Ecclesiastes 9:11

Ecclesiastes 9:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
• New International Version (NIV)I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:11

9Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. 12For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them. 13I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 word by word

שַׁ֜בְתִּי וְרָאֹ֣ה תַֽחַת־הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ כִּ֣י לֹא֩ לַקַּלִּ֨ים הַמֵּר֜וֹץ וְלֹ֧א לַגִּבּוֹרִ֣ים הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְ֠גַם לֹ֣א לַחֲכָמִ֥ים לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְגַ֨ם לֹ֤א לַנְּבֹנִים֙ עֹ֔שֶׁר וְגַ֛ם לֹ֥א לַיֹּדְעִ֖ים חֵ֑ן כִּי־עֵ֥ת וָפֶ֖גַע יִקְרֶ֥ה אֶת־כֻּלָּֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
• and sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• that the raceמֵרוֹץmêrôts · raceH4793
• not to the swiftקַלqal · swiftH7031
• nor the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• to the strongגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
• neither yet breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• to the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• nor yet richesעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
• to men of understandingבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• nor yet favourחֵןchên · favorH2580
• to men of skillיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• but timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• and chanceפֶּ֫גַעpega‛ · chanceH6294
• happenethקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Ecclesiastes 2:12So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.
• Malachi 3:18Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
• 1 Samuel 17:50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.
• 2 Samuel 2:18And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle.
• 2 Samuel 17:14And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.
• Psalms 33:16The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
• Psalms 73:6Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
• Psalms 147:10His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
• Jeremiah 9:23Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,
• Jeremiah 46:6"The swift cannot flee away, nor the warrior escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen.
• Amos 2:14Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain his strength, nor shall the mighty save his life;
• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them.
• Ecclesiastes 3:14I 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.
• Ecclesiastes 7:13Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?
• 1 Samuel 2:3Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11The race is not to the swift - It is not by swiftness, nor by strength and valor, that races are gained and battles won. God causes the lame often to take the prey, the prize; and so works that the weak overthrow the strong; therefore, no man should confide in himself. All things are under the government, and at the disposal of God. But time and chance - עת eth, time or opportunity, and פגע pega, incident or occurrence: - Happeneth to them all - Every man…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Read these six verses connectedly, in order to arrive at the meaning of the writer; and compare Ecclesiastes 2:1-12. After the description Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 of the portionless condition of the dead, the next thought which occurs is that the man who is prosperous and active should simply enjoy his portion all through this life Ecclesiastes 9:7-10; and then Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 follows the correcting thought (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 note)…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11Verse 11 ,12 Men's success seldom equals their expectations. We must use means, but not trust to them: if we succeed, we must give God the praise; if crossed, we must submit to his will. Those who put off the great concerns of their souls, are caught in Satan's net, which he baits with some worldly object, for which they reject or neglect the gospel, and go on in sin till they suddenly fall into destruction.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11chance: We cannot control the outcome (compare Ecclesiastes 7:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. This verse qualifies the sentiment, Ec 9:7-9. Earthly "enjoyments," however lawful in their place (Ec 3:1), are to give way when any work to be done for God requires it. Reverting to the sentiment (Ec 8:17), we ought, therefore, not only to work God's work "with might" (Ec 9:10), but also with the feeling that the event is wholly "in God's hand" (Ec 9:1). race ... not to the swift--(2Sa 18:23); spiritually (Zep 3:19; Ro 9:16). nor ... battle to…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Race

In the dictionaries

• Chance
• Event
• Evil
• Games
• Remember
• Reward
• Happen
• Providence
• Skill; Skilful
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9

• 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