Ecclesiastes 5:17

Ecclesiastes 5:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
• New International Version (NIV)All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
• New King James Version (NKJV)All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.

Context of Ecclesiastes 5:17

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. 16This also is a grievous evil—exactly as he was born, so he shall die. So what advantage has he who labors for the wind? All of his life he also eats in darkness [cheerlessly, without sweetness and light], with great frustration, sickness, and anger. 18Behold, here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in all the labor in which he labors under the sun during the few days of his life which God gives him—for this is his [allotted] reward. 19Also, every man to whom God has given riches and possessions, He has also given the power and ability to enjoy them and to receive [this as] his [allotted] portion and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God [to him].

Ecclesiastes 5:17 word by word

גַּ֥ם כָּל־יָמָ֖יו בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יֹאכֵ֑ל וְכָעַ֥ס הַרְבֵּ֖ה וְחָלְי֥וֹ וָקָֽצֶף׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• All his daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• also he eatethאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• in darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
• muchרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• sorrowכָּעַסka‛as · to provokeH3707
• and wrathקֶ֫צֶףqetseph · wrathH7110
• with his sicknessחֳלִיchŏlîy · sicknessH2483

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:17

• Genesis 3:17Then to Adam the Lord God said, “Because you have listened [attentively] to the voice of your wife, and have eaten [fruit] from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’; The ground is [now] under a curse because of you; In sorrow and toil you shall eat [the fruit] of it All the days of your life.
• 1 Kings 17:12But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar. See, I am gathering a few sticks so that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it [as our last meal] and die.”
• Job 21:25Whereas another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting pleasure or good fortune.
• Psalms 78:33Therefore He consumed their days like a breath [in emptiness and futility] And their years in sudden terror.
• Psalms 102:9For I have eaten ashes like bread, And have mingled my drink with tears
• Psalms 127:2It is vain for you to rise early, To retire late, To eat the bread of anxious labors— For He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.
• Ezekiel 4:16Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold (listen carefully), I am going to break the staff of bread [that supports life] in Jerusalem; and they shall eat bread [rationed] by weight and [eat it] with anxiety and fear, and drink water by measure and [drink it] in horror [of the impending starvation],
• 2 Kings 1:2Ahaziah [the king of Israel] fell through the lattice (grid) in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became sick [from the injury]. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this sickness.”
• 2 Kings 5:27Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So Gehazi departed from his presence, a leper as white as snow.
• 2 Chronicles 16:10Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison [in the stocks], for he was enraged with him because of this. And at the same time Asa oppressed some of the people.
• 2 Chronicles 24:24Though the army of the Arameans came with a small company of men, the Lord handed over a very large army into their hands, because Joash and Judah had abandoned (turned away from) the Lord, the God of their fathers. So the Arameans executed judgment against Joash.
• Psalms 90:7For we have been consumed by Your anger And by Your wrath we have been terrified.
• Proverbs 1:27When your dread and panic come like a storm, And your disaster comes like a whirlwind, When anxiety and distress come upon you [as retribution].
• Acts 12:23And at once an angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give God the glory [and instead permitted himself to be worshiped], and he was eaten by worms and died [five days later].
• 1 Corinthians 11:30That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason why many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep [in death].

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17All his days also he eateth in darkness - Even his enjoyments are embittered by uncertainty. He fears for his goods; the possibility of being deprived of them fills his heart with anguish. But instead of יאכל yochel, "he shall eat," ילך yelech, "he shall walk," is the reading of several MSS. He walks in darkness - he has no evidence of salvation. There is no ray of light from God to penetrate the gloom; and all beyond life is darkness impenetrable! And…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Hath much sorrow … - Rather, is very sad and hath pain and vexation.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. 16-17Working just to gain possessions is like chasing the wind; it causes frustration, discouragement, and anger.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. eateth--appropriately put for "liveth" in general, as connected with Ec 5:11, 12, 18. darkness--opposed to "light (joy) of countenance" (Ec 8:1; Pr 16:15). wrath--fretfulness, literally, "His sorrow is much, and his infirmity (of body) and wrath."Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:17

• Riches

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Angry
• Defer
• Eat
• Error
• Vow
• Synagogue, the Great

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