Berean Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 6:2
2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
Ecclesiastes 6:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
- New International Version (NIV)God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
- English Standard Version (ESV)a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.
Context of Ecclesiastes 6:2
1There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind: God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction. 3A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 6Ecclesiastes 6:2 word by word
אִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתֶּן־ל֣וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים עֹשֶׁר֩ וּנְכָסִ֨ים וְכָב֜וֹד וְֽאֵינֶ֨נּוּ חָסֵ֥ר לְנַפְשׁ֣וֹ׀ מִכֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יִתְאַוֶּ֗ה וְלֹֽא־יַשְׁלִיטֶ֤נּוּ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל מִמֶּ֔נּוּ כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ נָכְרִ֖י יֹֽאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וָחֳלִ֥י רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- givesנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- richesעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
- wealthנֶ֫כֶסnekes · wealthH5233
- and honorכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- so that he lacksחָסֵרchâsêr · lackingH2638
- nothingאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- his heartנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
- ·כֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- desiresאָוָה'âvâh · to desireH183
- does notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- allow himשָׁלַטshâlaţ · to domineerH7980
- to enjoy themאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- ·מִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
- Insteadכִּיkîy · forH3588
- a strangerאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- a strangerנׇכְרִיnokrîy · foreignH5237
- Thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- is futileהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
- and a grievousחֳלִיchŏlîy · sicknessH2483
- afflictionרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
- afflictionהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 6:2
- Ecclesiastes 5:19Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.
- 1 Kings 3:13Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal.
- 1 Chronicles 29:25The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal majesty such as had not been bestowed on any king in Israel before him.
- 2 Chronicles 1:11God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart instead of requesting riches or wealth or honor for yourself or death for your enemies—and since you have not even requested long life but have asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern My people over whom I have made you king—
- Daniel 5:18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
- Deuteronomy 8:7For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills;
- Judges 18:10When you enter, you will come to an unsuspecting people and a spacious land, for God has delivered it into your hand. It is a place where nothing on earth is lacking.”
- Job 21:9Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.
- Psalms 17:14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.
- Psalms 73:7From their prosperity proceeds iniquity; the imaginations of their hearts run wild.
- Luke 12:19Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- Deuteronomy 28:33A people you do not know will eat the produce of your land and of all your toil. All your days you will be oppressed and crushed.
- Psalms 39:6Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
- Lamentations 5:2Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
- Hosea 7:9Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A man to whom God hath given riches - A man may possess much earthly goods, and yet enjoy nothing of them. Possession and fruition are not necessarily joined together; and this is also among the vanities of life. It is worthy of remark, that it belongs to God as much to give the power to enjoy as it does to give the earthly blessings. A wise heathen saw this: - Di tibi divitias dederant, artemque fruendi. Hor. Ep. lib. i., ep. 4, ver. 7. "The gods had…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2This parable of the "unfortunate man" is similar to Ecclesiastes 4:7–8 and 5:13–17. It is a sad tragedy when someone succeeds but cannot enjoy their success. This person misses the only real benefit of success.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. for his soul--that is, his enjoyment. God giveth him not power to eat--This distinguishes him from the "rich" man in Ec 5:19. "God hath given" distinguishes him also from the man who got his wealth by "oppression" (Ec 5:8, 10). stranger--those not akin, nay, even hostile to him (Jr 51:51; La 5:2; Ho 7:9). He seems to have it in his "power" to do as he will with his wealth, but an unseen power gives him up to his own avarice: God wills that he should…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 6:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6
- 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
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