EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 11:5
5We do not know the path that the wind blows along. Nor do we know how a baby's body grows inside a pregnant woman. So nobody can explain the things that God does. He is the one who has made everything.
Ecclesiastes 11:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
- New International Version (NIV)As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
- English Standard Version (ESV)As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
- New King James Version (NKJV)As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
Context of Ecclesiastes 11:5
3When clouds are full of water, rain will fall on the earth. If a tree falls to the ground, it will stay there, in the same place. 4A farmer who waits for the right wind will never plant any seeds. If he is always looking at the clouds, he will never bring in his crops. We do not know the path that the wind blows along. Nor do we know how a baby's body grows inside a pregnant woman. So nobody can explain the things that God does. He is the one who has made everything. 6Plant your seeds in the morning, and continue to work until the evening. You do not know which seeds will become strong plants. Perhaps only some of them will grow. Perhaps they will all grow well. 7Light makes people happy. It is good to see the sun rise in the morning.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 11Ecclesiastes 11:5 word by word
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽינְךָ֤ יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ מַה־דֶּ֣רֶךְ הָר֔וּחַ כַּעֲצָמִ֖ים בְּבֶ֣טֶן הַמְּלֵאָ֑ה כָּ֗כָה לֹ֤א תֵדַע֙ אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- As thou knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- of the spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- how the bonesעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106
- in the wombבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: wombH990
- of her that is with childמָלֵאmâlê' · fullH4392
- not the worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- who makethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 11:5
- John 3:8When someone is born by God's Spirit, it is like the wind that blows. The wind blows wherever it chooses to blow. You can hear it. But you do not know where it came from or where it is going.’
- Psalms 139:14I thank you for the wonderful way that you have made me. Everything that you do is wonderful! I know it is true.
- Ecclesiastes 7:24People cannot understand these things. The meaning of life is too difficult for anyone to understand.
- Ecclesiastes 8:17I thought about everything that God has done. I realized that nobody understands everything that happens on the earth. Even if they try very much, they will not know everything. A wise person may say that he understands all these things. But really that is not possible.
- Job 5:9He does great things that nobody can understand. He does more miracles than anyone can count.
- Job 26:5Dead people shake with fear. They are under the deep waters.
- Job 36:24People sing songs to praise God for the things that he has done. You also should remember to praise him.
- Job 37:23Almighty God is so great that we cannot come near to him. He is very powerful. But he always does what is right and fair. He is not cruel to people.
- Job 38:4Were you with me when I made the world? If you think you are so clever, tell me all about it!
- Job 39:1‘Job, do you know that time when the goats on the mountains give birth? Do you watch the wild deer when their babies are born?
- Psalms 40:5Lord, my God, you have done many great things. You have done so many things for us that we cannot count them! There is nobody else like you! I want to talk about the things that you have done, but there are too many things to speak about!
- Psalms 92:5Yes, Lord, you have done great things! Your thoughts are more than we can understand!
- Psalms 104:24Lord, you have made very many different things! You were very wise in the way that you have made them all. The earth is full of the living things that you have made.
- Isaiah 40:28You must surely know what is true! You must have heard about it. The Lord is the God who lives for ever. He made the whole earth, near and far. He never becomes tired or weak. He knows and he understands everything.
- Romans 11:33Yes! God is very great! He has everything! He knows and he understands all things! Nobody can completely understand the things that he decides. Nobody can explain the ways in which he works.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5As thou knowest not - the way of the spirit - Why God should have permitted such an such persons to fall into want, and how they came into all their distresses, thou canst not tell, no more than thou canst how their soul is united to their body, how it came to inform that body, or how the child was formed in the womb of its mother. Nor canst thou discern the end which God has in view in these things. He maketh all, every thing is open to him; and take…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-6Verses 3-6 “Unforeseen events come from God; and the man who is always gazing on the uncertain future will neither begin nor complete any useful work: but do thou bear in mind that times and circumstances, the powers of nature and the results to which they minister, are in the hand of God; and be both diligent and trustful.” The images are connected chiefly with the occupation of an agricultural laborer: the discharge of rain from the cloud, and the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5God's actions are often unpredictable and mysterious. Our task is to work whenever we have the chance (see Proverbs 12:11; 24:27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. spirit--How the soul animates the body! Thus the transition to the formation of the body "in the womb" is more natural, than if with Maurer we translate it "wind" (Ec 1:6; Joh 3:8). bones ... grow--(Job 10:8, 9; Psa 139:15, 16). knowest not the works of God--(Ec 3:11; 8:17; 9:12).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 11:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11
- 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
EasyEnglish Bible 2018 — Copyright © MissionAssist 2018
Commentaries