Ecclesiastes 9:7

Ecclesiastes 9:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
• New International Version (NIV)Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:7

5For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything; they have no further reward – and even the memory of them disappears. 6What they loved, as well as what they hated and envied, perished long ago, and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth. Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works. 8Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head. 9Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.

Ecclesiastes 9:7 word by word

לֵ֣ךְ אֱכֹ֤ל בְּשִׂמְחָה֙ לַחְמֶ֔ךָ וּֽשֲׁתֵ֥ה בְלֶב־ט֖וֹב יֵינֶ֑ךָ כִּ֣י כְבָ֔ר רָצָ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶֽת־מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Go thy wayיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• thy breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• with joyשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
• and drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• thy wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• with a merryטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• for Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• nowכְּבָרkebâr · alreadyH3528
• acceptethרָצָהrâtsâh · to acceptH7521
• thy worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deedH4639

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:7

• Genesis 12:19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Here is your wife! Take her and go!”
• Mark 7:29Then he said to her, “Because you said this, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.”
• John 4:50Jesus told him, “Go home; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and set off for home.
• Ecclesiastes 2:24There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.
• Ecclesiastes 3:12I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,
• Ecclesiastes 5:18I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward.
• Ecclesiastes 8:15So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.
• Ecclesiastes 10:19Feasts are made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
• Deuteronomy 12:7Both you and your families must feast there before the Lord your God and rejoice in all the output of your labor with which he has blessed you.
• Deuteronomy 16:14You are to rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who are in your villages.
• 1 Kings 8:66On the fifteenth day after the festival started, he dismissed the people. They asked God to empower the king and then went to their homes, happy and content because of all the good the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.
• 1 Chronicles 16:1They brought the ark of God and put it in the middle of the tent David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.
• 1 Chronicles 29:21The next day they made sacrifices and offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord (1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, 1,000 lambs), along with their accompanying drink offerings and many other sacrifices for all Israel.
• 2 Chronicles 30:23The entire assembly then decided to celebrate for seven more days; so they joyfully celebrated for seven more days.
• Nehemiah 8:10He said to them, “Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the lord is your strength.”
• Genesis 4:4But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock – even the fattest of them. And the Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy - Do not vex and perplex yourselves with the dispensations and mysteries of Providence; enjoy the blessings which God has given you, and live to his glory; and then God will accept your works.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
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 The most despicable living man's state, is preferable to that of the most noble who have died impenitent. Solomon exhorts the wise and pious to cheerful confidence in God, whatever their condition in life. The meanest morsel, coming from their Father's love, in answer to prayer, will have a peculiar relish. Not that we may set our hearts upon the delights of sense, but what God has given us we may use with wisdom. The joy here described, is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10Death will happen to everyone, but it is good to enjoy life.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Addressed to the "righteous wise," spoken of in Ec 9:1. Being "in the hand of God," who now accepteth "thy works" in His service, as He has previously accepted thy person (Ge 4:4), thou mayest "eat ... with a cheerful (not sensually 'merry') heart" (Ec 3:13; 5:18; Ac 2:46).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:7

• Contentment

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Psalms, Book of
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wine; Wine Press
• Wisdom

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