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome

KJV: cheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy(-ful), be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, × very.

שָׂמַח

vb — rejoice

שָׂמַח, שָׂמִ֑חַ 154 vb. rejoice, be glad

Qal 126

1. in common life

2.

a. rejoice religiously

b. subj. י׳

Pi. cause to rejoice, gladden

Hiph. = Pi.

H5999

עָמָלʻâmâl/aw-mawl'/

n — toil, wearing effort, worry

Derivation: from 5998;

toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, whether of body or mind

KJV: grievance(-vousness), iniquity, labour, mischief, miserable(-sery), pain(-ful), perverseness, sorrow, toil, travail, trouble, wearisome, wickedness.

עָמָל

n.m — trouble

עָמָל n.m. f. trouble, labor, toil

1. trouble (∥ sorrow): one’s own suffering

2. trouble, mischief, as done to others

3. toil, labour (late in Heb.)

H2090

זֹהzôh/zo/

d — this, that

Derivation: for 2088;

this or that

KJV: as well as another, it, this, that, thus and thus.

זֹה

this

זֹה this (f.) = זֹאת

H4991

מַתָּתmattâth/mat-tawth'/

n-f — present

Derivation: feminine of 4976 abbreviated form;

a present

KJV: gift.

מַתַּת

n.f — gift

[מַתַּת] n.f. id. [n.gg.ai];—gift = reward

H1931

הוּאhûwʼ/hoo/

p — he, she, it, self, same, this, that, as, are

Derivation: of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא; he a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular;

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are

KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.

הוּא

m — he

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

1. an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

2. It resumes the subj. with emph.

3. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

4. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

5. As an emph. predicate, of God

6. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

7. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

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