Ecclesiastes 11:1

Ecclesiastes 11:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
• New International Version (NIV)Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.

Context of Ecclesiastes 11:1

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

Ecclesiastes 11:1 word by word

שַׁלַּ֥ח לַחְמְךָ֖ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַמָּ֑יִם כִּֽי־בְרֹ֥ב הַיָּמִ֖ים תִּמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear

• breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
• findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 11:1

• Isaiah 32:20Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the feet of the ox and the ass.
• Ecclesiastes 11:6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
• Deuteronomy 15:10Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto.
• Psalms 41:1Blessed is he that considereth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.
• Psalms 126:5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
• Proverbs 11:18The wicked earneth deceitful wages; But he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward.
• Proverbs 19:17He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto Jehovah, And his good deed will he pay him again.
• Matthew 10:13And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
• Matthew 25:40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.
• Luke 14:14and thou shalt be blessed; because they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.
• 2 Corinthians 9:6But thisI say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
• Galatians 6:8For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.
• Hebrews 6:10for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Cast thy bread upon the waters - An allusion to the sowing of rice; which was sown upon muddy ground, or ground covered with water, and trodden in by the feet of cattle: it thus took root, and grew, and was found after many days in a plentiful harvest. Give alms to the poor, and it will be as seed sown in good ground. God will cause thee afterwards to receive it with abundant increase. The Targum understands it of giving bread to poor sailors. The Vulgate…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The verse means: “Show hospitality, even though the corresponding return of hospitality to you may seem improbable; nevertheless, be hospitable in faith.” Compare Luke 14:13-14; Hebrews 13:2. Some interpreters (not unreasonably) understand by “bread” the seed from the produce of which bread is made. Seed cast upon the fertile soil flooded by the early rains would be returned to the sower in autumn with large increase.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Exhortation to liberality. (Eccl. 11:1-6) An admonition to prepare for death, and to young persons to be religious. (Eccl. 11:7-10) Verses 1-6 Solomon presses the rich to do good to others. Give freely, though it may seem thrown away and lost. Give to many. Excuse not thyself with the good thou hast done, from the good thou hast further to do. It is not lost, but well laid out. We have reason to expect evil, for we are born to trouble; it is wisdom to do…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2We should invest our resources instead of hoarding them, even if we cannot control the outcomes.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-10Ec 11:1-10. 1. Ec 11:2 shows that charity is here inculcated. bread--bread corn. As in the Lord's prayer, all things needful for the body and soul. Solomon reverts to the sentiment (Ec 9:10). waters--image from the custom of sowing seed by casting it from boats into the overflowing waters of the Nile, or in any marshy ground. When the waters receded, the grain in the alluvial soil sprang up (Is 32:20). "Waters" express multitudes, so Ec 11:2; Re 17:15…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 11:1

• Faith
• Liberality
• Seven

In the dictionaries

• Childhood
• Empty
• Regard
• Remove
• Wisdom

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