Ecclesiastes 11:3

Ecclesiastes 11:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie.

Context of Ecclesiastes 11:3

1Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, [be diligently active, make thoughtful decisions], for you will find it after many days. 2Give a portion to seven, or even [divide it] to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. If the clouds are full [of rain], they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it lies. 4He who watches the wind [waiting for all conditions to be perfect] will not sow [seed], and he who looks at the clouds will not reap [a harvest]. 5Just as you do not know the way and path of the wind or how the bones are formed in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.

Ecclesiastes 11:3 word by word

אִם־יִמָּלְא֨וּ הֶעָבִ֥ים גֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ עַל־הָאָ֣רֶץ יָרִ֔יקוּ וְאִם־יִפּ֥וֹל עֵ֛ץ בַּדָּר֖וֹם וְאִ֣ם בַּצָּפ֑וֹן מְק֛וֹם שֶׁיִּפּ֥וֹל הָעֵ֖ץ שָׁ֥ם יְהֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If the cloudsעָב‛âb · cloudH5645
• be fullמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
• of rainגֶּ֫שֶׁםgeshem · rainH1653
• they emptyרִיקrûq · to emptyH7324
• upon the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and if the treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• toward the southדָּרוֹםdârôm · southH1864
• or toward the northצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · northH6828
• in the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• there it shall beהָוָהhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1933

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 11:3

• 1 Kings 18:45In a little while the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there were heavy showers. And Ahab mounted and rode [his chariot] and went [inland] to Jezreel.
• Psalms 65:9You visit the earth and make it overflow [with water]; You greatly enrich it; The stream of God is full of water; You provide their grain, when You have prepared the earth.
• Isaiah 55:10For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, Making it bear and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
• 1 John 3:17But whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him?
• Matthew 3:10And already the axe [of God’s judgment] is swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
• Luke 13:7so he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have found none. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground [depleting the soil and blocking the sunlight]?’
• Luke 16:22Now it happened that the poor man died and his spirit was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom (paradise); and the rich man also died and was buried.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3If the clouds be full of rain - Act as the clouds; when they are full they pour out their water indifferently on the field and on the desert. By giving charity indiscriminately, it may be that thou wilt often give it to the unworthy: but thou shouldst ever consider that he is an object of thy charity, who appears to be in real want; and better relieve or give to a hundred worthless persons, than pass by one who is in real distress. Where the tree falleth…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-6Verses 3-6 “Unforeseen events come from God; and the man who is always gazing on the uncertain future will neither begin nor complete any useful work: but do thou bear in mind that times and circumstances, the powers of nature and the results to which they minister, are in the hand of God; and be both diligent and trustful.” The images are connected chiefly with the occupation of an agricultural laborer: the discharge of rain from the cloud, and the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3clouds...rain: We can often predict what will happen. a tree...will lie: Our actions sometimes have permanent consequences.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. clouds--answering to "evil" (Ec 11:2), meaning, When the times of evil are fully ripe, evil must come; and speculations about it beforehand, so as to prevent one sowing seed of liberality, are vain (Ec 11:4). tree--Once the storm uproots it, it lies either northward or southward, according as it fell. So man's character is unchangeable, whether for hell or heaven, once that death overtakes him (Re 22:11, 14, 15). Now is his time for liberality, before…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 11:3

• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena

In the dictionaries

• Childhood
• Empty
• Regard
• Remove

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings