God’s Word Translation
Ecclesiastes 3:13
13It is a gift from God to be able to eat and drink and experience the good that comes from every kind of hard work.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.
- 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.
Context of Ecclesiastes 3:13
11It is beautiful how God has done everything at the right time. He has put a sense of eternity in people’s minds. Yet, mortals still can’t grasp what God is doing from the beginning to the end ⌞of time⌟. 12I realize that there’s nothing better for them to do than to be cheerful and enjoy what is good in their lives. It is a gift from God to be able to eat and drink and experience the good that comes from every kind of hard work. 14I realize that whatever God does will last forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken away from it. God does this so that people will fear him. 15Whatever has happened ⌞in the past⌟ is present now. Whatever is going to happen ⌞in the future⌟ has already happened ⌞in the past⌟. God will call the past to account.
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 people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work. I saw that even this comes from the hand of God.
- Ecclesiastes 5:18At last I have seen what is good and beautiful: It is to eat and drink and to enjoy the good in all our hard work under the sun during the brief lives God gives us. That is our lot ⌞in life⌟.
- Ecclesiastes 6:2God gives one person riches, wealth, and honor so that he doesn’t lack anything he wants. Yet, God doesn’t give him the power to enjoy any of them. Instead, a stranger enjoys them. This is pointless and is a painful tragedy.
- Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, enjoy eating your food, and drink your wine cheerfully, because God has already accepted what you’ve done.
- Deuteronomy 28:30You will be engaged to a woman, but another man will have sex with her. You will build a house, but you won’t live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you won’t enjoy the grapes.
- Judges 6:3Whenever Israel planted crops, Midian, Amalek, and Kedem came and damaged the crops.
- Psalms 128:2You will certainly eat what your own hands have provided. Blessings to you! May things go well for you!
- Isaiah 65:21They will build houses and live there. They will plant vineyards and eat fruit from them.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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