EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 2:26
26God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to people who please him. Wicked people may work hard and become rich. But God takes away their valuable things and he gives them to someone who pleases him. So their hard work has no purpose. It is like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For God 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 before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- New International Version (NIV)To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Context of Ecclesiastes 2:26
24So I decided what is best for us to do. We should be happy to eat and to drink. And we should enjoy our work. I realized that all these things are gifts from God. 25Without God's help, nobody can eat anything or enjoy anything. God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to people who please him. Wicked people may work hard and become rich. But God takes away their valuable things and he gives them to someone who pleases him. So their hard work has no purpose. It is like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 2:26 word by word
כִּ֤י לְאָדָם֙ שֶׁטּ֣וֹב לְפָנָ֔יו נָתַ֛ן חָכְמָ֥ה וְדַ֖עַת וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְלַחוֹטֶא֩ נָתַ֨ן עִנְיָ֜ן לֶאֱס֣וֹף וְלִכְנ֗וֹס לָתֵת֙ לְטוֹב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- givethנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- to a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- in his sightפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
- and knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
- and joyשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
- but to the sinnerחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- travailעִנְיָן‛inyân · taskH6045
- to gatherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- and to heap upכָּנַסkânas · to gatherH3664
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
- and vexationרְעוּתre‛ûth · longingH7469
- of spiritרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:26
- Genesis 7:1Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Go into the ship. Take your wife and family with you. I can see that you alone do what is right, among all the people on the earth.
- Luke 1:6Zechariah and Elizabeth obeyed God's commands and rules. God saw that they were righteous people. They did not do wrong things.
- 2 Chronicles 31:20Those are the things that King Hezekiah did everywhere in Judah. He did what was good and right to please the Lord his God.
- Proverbs 3:13Anyone who finds wisdom is in a happy place! So is the person who has learned to understand things.
- Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous people that they are in a good place. They will enjoy the results of the good things that they have done.
- John 16:24Until now, you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask God, and you will receive what you ask for. Then you will be completely happy.
- Romans 14:17We belong to God's people and he is our King. The things that we eat and drink are not really important to him. This is important: We should do what is right. We should have peace in our minds. And we should be truly happy. God's Holy Spirit helps us to live like that.
- James 3:17But if God makes you really wise, you will live in a completely good way. That is the most important thing. Also, you will live in a way that brings peace. You will be kind to other people so that they become your friends. You will listen to them and not argue. You will forgive them and do many good things to help them. You will not choose between people. And you will not be a hypocrite.
- Job 27:16Wicked people may have lots of money. They may have silver like heaps of sand. They may have more clothes than they could ever wear.
- Proverbs 13:22When a good person dies, he leaves good things for his grandchildren. But a sinner's riches will belong to righteous people in the end.
- Proverbs 28:8If you make people pay more when you lend money to them, you may become rich. But someone else will enjoy your riches. They will go to someone who is kind to poor people.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Giveth - wisdom, and knowledge, and joy - God gives wisdom - the knowledge of himself, light to direct in the way of salvation. Knowledge - understanding to discern the operation of his hand; experimental acquaintance with himself, in the dispensing of his grace and the gifts of his Spirit. Joy; a hundred days of ease for one day of pain; one thousand enjoyments for one privation; and to them that believe, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost…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. 26If a sinner becomes wealthy, it is meaningless because God takes the wealth away.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. True, literally, in the Jewish theocracy; and in some measure in all ages (Job 27:16, 17; Pr 13:22; 28:8). Though the retribution be not so visible and immediate now as then, it is no less real. Happiness even here is more truly the portion of the godly (Psa 84:11; Mt 5:5; Mr 10:29, 30; Ro 8:28; 1Ti 4:8). that he--the sinner may give--that is, unconsciously and in spite of himself. The godly Solomon had satisfaction in his riches and wisdom, when God…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:26
In the dictionaries
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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