Amplified Bible
Ecclesiastes 5:13
13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being kept and hoarded by their owner to his own misery.
Ecclesiastes 5:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
- New International Version (NIV)I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
- English Standard Version (ESV)There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,
- New King James Version (NKJV)There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
Context of Ecclesiastes 5:13
11When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what advantage is there to their owners except to see them with their eyes? 12The sleep of a working man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach (greed) of the rich [who hungers for even more] will not let him sleep. There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being kept and hoarded by their owner to his own misery. 14For when those riches are lost in bad investments and he becomes the father of a son, then there is nothing in his hand [for the support of the child]. 15As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came; and he will take away nothing from all his labor that he can carry in his hand.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 5Ecclesiastes 5:13 word by word
יֵ֚שׁ רָעָ֣ה חוֹלָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֹ֛שֶׁר שָׁמ֥וּר לִבְעָלָ֖יו לְרָעָתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:13
- Ecclesiastes 4:8There was a certain man—without a dependent, having neither a child nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity (a wisp of smoke, self-conceit); yes, it is a painful effort and an unhappy task.
- Ecclesiastes 6:1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men:
- Ecclesiastes 8:9All this I have seen while applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has exercised power over others to their detriment.
- Genesis 13:5But Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.
- Genesis 14:16And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, and also the women, and the people.
- Genesis 19:14So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were [betrothed, and legally promised] to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he appeared to be joking.
- Proverbs 1:11If they say, “Come with us; Let us lie in wait to shed blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
- Proverbs 11:4Riches will not provide security in the day of wrath and judgment, But righteousness rescues from death.
- Isaiah 2:20In that day men will throw away to the moles and to the bats Their idols of silver and their idols of gold, Which they made for themselves [as objects] to worship,
- Isaiah 32:6For the fool speaks nonsense, And his heart (mind) plans wickedness: To practice ungodliness and to speak error concerning the Lord, To keep the craving of the hungry unsatisfied And to deprive the thirsty of drink.
- Zephaniah 1:18Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to rescue them On the day of the Lord’s indignation and wrath. And the whole earth will be consumed In the fire of His jealous wrath, For He shall make a full and complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
- Luke 12:16Then He told them a parable, saying, “There was a rich man whose land was very fertile and productive.
- Luke 16:1Now Jesus was also saying to the disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager [of his estate], and accusations [against this man] were brought to him, that this man was squandering his [master’s] possessions.
- Luke 18:22When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing; sell everything that you have and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have [abundant] treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].”
- Luke 19:8Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “See, Lord, I am [now] giving half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I will give back four times as much.”
- 1 Timothy 6:9But those who [are not financially ethical and] crave to get rich [with a compulsive, greedy longing for wealth] fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction [leading to personal misery].
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt - This may be the case through various causes: He may make an improper use of them, and lose his health by them. He may join in an unfortunate partnership and lose all. His riches may excite the desire of the robber; and he may spoil him of his goods, and even take away his life. 4. Or, he may leave them to his son, who turns profligate; spends the whole, and ruins both his body and soul. I have seen this…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better than he does his luxuries. There are bodily desires which silver itself will not satisfy, much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires. The more men have, the better house they must keep, the more servants they must employ, the more guests…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-14wealth hoarded...wealth lost: Possessions are temporary and can disappear for many reasons.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. Proofs of God's judgments even in this world (Pr 11:31). The rich oppressor's wealth provokes enemies, robbers, &c. Then, after having kept it for an expected son, he loses it beforehand by misfortune ("by evil travail"), and the son is born to be heir of poverty. Ec 2:19, 23 gives another aspect of the same subject.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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