Ecclesiastes 2:3

Ecclesiastes 2:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
• New International Version (NIV)I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.

Context of Ecclesiastes 2:3

1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 2I said of laughter, “It is senseless,” and of pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” I explored with my mind how to refresh my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely; and how to seize foolishness, until I could see what good there is for the sons of mankind to do under heaven for the few years of their lives. 4I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;

Ecclesiastes 2:3 word by word

תַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ בַּיַּ֖יִן אֶת־בְּשָׂרִ֑י וְלִבִּ֞י נֹהֵ֤ג בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז בְּסִכְל֔וּת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־אֶרְאֶ֗ה אֵי־זֶ֨ה ט֜וֹב לִבְנֵ֤י הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַעֲשׂוּ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִסְפַּ֖ר יְמֵ֥י חַיֵּיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• I exploredתּוּרtûr · to spyH8446
• mindלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• refreshמָשַׁךְmâshak · to drawH4900
• my bodyבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
• with wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• was guidingנָהַגnâhag · to leadH5090
• wiselyחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• and how to seizeאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
• foolishnessסִכְלוּתsiklûth ώiklûth · follyH5531
• untilעַד‛ad · tillH5704
• untilאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• I could seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• whatאַי'ay · where?H335
• whatזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• there is for the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of mankindאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
• heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• for the fewמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• yearsיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 2:3

• Ecclesiastes 1:17And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know insanity and foolishness; I realized that this also is striving after wind.
• 1 Samuel 25:36Then Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was having a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was cheerful within him, for he was very drunk; so she did not tell him anything at all until the morning light.
• Proverbs 20:1Wine is a mocker, intoxicating drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.
• Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,
• Ephesians 5:18And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
• Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good that you grasp one thing while not letting go of the other; for one who fears God comes out with both of them.
• Proverbs 23:29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has red eyes?
• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
• 2 Corinthians 6:15Or what harmony does Christ have with Belial, or what does a believer share with an unbeliever?
• Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knows what is good for a person during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a person what will happen after him under the sun?
• Ecclesiastes 12:13The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
• Genesis 47:9So Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my living abroad are 130; few and unpleasant have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days of their living abroad.”
• Job 14:14If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait Until my relief comes.
• Psalms 90:9For all our days have dwindled away in Your fury; We have finished our years like a sigh.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3To give myself unto wine, (yet acquainting [נהג noheg, "guiding"] mine heart with wisdom) - I did not run into extremes, as when I gave up myself to mirth and pleasure. There, I threw off all restraint; here, I took the middle course, to see whether a moderate enjoyment of the things of the world might not produce that happiness which I supposed man was created to enjoy here below.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3I sought … - Rather, I resolved (literally “I turned in my heart”) to draw my flesh with wine (see the margin), my heart guiding me with wisdom. In the course of his attempt to answer the question of Ecclesiastes 1:3, while his heart was directing him (as a charioteer directs his horses or a shepherd his sheep) with wisdom, and while he was following that guidance, he determined to draw with him his flesh by wine, thus making his flesh, which he speaks of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The Teacher realized that using wine to cheer himself was foolish, yet he did it while still seeking wisdom. He wanted to understand how to find happiness. This effort turned out to be pointless (Ecclesiastes 2:11). the few days of their lives: All human experiences are like "a breath."Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-113-11. Illustration more at large of Ec 2:1, 2. I sought--I resolved, after search into many plans. give myself unto wine--literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Ro 6:16, 19; 1Co 12:2); or, one "allured" (2Pe 2:18, 19). yet acquainting ... wisdom--literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [Gesenius]. Maurer translates: "was…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 2:3

• Epicureans
• Investigation
• Pleasure
• Vanity
• Wine
• Wisdom
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Laughter
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Give
• Guide
• Synagogue, the Great

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