Darby Bible
Ecclesiastes 12:5
5they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets;)
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
3in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened, 4and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets;) 6— before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern; 7and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto 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
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:5
- Genesis 42:38But he said, My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left; and if mischief should befall him by the way in which ye go, then would ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to Sheol.
- Genesis 44:29And if ye take this one also from me, and mischief should befall him, ye will bring down my grey hairs with misery to Sheol.
- Leviticus 19:32Before the hoary head thou shalt rise up, and shalt honour the face of an old man; and thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah.
- Job 15:10Both the greyheaded and the aged are with us, older than thy father.
- Psalms 71:18Now also, when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not, until I have proclaimed thine arm unto [this] generation, thy might to every one that is to come.
- Proverbs 16:31The hoary head is a crown of glory, [if] it is found in the way of righteousness.
- Proverbs 20:29The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
- Isaiah 46:4Even to old age, I [am] HE, and unto hoary hairs I will carry [you]: It is I that have made, and I will bear, and I will carry, and will deliver.
- Jeremiah 1:11And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.
- Job 17:13If I wait, Sheol is my house; I spread my bed in the darkness:
- Job 30:23For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and into the house of assemblage for all living.
- Psalms 49:10For he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others.
- Hebrews 9:27And forasmuch as it is the portion of men once to die, and after this judgment;
- Genesis 50:3And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those who are embalmed. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
- Jeremiah 9:17Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for the skilful women, that they may come;
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
Darby Bible — 1889 — Public Domain
Commentaries