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 the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. 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. Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them. 12For certainly no one knows his time: like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap, so people are trapped in an evil time as it suddenly falls on them. 13I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• I returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
• and sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• that the raceמֵרוֹץmêrôts · raceH4793
• not to the swiftקַלqal · swiftH7031
• nor the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• to the strongגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
• neither yet breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• to the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• nor yet richesעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
• to men of understandingבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• nor yet favourחֵןchên · favorH2580
• to men of skillיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• but timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• and chanceפֶּ֫גַעpega‛ · chanceH6294
• happenethקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Ecclesiastes 2:12Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly, for what will the king’s successor be like? He will do what has already been done.
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them.
• Malachi 3:18So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
• 1 Samuel 17:50David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword.
• 2 Samuel 2:18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.
• 2 Samuel 17:14Since the Lord had decreed that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”
• Psalms 33:16A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be rescued by great strength.
• Psalms 73:6Therefore, pride is their necklace, and violence covers them like a garment.
• Psalms 147:10He is not impressed by the strength of a horse; he does not value the power of a warrior.
• Jeremiah 9:23“‘This is what the Lord says: The wise person should not boast in his wisdom; the strong should not boast in his strength; the wealthy should not boast in his wealth.
• Jeremiah 46:6The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the bank of the Euphrates River, they stumble and fall.
• Amos 2:14Escape will fail the swift, the strong one will not maintain his strength, and the warrior will not save his life.
• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise person has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.
• Ecclesiastes 3:14I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of him.
• Ecclesiastes 7:13Consider the work of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked?
• 1 Samuel 2:3Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by him.

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