Ecclesiastes 12:5

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

3Your arms that have kept you safe will shake. Your legs will become weak. You will have only a few teeth to eat with. Your eyes will no longer see very well. 4Your ears will not hear noises outside in the streets. You will not hear the sound of people as they work. You will not hear the sound of people as they sing songs. But a bird's song will wake you when you want to sleep. You will be afraid to stand on high places. You will worry about danger in the streets. When you are old, your hair will become white, like the flowers on an almond tree. You will feel too tired to move yourself, like an old grasshopper. You will not want to have sex. Finally, we will all die and go to our home in the ground. Many people will weep at our funeral. 6Remember to serve God while you are young, because one day your life will finish. It will be like a silver chain that breaks; like a gold bowl that breaks; like a water pot at the well that breaks into pieces; like a rope at the well that breaks apart. 7Our bodies go back into the ground as dust. The breath of our life goes back to God, who gave it to us.

Ecclesiastes 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• they shall be afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• highגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
• and fearsחַתְחַתchathchath · terrorH2849
• in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• and the almond treeשָׁקֵדshâqêd · almondH8247
• shall flourishנָאַץnâ'ats · to spurnH5006
• and the grasshopperחָגָבchâgâb · locustH2284
• shall be a burdenסָבַלsâbal · to bearH5445
• and desireאֲבִיּוֹנָה'ăbîyônâh · desireH35
• shall failפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
• because manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• goethהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• to his longעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
• homeבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• and the mournersסָפַדsâphad · to mournH5594
• go aboutסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
• the streetsשׁוּקshûq · streetH7784

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:5

• Genesis 42:38But Jacob said, ‘My son will not go with you. His brother is already dead. Benjamin is the only one left. Something bad may happen to him on your journey. I am already an old man. If I lose Benjamin, I would be so sad that I would die.’
• Genesis 44:29If you take my youngest son away from me too, something bad may happen to him. I am already an old man. If I lose Benjamin, I would be so sad that I would die.” ’
• Leviticus 19:32The people must stand up when they are with old people. They must respect the old people. They must give honour to their God. I am the Lord your God.
• Job 15:10The old men agree with us. They are older and wiser even than your father.
• Psalms 71:18And even when I am old and my hair is grey, do not turn away from me, God. I need to tell the people still to be born about your great strength. My descendants need to know about your power.
• Proverbs 16:31Grey hair is like a beautiful crown on your head! People who live in a righteous way may wear it.
• Proverbs 20:29Young men boast about their strength. Old men are proud of their beautiful grey hair.
• Isaiah 46:4I will continue to take care of you until you are old, until your hair becomes grey. I made you who you are, and I will supply everything that you need. I will carry you, and I will save you.
• Jeremiah 1:11The Lord asked me, ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ I replied, ‘I see the branch of an almond tree.’
• Ecclesiastes 9:10Use all your strength to do the work that you are doing. One day you will die and you will go into your grave. Then you will not have any work, or ideas, or knowledge or wisdom. So do your work well while you are alive.
• Job 17:13The only home that I hope to go to is my grave. I will lie down to sleep there in the dark.
• Job 30:23I know that you are already taking me to my death. Everyone who lives has to go to that place.
• Psalms 49:10Surely you see that even wise people die, in the way that fools and stupid people also die. Then their money will belong to someone else.
• Hebrews 9:27Every person must die once. After death, God will judge each person.
• Genesis 50:3The servants took care of the body for 40 days, which is the usual time. The Egyptians wept for 70 days because of Jacob's death.
• Jeremiah 9:17The Lord Almighty said this: ‘Think about what is happening! Call the women who weep at funerals. Bring those women who know what to do.’

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

• Death
• Grasshopper
• Mourning
• Old Age
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Allegory
• Almond
• Conclusion
• Creator
• Grasshopper
• Heed
• Judgment
• Remember
• Whole
• Burial

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