English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 3:13
13also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.
Ecclesiastes 3:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
- New International Version (NIV)That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
Context of Ecclesiastes 3:13
11He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. 14I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 3Ecclesiastes 3:13 word by word
וְגַ֤ם כָּל־הָאָדָם֙ שֶׁיֹּאכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֔ה וְרָאָ֥ה ט֖וֹב בְּכָל־עֲמָל֑וֹ מַתַּ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽיא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:13
- Ecclesiastes 2:24There 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,
- Ecclesiastes 5:18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
- Ecclesiastes 6:2a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.
- Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
- Deuteronomy 28:30You shall betroth a wife, but another man shall ravish her. You shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it. You shall plant a vineyard, but you shall not enjoy its fruit.
- Judges 6:3For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
- Psalms 128:2You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
- Isaiah 65:21They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:13
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-15Verses 11-15 Every thing is as God made it; not as it appears to us. We have the world so much in our hearts, are so taken up with thoughts and cares of worldly things, that we have neither time nor spirit to see God's hand in them. The world has not only gained possession of the heart, but has formed thoughts against the beauty of God's works. We mistake if we think we were born for ourselves; no, it is our business to do good in this life, which is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13rejoice and do good while they live: Even though life and work can be hard, the Teacher's conclusion (repeated from Ecclesiastes 2:24) can still be true.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Literally, "And also as to every man who eats ... this is the gift of God" (Ec 3:22; 5:18). When received as God's gifts, and to God's glory, the good things of life are enjoyed in their due time and order (Ac 2:46; 1Co 10:31; 1Ti 4:3, 4).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries