Darby Bible
Ecclesiastes 2:24
24There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of 1God.
Ecclesiastes 2:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
- New International Version (NIV)A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,
- English Standard Version (ESV)There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:24
22For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun? 23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail vexation: even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity. There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25For who can eat, or who be eager, more than I? 26For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:24 word by word
אֵֽין־ט֤וֹב בָּאָדָם֙ שֶׁיֹּאכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֔ה וְהֶרְאָ֧ה אֶת־נַפְשׁ֛וֹ ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָל֑וֹ גַּם־זֹה֙ רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֔נִי כִּ֛י מִיַּ֥ד הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽיא׃Read the interlinear
- nothingאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
- alsoגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:24
- Ecclesiastes 3:12I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;
- Ecclesiastes 5:18Behold what I have seen good and comely: [it is] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith [man] laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for that is his portion.
- Ecclesiastes 8:15And I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
- Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment.
- Deuteronomy 12:12And ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your bondmen, and your handmaids, and the Levite that is within your gates; for he hath no portion nor inheritance with you.
- Nehemiah 8:10And he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared; for the day is holy to our Lord; and be not grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.
- Acts 14:17though indeed he did not leave himself without witness, doing good, and giving to you from heaven rain and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
- 1 Timothy 6:17Enjoin on those rich in the present age not to be high-minded, nor to trust on the uncertainty of riches; but in the God who affords us all things richly for [our] enjoyment;
- Ecclesiastes 3:13yea also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, it is the gift of God.
- Ecclesiastes 5:19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour: that is a gift of God.
- Ecclesiastes 6:2one to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and a sore evil.
- Malachi 2:2If ye do not hear, and if ye do not lay [it] to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith Jehovah of hosts, I will even send the curse among you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have already cursed them, because ye do not lay [it] to heart.
- Luke 12:19and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much good things laid by for many years; repose thyself, eat, drink, be merry.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24There is nothing better for a man - The sense of this passage is well expressed in the following lines: - "For these disorders wouldst thou find a cure, Such cure as human frailty would admit? Drive from thee anxious cares; let reason curb Thy passions; and with cheerful heart enjoy That little which the world affords; for here, Though vain the hopes of perfect happiness, Yet still the road of life, rugged at best, Is not without its comforts - Wouldst…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-26Verses 18-26 Our hearts are very loth to quit their expectations of great things from the creature; but Solomon came to this at length. The world is a vale of tears, even to those that have much of it. See what fools they are, who make themselves drudges to the world, which affords a man nothing better than subsistence for the body. And the utmost he can attain in this respect is to allow himself a sober, cheerful use thereof, according to his rank and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24this is from the hand of God: Do not overlook God's gifts, like enjoying food and work. Without God, these would not exist. We can be thankful and content.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. English Version gives a seemingly Epicurean sense, contrary to the general scope. The Hebrew, literally is, "It is not good for man that he should eat," &c., "and should make his soul see good" (or "show his soul, that is, himself, happy"), &c. [Weiss]. According to Holden and Weiss, Ec 3:12, 22 differ from this verse in the text and meaning; here he means, "It is not good that a man should feast himself, and falsely make as though his soul were…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:24
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Ecclesiastes 2:24 2.24 Elohim ↩
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2
- 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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