Ecclesiastes 9:12

Ecclesiastes 9:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
• New International Version (NIV)Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:12

10Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with ⌞all⌟ your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you’re going. 11I saw something else under the sun. The race isn’t ⌞won⌟ by fast runners, or the battle by heroes. Wise people don’t necessarily have food. Intelligent people don’t necessarily have riches, and skilled people don’t necessarily receive special treatment. But time and unpredictable events overtake all of them. No one knows when his time will come. Like fish that are caught in a cruel net or birds caught in a snare, humans are trapped by a disaster when it suddenly strikes them. 13I also have seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it made a deep impression on me. 14There was a small town with a few soldiers in it, and a powerful king came to attack it. He surrounded it and blockaded it.

Ecclesiastes 9:12 word by word

כִּ֡י גַּם֩ לֹֽא־יֵדַ֨ע הָאָדָ֜ם אֶת־עִתּ֗וֹ כַּדָּגִים֙ שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙ בִּמְצוֹדָ֣ה רָעָ֔ה וְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔ים הָאֲחֻז֖וֹת בַּפָּ֑ח כָּהֵ֗ם יֽוּקָשִׁים֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָֽאָדָ֔ם לְעֵ֣ת רָעָ֔ה כְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹל עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם פִּתְאֹֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• also knowethיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not his timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• as the fishesדָּגdâg dâ'g · fishH1709
• that are takenאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
• in an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• netמְצוֹדָהmâtsôd metsôdâh metsôdâh · netH4685
• and as the birdsצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• in the snareפַּחpach · snareH6341
• soהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• snaredיָקֹשׁyâqôsh · to snareH3369
• when it fallethנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• suddenlyפִּתְאֹםpith'ôm pith'ôm · suddenlyH6597

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:12

• Ecclesiastes 8:5Whoever obeys his commands will avoid trouble. The mind of a wise person will know the right time and the right way ⌞to act⌟.
• Luke 19:42He said, “If you had only known today what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden, so you cannot see it.
• 2 Corinthians 6:2God says, “At the right time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you.” Listen, now is God’s acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!
• 1 Peter 2:12Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do good things, they will praise God on the day he comes to help you.
• Proverbs 7:22He immediately follows her like a steer on its way to be slaughtered, like a ram hobbling into captivity
• Habakkuk 1:14You make all people like the fish in the sea, like schools of sea life that have no ruler.
• 2 Timothy 2:26Then they might come back to their senses and God will free them from the devil’s snare so that they can do his will.
• Job 18:8His own feet get him tangled in a net as he walks around on its webbing.
• Psalms 11:6He rains down fire and burning sulfur upon wicked people. He makes them drink from a cup filled with scorching wind.
• Psalms 73:18You put them in slippery places and make them fall into ruin.
• Proverbs 6:15That is why disaster will come on him suddenly. In a moment he will be crushed beyond recovery.
• Proverbs 29:6To an evil person sin is bait in a trap, but a righteous person runs away from it and is glad.
• Isaiah 30:13That is why your sin will be like a high wall with a bulging crack, ready to fall. All of a sudden it will fall.
• Luke 12:20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! I will demand your life from you tonight! Now who will get what you’ve accumulated?’
• Luke 17:26“When the Son of Man comes again, the situation will be like the time of Noah.
• Luke 21:34“Make sure that you don’t become drunk, hung over, and worried about life. Then that day could suddenly catch you by surprise

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12As the birds that are caught - Man acts so heedlessly, notwithstanding all his wisdom, and all his warnings, that he is often taken, as a fish is, by the baited hook; and the bird by the baited snare. And thus, an evil time, like the snare, gin, trap, hook, falleth suddenly upon them; and they are taken in a moment, and have no means of escaping. How frequently do we see these comparisons illustrated!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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-12From observing life, it seems death often lacks meaning. Why do some people die while others live longer? God's decision on this is unpredictable (Ecclesiastes 7:13–14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. his time--namely, of death (Ec 7:15; Is 13:22). Hence the danger of delay in doing the work of God, as one knows not when his opportunity will end (Ec 9:10). evil net--fatal to them. The unexpected suddenness of the capture is the point of comparison. So the second coming of Jesus Christ, "as a snare" (Lu 21:35). evil time--as an "evil net," fatal to them.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:12

• Fish
• Hunting
• Ignorance
• Net

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Fowler
• Net
• Remember
• Reward
• Entangle
• Food
• Hunting
• Snare

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