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 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. 11Again 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. For 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: 14There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• For manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• also knowethיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not his timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• as the fishesדָּגdâg dâ'g · fishH1709
• that are takenאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
• in an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• netמְצוֹדָהmâtsôd metsôdâh metsôdâh · netH4685
• and as the birdsצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• in the snareפַּחpach · snareH6341
• soהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• snaredיָקֹשׁyâqôsh · to snareH3369
• when it fallethנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• suddenlyפִּתְאֹםpith'ôm pith'ôm · suddenlyH6597

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:12

• Ecclesiastes 8:5The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.
• Luke 19:42saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.
• 2 Corinthians 6:2For he says: At an acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!
• 1 Peter 2:12Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
• Proverbs 7:22He follows her impulsively like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding toward a trap
• Habakkuk 1:14You have made mankind like the fish of the sea, like marine creatures that have no ruler.
• 2 Timothy 2:26Then they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
• Job 18:8For his own feet lead him into a net, and he strays into its mesh.
• Psalms 11:6Let him rain burning coals and sulfur on the wicked; let a scorching wind be the portion in their cup.
• Psalms 73:18Indeed, you put them in slippery places; you make them fall into ruin.
• Proverbs 6:15Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly, beyond recovery.
• Proverbs 29:6An evil person is caught by sin, but the righteous one sings and rejoices.
• Isaiah 30:13this iniquity of yours will be like a crumbling gap, a bulge in a high wall whose collapse will come in an instant — suddenly!
• Luke 12:20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared — whose will they be?’
• Luke 17:26“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man:
• Luke 21:34“Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly

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