Ecclesiastes 12:3

Ecclesiastes 12:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
• New International Version (NIV)when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim;
• English Standard Version (ESV)in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed,
• New King James Version (NKJV)In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim;

Context of Ecclesiastes 12:3

1So remember your Creator in the days of your youth – before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear after the rain; when those who keep watch over the house begin to tremble, and the virile men begin to stoop over, and the grinders begin to cease because they grow few, and those who look through the windows grow dim, 4and the doors along the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding mill grows low, and one is awakened by the sound of a bird, and all their songs grow faint, 5and they are afraid of heights and the dangers in the street; the almond blossoms grow white, and the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry shrivels up – because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about in the streets –

Ecclesiastes 12:3 word by word

בַּיּ֗וֹם שֶׁיָּזֻ֙עוּ֙ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַבַּ֔יִת וְהִֽתְעַוְּת֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הֶחָ֑יִל וּבָטְל֤וּ הַטֹּֽחֲנוֹת֙ כִּ֣י מִעֵ֔טוּ וְחָשְׁכ֥וּ הָרֹא֖וֹת בָּאֲרֻבּֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• In the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• when the keepersשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• shall trembleזוּעַzûa‛ · to trembleH2111
• and the strongחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2428
• menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• shall bowעָוַת‛âvath · to pervertH5791
• themselves, and the grindersטָחַןţâchan · to grindH2912
• ceaseבָּטַלbâţêl · to ceaseH988
• because they are fewמָעַטmâ‛aţ · to diminishH4591
• and those that look outרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• of the windowsאֲרֻבָּה'ărubbâh · windowH699
• be darkenedחָשַׁךְchâshak · to darkenH2821

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:3

• 2 Samuel 21:15Another battle was fought between the Philistines and Israel. So David went down with his soldiers and fought the Philistines. David became exhausted.
• Psalms 90:9Yes, throughout all our days we experience your raging fury; the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh.
• Psalms 102:23He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; he has cut short my days.
• Zechariah 8:4Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says, ‘Old men and women will once more live in the plazas of Jerusalem, each one leaning on a cane because of advanced age.
• Ecclesiastes 12:2before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear after the rain;

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3In the day when the keepers of the house - The Body of man is here compared to a House: - mark the metaphors and their propriety. 1. The keepers shall tremble - the hands become paralytic, as is constantly the case, less or more, in old age. 2. The strong men shall bow - The legs become feeble, and unable to support the weight of the body. 3. The grinders cease because they are few - The teeth decayed and mostly lost; the few that remain being incapable…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The body in old age and death is here described under the figure of a decaying house with its inmates and furniture. This verse is best understood as referring to the change which old age brings to four parts of the body, the arms (“the keepers”), the legs (“the strong men”), the teeth (“the grinders”), and the eyes.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The New Living Translation explains the Hebrew metaphors like: keepers of the house (guards) strong men those grinding (servants) those watching through windows (women) It also interprets these poetic elements as: Legs Shoulders Teeth EyesRead the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. keepers of the house--namely, the hands and arms which protected the body, as guards do a palace (Ge 49:24; Job 4:19; 2Co 5:1), are now palsied. strong men ... bow--(Jud 16:25, 30). Like supporting pillars, the feet and knees (So 5:15); the strongest members (Psa 147:10). grinders--the molar teeth. cease--are idle. those that look out of the windows--the eyes; the powers of vision, looking out from beneath the eyelids, which open and shut like the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 12:3

• Old Age
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Allegory
• Conclusion
• Creator
• Grind
• Heed
• Judgment
• Remember
• Whole
• Bread
• Cease

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12

• 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