EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 12:11
11The words of wise people are like sharp sticks that a farmer uses to move his animals along. Their messages are like strong nails in a piece of wood. It is God, our one Shepherd, who gives these messages to us.
Ecclesiastes 12:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
- New International Version (NIV)The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
Context of Ecclesiastes 12:11
9The Teacher was wise man. He also taught the people to understand things. He studied many proverbs and he wrote them down carefully. 10The Teacher tried to find the right words, so that he could show the true meaning of what he wrote. The words of wise people are like sharp sticks that a farmer uses to move his animals along. Their messages are like strong nails in a piece of wood. It is God, our one Shepherd, who gives these messages to us. 12My son, I warn you to be careful about any other teaching. There will always be more and more books to read. If you try to study everything, you will be very weak and tired. 13Now I have heard everything and this is what I have decided: Respect God and obey his commands. That is God's purpose for all people.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 12Ecclesiastes 12:11 word by word
דִּבְרֵ֤י חֲכָמִים֙ כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹת וּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹת נְטוּעִ֖ים בַּעֲלֵ֣י אֲסֻפּ֑וֹת נִתְּנ֖וּ מֵרֹעֶ֥ה אֶחָֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
- as goadsדָּֽרְבֹנָהdorbôn · goadH1861
- and as nailsמַשְׂמְרָהmaώmerâh · nailH4930
- fastenedנָטַעnâţa‛ · to plantH5193
- the mastersבַּעַלba‛al · master: [master of]H1167
- of assembliesאֲסֻפָּה'ăsûppâh · collectionH627
- are givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- from oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- shepherdרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:11
- Jeremiah 23:29A message from me is like a fire that burns things. It is like a hammer that breaks a rock into pieces.’ That is what the Lord says.
- Matthew 3:7Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to John. They wanted John to baptize them. He said to them, ‘You are like dangerous snakes. God is angry. You are trying to run away from him. But he will soon punish people like you.
- Acts 2:37The people heard what Peter said to them. They were very upset. So they said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Friends, tell us what we should do.’
- 2 Corinthians 10:4It is like we are fighting in a war, but we do not use human weapons. Instead we use God's weapons. Those weapons are powerful enough to destroy the enemy's strong places. We use those weapons to destroy people's wrong ideas.
- Hebrews 4:12So be careful! God's message to us is alive and powerful. It is like a sword that has two sharp edges. Even more than a sword, God's message goes very deep into us. It cuts between our soul and our spirit. It is like a sharp knife that can cut deep into our body between our bones. God's message shows what we are really thinking. It shows what we really want.
- John 3:10Jesus replied, ‘You are an important teacher of people in Israel. You ought to understand these things!
- Genesis 49:24But he will hold his own bow strongly. He will shoot his arrows well. The Mighty One of Jacob will give Joseph strength. God, who is Israel's Shepherd and Rock, will help him.
- Psalms 23:1The Lord takes care of me, like a shepherd with his sheep. I have everything that I need.
- Psalms 80:1Shepherd of Israel, listen to us! You lead us, Joseph's family, as your sheep. God, you sit on your throne as king, above the cherubs. Show everyone your bright glory!
- Isaiah 40:11He takes care of his people, like a shepherd who takes care of his sheep. He picks up the young lambs and he carries them near to his heart. He carefully leads the mother sheep that have lambs.
- Ezekiel 34:23Then I will choose one shepherd to lead them. He is my servant, David. He will take care of them as their shepherd.
- John 10:14I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep, and they know me.
- Hebrews 13:20I pray that God will help you. He is the one who gives us peace in our minds. He caused our Lord Jesus Christ to become alive again after death. God forgives us because of the blood of Jesus' death on the cross. That is God's new agreement with his people that will be true for ever. Jesus is our great shepherd. He takes care of us like his sheep.
- 1 Peter 5:4Then our master, Christ, will give you a beautiful crown when he appears. That is a great gift that will never become old or less beautiful. He is the great Shepherd who takes care of us.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11The words of the wise - Doctrines of faith, illustrated by suitable language, are as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, אספות בעלי baaley asuphoth, the masters of collections, those who had made the best collections of this kind, the matter of which was of the most excellent nature; every saying sinking as deeply into the mind, by the force of the truth contained in it, as a nail well pointed does into a board, when impelled by the hammer's…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 This passage is properly regarded as the Epilogue of the whole book; a kind of apology for the obscurity of many of its sayings. The passage serves therefore to make the book more intelligible and more acceptable. Here, as in the beginning of the book Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, the Preacher speaks of himself Ecclesiastes 12:8-10 in the third person. He first repeats Ecclesiastes 12:8 the mournful, perplexing theme with which his musings began…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 Solomon repeats his text, VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. These are the words of one that could speak by dear-bought experience of the vanity of the world, which can do nothing to ease men of the burden of sin. As he considered the worth of souls, he gave good heed to what he spake and wrote; words of truth will always be acceptable words. The truths of God are as goads to such as are dull and draw back, and nails to such as are wandering…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11goads...firmly embedded nails: Sometimes, painful lessons guide us to paths we prefer to avoid. a single Shepherd: This word might refer to God as the shepherd of his people (Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11). The sentence could also compare the wise person's words to a shepherd's work in caring for his flock.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-128-12. A summary of the first part. Vanity, &c.--Resumption of the sentiment with which the book began (Ec 1:2; 1Jo 2:17).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 12:11
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
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