Ecclesiastes 6:10

Ecclesiastes 6:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
• New International Version (NIV)Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Whatever one is, he has been named already, For it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.

Context of Ecclesiastes 6:10

8For what advantage does the wise person have over the fool? What does the poor person have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and striving after wind. Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with the one who is mightier than he is. 11For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a person? 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 6:10 word by word

מַה־שֶּֽׁהָיָ֗ה כְּבָר֙ נִקְרָ֣א שְׁמ֔וֹ וְנוֹדָ֖ע אֲשֶׁר־ה֣וּא אָדָ֑ם וְלֹא־יוּכַ֣ל לָדִ֔ין עִ֥ם שֶׁתַּקִּ֖יף מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear

• Whateverמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• Whateverשֶׁלshel · whichH7945
• existsהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• has alreadyכְּבָרkebâr · alreadyH3528
• been namedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
• been namedשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• and it is knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• whatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• cannotלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• disputeדִּיןdîyn dûn · to judgeH1777
• is mightierתַּקִּיףtaqqîyph · mightyH8623
• thanמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 6:10

• Ecclesiastes 1:9What has been, it is what will be, And what has been done, it is what will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.
• Ecclesiastes 3:15That which is, is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God seeks what has passed by.
• Genesis 3:9Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
• Job 14:1“Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil.
• Psalms 39:6Certainly every person walks around as a fleeting shadow; They certainly make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.
• Psalms 82:6I said, “You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High.
• Psalms 103:15As for man, his days are like grass; Like a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
• Job 9:3If one wished to dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
• Job 33:13“Why do you complain to Him That He does not give an account of all His doings?
• Job 40:2“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who rebukes God give an answer.”
• Isaiah 45:9“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker-- A piece of pottery among the other earthenware pottery pieces! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
• Jeremiah 49:19Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will chase him away from it, and I will appoint over it whoever is chosen. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?”
• Romans 9:19You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10That which hath been is named already - The Hebrew of this verse might be translated, "Who is he who is? His name has been already called. And it is known that he is Adam; and that he cannot contend in judgment with him who is stronger than he." "What is more excellent than man; yet can he not, in the lawe, get the victory of him that is mightier than he." - Coverdale. Adam is his name; and it at once points out, His dignity; he was made in the image of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10Or, “That which has been named - i. e., events past or current, either Ecclesiastes 1:9 as they present themselves to man, or Ecclesiastes 3:15 as they are ordered by God - was long ago (i. e., was decreed, its nature and place were defined by the Almighty), and was known that it is man;” i. e., the course of events shapes the conduct and character of man, so that what he does and suffers is said to be or constitute the man. God from the beginning…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 A little will serve to sustain us comfortably, and a great deal can do no more. The desires of the soul find nothing in the wealth of the world to give satisfaction. The poor man has comfort as well as the richest, and is under no real disadvantage. We cannot say, Better is the sight of the eyes than the resting of the soul in God; for it is better to live by faith in things to come, than to live by sense, which dwells only upon present…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10Whatever exists was named long ago: See Romans 8:29; Ephesians 1:5, 11. it is known what man is: See Psalms 139:15–16. he cannot contend with one stronger than he: See Romans 9:20–24.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Part II begins here. Since man's toils are vain, what is the chief good? (Ec 6:12). The answer is contained in the rest of the book. That which hath been--man's various circumstances is named already--not only has existed, Ec 1:9; 3:15, but has received its just name, "vanity," long ago, and it is known that it--vanity is man--Hebrew, "Adam," equivalent to man "of red dust," as his Creator appropriately named him from his frailty. neither may he…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 6:10

• Death

In the dictionaries

• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6

• 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