Christian Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 12:5
5Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry has no effect; for the mere mortal is headed to his eternal home, and mourners will walk around in the street;
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 when the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, the women who grind grain cease because they are few, and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly, 4the doors at the street are shut while the sound of the mill fades; when one rises at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song grow faint. Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry has no effect; for the mere mortal is headed to his eternal home, and mourners will walk around in the street; 6before the silver cord is snapped, and the gold bowl is broken, and the jar is shattered at the spring, and the wheel is broken into the well; 7and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 12Ecclesiastes 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- they shall be afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- highגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
- and fearsחַתְחַתchathchath · terrorH2849
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- and the almond treeשָׁקֵדshâqêd · almondH8247
- shall flourishנָאַץnâ'ats · to spurnH5006
- and the grasshopperחָגָבchâgâb · locustH2284
- shall be a burdenסָבַלsâbal · to bearH5445
- and desireאֲבִיּוֹנָה'ăbîyônâh · desireH35
- shall failפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
- because manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- goethהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- to his longעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
- homeבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- and the mournersסָפַדsâphad · to mournH5594
- go aboutסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
- the streetsשׁוּקshûq · streetH7784
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:5
- Genesis 42:38But Jacob answered, “My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If anything happens to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.”
- Genesis 44:29If you also take this one from me and anything happens to him, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.’
- Leviticus 19:32“You are to rise in the presence of the elderly and honor the old. Fear your God; I am the Lord.
- Job 15:10Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us— older than your father.
- Psalms 71:18Even while I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, while I proclaim your power to another generation, your strength to all who are to come.
- Proverbs 16:31Gray hair is a glorious crown; it is found in the ways of righteousness.
- Proverbs 20:29The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is gray hair.
- Isaiah 46:4I will be the same until your old age, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will bear and rescue you.
- Jeremiah 1:11Then the word of the Lord came to me, asking, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I replied, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
- Job 17:13If I await Sheol as my home, spread out my bed in darkness,
- Job 30:23Yes, I know that you will lead me to death — the place appointed for all who live.
- Psalms 49:10For one can see that the wise die; the foolish and stupid also pass away. Then they leave their wealth to others.
- Hebrews 9:27And just as it is appointed for people to die once — and after this, judgment —
- Genesis 50:3They took forty days to complete this, for embalming takes that long, and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
- Jeremiah 9:17This is what the Lord of Armies says: Consider, and summon the women who mourn; send for the skillful women.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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