Ecclesiastes 10:19

Ecclesiastes 10:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
• New International Version (NIV)A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.

Context of Ecclesiastes 10:19

17Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles and your princes feast at the proper time — for strength and not for drunkenness. 18Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks. A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything. 20Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter.

Ecclesiastes 10:19 word by word

לִשְׂחוֹק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A feastלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• is madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• for laughterשְׂחֹקώechôq ώechôq · laughterH7814
• and wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• maketh merryחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• maketh merryשָׂמַחώâmach · to rejoiceH8055
• but moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• answerethעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile.
• Ecclesiastes 7:2It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, since that is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart.
• Genesis 43:34Portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, and Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of theirs. They drank and became drunk with Joseph.
• Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine in their presence.
• 1 Peter 4:3For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry.
• Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works.
• Psalms 104:15wine that makes human hearts glad — making his face shine with oil — and bread that sustains human hearts.
• Isaiah 24:11In the streets they cry for wine. All joy grows dark; earth’s rejoicing goes into exile.
• 1 Samuel 25:36Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king. Nabal’s heart was cheerful, and he was very drunk, so she didn’t say anything to him until morning light.
• 2 Samuel 13:28Now Absalom commanded his young men, “Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and valiant!”
• Luke 12:19Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’
• Ephesians 5:18And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit:
• Ecclesiastes 7:11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance and an advantage to those who see the sun,
• 1 Chronicles 21:24King David answered Ornan, “No, I insist on paying the full price, for I will not take for the Lord what belongs to you or offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”
• 1 Chronicles 29:2So to the best of my ability I’ve made provision for the house of my God: gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx, stones for mounting, antimony, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and a great quantity of marble.
• 2 Chronicles 24:11Whenever the chest was brought by the Levites to the king’s overseers, and when they saw that there was a large amount of silver, the king’s secretary and the high priest’s deputy came and emptied the chest, picked it up, and returned it to its place. They did this daily and gathered the silver in abundance.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19A feast is made for laughter - The object of it is to produce merriment, to banish care and concern of every kind. But who are they who make and frequent such places? Epicures and drunkards generally; such as those of whom Horace speaks: Nos numerus sumus, et fruges consumere nati. Epist. lib. i., ep. 2, ver. 27. "Those whose names stand as indications of men, the useless many; and who appear to be born only to consume the produce of the soil." But money…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 Foolish rulers, by their weakness, self-indulgence and sloth, bring decay upon the state: nobleness and temperance insure prosperity: yet the subject must not rebel in word or thought against his king. Ecclesiastes 10:16 A child - Rather, young. The word is applied to Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 13:7 at the time of his accession to the throne, when he was 41 years old. Eat in the morning - A sign of intemperance (compare Isaiah 5:11). Ecclesiastes…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 The happiness of a land depends on the character of its rulers. The people cannot be happy when their princes are childish, and lovers of pleasure. Slothfulness is of ill consequence both to private and public affairs. Money, of itself, will neither feed nor clothe, though it answers the occasions of this present life, as what is to be had, may generally be had for money. But the soul, as it is not redeemed, so it is not maintained with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19money is the answer for everything: It helps you get what you want or need in this world (see Ecclesiastes 7:11–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Referring to Ec 10:18. Instead of repairing the breaches in the commonwealth (equivalent to "building"), the princes "make a feast for laughter (Ec 10:16), and wine maketh their life glad (Psa 104:15), and (but) money supplieth (answereth their wishes by supplying) all things," that is, they take bribes to support their extravagance; and hence arise the wrongs that are perpetrated (Ec 10:5, 6; 3:16; Is 1:23; 5:23). Maurer takes "all things" of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Money
• Riches
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Direct
• Idleness
• Prince
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wine; Wine Press
• Banquets

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10

• 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