Ecclesiastes 9:12

Ecclesiastes 9:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
• New International Version (NIV)Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:12

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. 11I 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. For 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: 14There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.

Ecclesiastes 9:12 word by word

כִּ֡י גַּם֩ לֹֽא־יֵדַ֨ע הָאָדָ֜ם אֶת־עִתּ֗וֹ כַּדָּגִים֙ שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙ בִּמְצוֹדָ֣ה רָעָ֔ה וְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔ים הָאֲחֻז֖וֹת בַּפָּ֑ח כָּהֵ֗ם יֽוּקָשִׁים֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָֽאָדָ֔ם לְעֵ֣ת רָעָ֔ה כְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹל עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם פִּתְאֹֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Forכִּיkîy · forH3588
• surelyגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• knowsיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• his timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• Like fishדָּגdâg dâ'g · fishH1709
• caughtאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
• in a cruelרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• netמְצוֹדָהmâtsôd metsôdâh metsôdâh · netH4685
• or birdsצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• in a snareפַּחpach · snareH6341
• so menבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• are ensnaredיָקֹשׁyâqôsh · to snareH3369
• that suddenlyפִּתְאֹםpith'ôm pith'ôm · suddenlyH6597
• fallsנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• upon themעַל‛al · uponH5921

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:12

• Ecclesiastes 8:5Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.
• Luke 19:42and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.
• 2 Corinthians 6:2For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!
• 1 Peter 2:12Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
• Proverbs 7:22He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
• Habakkuk 1:14You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler.
• 2 Timothy 2:26Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.
• Job 18:8For his own feet lead him into a net, and he wanders into its mesh.
• Psalms 11:6On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion.
• Psalms 73:18Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
• Proverbs 6:15Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
• Proverbs 29:6An evil man is caught by his own sin, but a righteous one sings and rejoices.
• Isaiah 30:13this iniquity of yours is like a breach about to fail, a bulge in a high wall, whose collapse will come suddenly— in an instant!
• Luke 12:20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
• Luke 17:26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:
• Luke 21:34But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12As the birds that are caught - Man acts so heedlessly, notwithstanding all his wisdom, and all his warnings, that he is often taken, as a fish is, by the baited hook; and the bird by the baited snare. And thus, an evil time, like the snare, gin, trap, hook, falleth suddenly upon them; and they are taken in a moment, and have no means of escaping. How frequently do we see these comparisons illustrated!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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-12From observing life, it seems death often lacks meaning. Why do some people die while others live longer? God's decision on this is unpredictable (Ecclesiastes 7:13–14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. his time--namely, of death (Ec 7:15; Is 13:22). Hence the danger of delay in doing the work of God, as one knows not when his opportunity will end (Ec 9:10). evil net--fatal to them. The unexpected suddenness of the capture is the point of comparison. So the second coming of Jesus Christ, "as a snare" (Lu 21:35). evil time--as an "evil net," fatal to them.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:12

• Fish
• Hunting
• Ignorance
• Net

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Fowler
• Net
• Remember
• Reward
• Entangle
• Food
• Hunting
• Snare

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