Ecclesiastes 12:5

Ecclesiastes 12:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
• New International Version (NIV)when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets.
• English Standard Version (ESV)they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets.

Context of Ecclesiastes 12:5

3on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly, 4when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint, when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets. 6Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well, 7before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:5 word by word

גַּ֣ם מִגָּבֹ֤הַּ יִרָ֙אוּ֙ וְחַתְחַתִּ֣ים בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְיָנֵ֤אץ הַשָּׁקֵד֙ וְיִסְתַּבֵּ֣ל הֶֽחָגָ֔ב וְתָפֵ֖ר הָֽאֲבִיּוֹנָ֑ה כִּֽי־הֹלֵ֤ךְ הָאָדָם֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית עוֹלָמ֔וֹ וְסָבְב֥וּ בָשּׁ֖וּק הַסֹּפְדִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• ·גַּםgam · alsoH1571
• fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• the heightsגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
• and dangersחַתְחַתchathchath · terrorH2849
• of the roadדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• when the almond treeשָׁקֵדshâqêd · almondH8247
• blossomsנָאַץnâ'ats · to spurnH5006
• the grasshopperחָגָבchâgâb · locustH2284
• loses its springסָבַלsâbal · to bearH5445
• and the caper berryאֲבִיּוֹנָה'ăbîyônâh · desireH35
• shrivelsפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
• for thenכִּיkîy · forH3588
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• goesהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• his eternalעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
• homeבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• and mournersסָפַדsâphad · to mournH5594
• walkסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
• the streetsשׁוּקshûq · streetH7784

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:5

• Genesis 42:38But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”
• Genesis 44:29Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’
• Leviticus 19:32You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD.
• Job 15:10Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
• Psalms 71:18Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.
• Proverbs 16:31Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
• Proverbs 20:29The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
• Isaiah 46:4Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.
• Jeremiah 1:11And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” “I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
• Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
• Job 17:13If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness,
• Job 30:23Yes, I know that You will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.
• Psalms 49:10For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
• Hebrews 9:27Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
• Genesis 50:3taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
• Jeremiah 9:17This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Take note, and summon the wailing women; send for the most skillful among them.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5When they shall be afraid of that which is high - 10. Being so feeble, they are afraid to trust themselves to ascend steps, stairs, etc., without help. And when they look upwards, their heads turn giddy, and they are ready to fall. 11. Fears shall be in the way - They dare not walk out, lest they should meet some danger, which they have not strength to repel, nor agility to escape. A second childishness has taken place - apprehensions, fears, terrors, and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5High - The powerful and the proud, such persons as an old man in his timidity might shrink from opposing or meeting: or, high ground which old men would avoid ascending. Fears … in the way - Compare Proverbs 26:13. The almond tree - The type of old age. Many modern critics translate “The almond shall be despised,” i. e., pleasant food shall no longer be relished. The grasshopper - Rather: “the locust.” The clause means, heaviness and stiffness shall take…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5In the ancient Near East, people knew the caperberry as a love-enhancing food.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. that which is high--The old are afraid of ascending a hill. fears ... in the way--Even on the level highway they are full of fears of falling, &c. almond ... flourish--In the East the hair is mostly dark. The white head of the old among the dark-haired is like an almond tree, with its white blossoms, among the dark trees around [Holden]. The almond tree flowers on a leafless stock in winter (answering to old age, in which all the powers are dormant)…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 12:5

• Death
• Grasshopper
• Mourning
• Old Age
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Allegory
• Almond
• Conclusion
• Creator
• Grasshopper
• Heed
• Judgment
• Remember
• Whole
• Burial

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12

• 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