Ecclesiastes 1:13

Ecclesiastes 1:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
• New International Version (NIV)I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.

Context of Ecclesiastes 1:13

11No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations. 12I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied. 14I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile – like chasing the wind! 15What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.

Ecclesiastes 1:13 word by word

וְנָתַ֣תִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֗י לִדְר֤וֹשׁ וְלָתוּר֙ בַּֽחָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם ה֣וּא׀ עִנְיַ֣ן רָ֗ע נָתַ֧ן אֱלֹהִ֛ים לִבְנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם לַעֲנ֥וֹת בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• to seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• and search outתּוּרtûr · to spyH8446
• by wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• that are doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• under heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• this soreרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• travailעִנְיָן‛inyân · taskH6045
• hath Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• to the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• to be exercisedעָנָה‛ânâh · be occupiedH6031

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:13

• Ecclesiastes 1:17So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.
• Ecclesiastes 8:9While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
• Psalms 111:2The Lord’s deeds are great, eagerly awaited by all who desire them.
• Proverbs 2:2by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding,
• Proverbs 4:7Wisdom is supreme – so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!
• Proverbs 18:1One who has isolated himself seeks his own desires; he rejects all sound judgment.
• Proverbs 23:26Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes observe my ways;
• 1 Timothy 4:15Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress.
• Ecclesiastes 3:10I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.
• Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless – like chasing the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 12:12Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body.
• Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13And I gave my heart to seek and search - While Solomon was faithful to his God he diligently cultivated his mind. His giving himself to the study of natural history, philosophy, poetry, etc., are sufficient proofs of it. He had not intuitive knowledge from God; but he had a capacity to obtain every kind of knowledge useful to man. This sore travail - This is the way in which knowledge is to be acquired; and in order to investigate the operations of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Wisdom - As including both the powers of observation and judgment, and the knowledge acquired thereby (1 Kings 3:28; 1 Kings 4:29; 1 Kings 10:8, … ). It increases by exercise. Here is noted its application to people and their actions. Travail - In the sense of toil; the word is here applied to all human occupations. God - God is named as אלהים 'elohı̂ym thirty-nine times in this book; a name common to the true God and to false gods, and used by believers…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13What a miserable task God has laid: The harsh truths of human experience remind us of the Fall in Eden (Genesis 3). Ecclesiastes does not avoid sad topics like death, oppression, and loneliness. Instead, it faces them directly and includes them in realistic conclusions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. this sore travail--namely, that of "searching out all things done under heaven." Not human wisdom in general, which comes afterwards (Ec 2:12, &c.), but laborious enquiries into, and speculations about, the works of men; for example, political science. As man is doomed to get his bread, so his knowledge, by the sweat of his brow (Ge 3:19) [Gill]. exercised--that is, disciplined; literally, "that they may thereby chastise, or humble themselves."Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:13

• Instruction
• Investigation
• Science

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Sun
• Vanity
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Exercise
• Search
• Synagogue, the Great
• teacher, Teacher

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings