Ecclesiastes 10:19

Ecclesiastes 10:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.
• New Living Translation (NLT)A party gives laughter, wine gives happiness, and money gives everything!

Context of Ecclesiastes 10:19

17Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness. 18Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks. A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything. 20Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

Ecclesiastes 10:19 word by word

לִשְׂחוֹק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A feastלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• is madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• for laughterשְׂחֹקώechôq ώechôq · laughterH7814
• and wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• maketh merryחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• maketh merryשָׂמַחώâmach · to rejoiceH8055
• but moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• answerethעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Ecclesiastes 2:1I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless.
• Ecclesiastes 7:2It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.
• Genesis 43:34When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.
• Daniel 5:1King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them.
• 1 Peter 4:3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
• Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.
• Psalms 104:15wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.
• Isaiah 24:11In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
• 1 Samuel 25:36When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak.
• 2 Samuel 13:28Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.”
• Luke 12:19And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’
• Ephesians 5:18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
• Ecclesiastes 7:11Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.
• 1 Chronicles 21:24But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
• 1 Chronicles 29:2With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities.
• 2 Chronicles 24:11Whenever the chest was brought in by the Levites to the king’s officials and they saw that there was a large amount of money, the royal secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and carry it back to its place. They did this regularly and collected a great amount of money.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19A feast is made for laughter - The object of it is to produce merriment, to banish care and concern of every kind. But who are they who make and frequent such places? Epicures and drunkards generally; such as those of whom Horace speaks: Nos numerus sumus, et fruges consumere nati. Epist. lib. i., ep. 2, ver. 27. "Those whose names stand as indications of men, the useless many; and who appear to be born only to consume the produce of the soil." But money…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 Foolish rulers, by their weakness, self-indulgence and sloth, bring decay upon the state: nobleness and temperance insure prosperity: yet the subject must not rebel in word or thought against his king. Ecclesiastes 10:16 A child - Rather, young. The word is applied to Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 13:7 at the time of his accession to the throne, when he was 41 years old. Eat in the morning - A sign of intemperance (compare Isaiah 5:11). Ecclesiastes…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 The happiness of a land depends on the character of its rulers. The people cannot be happy when their princes are childish, and lovers of pleasure. Slothfulness is of ill consequence both to private and public affairs. Money, of itself, will neither feed nor clothe, though it answers the occasions of this present life, as what is to be had, may generally be had for money. But the soul, as it is not redeemed, so it is not maintained with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19money is the answer for everything: It helps you get what you want or need in this world (see Ecclesiastes 7:11–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Referring to Ec 10:18. Instead of repairing the breaches in the commonwealth (equivalent to "building"), the princes "make a feast for laughter (Ec 10:16), and wine maketh their life glad (Psa 104:15), and (but) money supplieth (answereth their wishes by supplying) all things," that is, they take bribes to support their extravagance; and hence arise the wrongs that are perpetrated (Ec 10:5, 6; 3:16; Is 1:23; 5:23). Maurer takes "all things" of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:19

• Money
• Riches
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Direct
• Idleness
• Prince
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wine; Wine Press
• Banquets

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10

• 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