Ecclesiastes 1:6

Ecclesiastes 1:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
• New International Version (NIV)The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.

Context of Ecclesiastes 1:6

4Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. 5The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course. 7All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place from which the streams come, there again they flow. 8All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 1:6 word by word

הוֹלֵךְ֙ אֶל־דָּר֔וֹם וְסוֹבֵ֖ב אֶל־צָפ֑וֹן סוֹבֵ֤ב׀ סֹבֵב֙ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ הָר֔וּחַ וְעַל־סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו שָׁ֥ב הָרֽוּחַ׃Read the interlinear

• The windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• blowsהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• southwardאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• southwardדָּרוֹםdârôm · southH1864
• then turnsסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
• northwardצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · northH6828
• roundסָבַבsâbab · to turn: surroundH5437
• ever returningשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• onעַל‛al · uponH5921
• courseסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:6

• Job 3:8May it be cursed by those who curse the day— those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
• Acts 27:13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along, hugging the coast of Crete.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6"The wind is continually whirling about, and the wind returneth upon its whirlings." It is plain, from the clause which I have restored to the fifth verse, that the author refers to the approximations of the sun to the northern and southern tropics, viz., of Cancer and Capricorn. All the versions agree in applying the first clause of the sixth verse to the sun, and not to the wind. Our version alone has mistaken the meaning. My old MS. Bible is quite…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6More literally, Going toward the south and veering toward the north, veering, veering goes the wind; and to its veerings the wind returns.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-8Verses 4-8 All things change, and never rest. Man, after all his labour, is no nearer finding rest than the sun, the wind, or the current of the river. His soul will find no rest, if he has it not from God. The senses are soon tired, yet still craving what is untried.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-11The Teacher starts by noting that every natural and historical activity has a repetitive cycle of coming and going, existing and not existing. This can cause some to feel that everything is meaningless. The Teacher quickly shifts from one topic to another and ends this section with the topic he began with, using a literary style that reflects the cycles he describes in nature and human history.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. according to his circuits--that is, it returns afresh to its former circuits, however many be its previous veerings about. The north and south winds are the two prevailing winds in Palestine and Egypt.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:6

• Covetousness
• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena

In the dictionaries

• Circuit
• Sun
• Vanity
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wind

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings