Ecclesiastes 9:11

Ecclesiastes 9:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
• New International Version (NIV)I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:11

9Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun. 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. I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all. 12For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them. 13I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:

Ecclesiastes 9:11 word by word

שַׁ֜בְתִּי וְרָאֹ֣ה תַֽחַת־הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ כִּ֣י לֹא֩ לַקַּלִּ֨ים הַמֵּר֜וֹץ וְלֹ֧א לַגִּבּוֹרִ֣ים הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְ֠גַם לֹ֣א לַחֲכָמִ֥ים לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְגַ֨ם לֹ֤א לַנְּבֹנִים֙ עֹ֔שֶׁר וְגַ֛ם לֹ֥א לַיֹּדְעִ֖ים חֵ֑ן כִּי־עֵ֥ת וָפֶ֖גַע יִקְרֶ֥ה אֶת־כֻּלָּֽם׃Read the interlinear

• I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• something elseשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
• underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
• the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• ·כִּיkîy · forH3588
• The raceמֵרוֹץmêrôts · raceH4793
• The raceלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• to the swiftקַלqal · swiftH7031
• nor the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• to the strongגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
• ·גַּםgam · alsoH1571
• the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• to the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• the wealthעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
• to the intelligentבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• the favorחֵןchên · favorH2580
• to the skillfulיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• and chanceפֶּ֫גַעpega‛ · chanceH6294
• happenקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• to allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Ecclesiastes 2:12Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
• Malachi 3:18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
• 1 Samuel 17:50Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
• 2 Samuel 2:18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
• 2 Samuel 17:14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
• Psalms 33:16No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.
• Psalms 73:6Therefore pride is their necklace; a garment of violence covers them.
• Psalms 147:10He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
• Jeremiah 9:23This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
• Jeremiah 46:6“The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.
• Amos 2:14Escape will fail the swift, the strong will not prevail by his strength, and the mighty will not save his life.
• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
• Ecclesiastes 3:14I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.
• Ecclesiastes 7:13Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
• 1 Samuel 2:3Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11The race is not to the swift - It is not by swiftness, nor by strength and valor, that races are gained and battles won. God causes the lame often to take the prey, the prize; and so works that the weak overthrow the strong; therefore, no man should confide in himself. All things are under the government, and at the disposal of God. But time and chance - עת eth, time or opportunity, and פגע pega, incident or occurrence: - Happeneth to them all - Every man…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Read these six verses connectedly, in order to arrive at the meaning of the writer; and compare Ecclesiastes 2:1-12. After the description Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 of the portionless condition of the dead, the next thought which occurs is that the man who is prosperous and active should simply enjoy his portion all through this life Ecclesiastes 9:7-10; and then Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 follows the correcting thought (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 note)…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11Verse 11 ,12 Men's success seldom equals their expectations. We must use means, but not trust to them: if we succeed, we must give God the praise; if crossed, we must submit to his will. Those who put off the great concerns of their souls, are caught in Satan's net, which he baits with some worldly object, for which they reject or neglect the gospel, and go on in sin till they suddenly fall into destruction.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11chance: We cannot control the outcome (compare Ecclesiastes 7:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. This verse qualifies the sentiment, Ec 9:7-9. Earthly "enjoyments," however lawful in their place (Ec 3:1), are to give way when any work to be done for God requires it. Reverting to the sentiment (Ec 8:17), we ought, therefore, not only to work God's work "with might" (Ec 9:10), but also with the feeling that the event is wholly "in God's hand" (Ec 9:1). race ... not to the swift--(2Sa 18:23); spiritually (Zep 3:19; Ro 9:16). nor ... battle to…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Race

In the dictionaries

• Chance
• Event
• Evil
• Games
• Remember
• Reward
• Happen
• Providence
• Skill; Skilful
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9

• 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