New International Version
Ecclesiastes 11:3
3If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
Ecclesiastes 11:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
- New King James Version (NKJV)If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie.
- New Living Translation (NLT)When clouds are heavy, the rains come down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.
Context of Ecclesiastes 11:3
1Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return. 2Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie. 4Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. 5As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 11Ecclesiastes 11:3 word by word
אִם־יִמָּלְא֨וּ הֶעָבִ֥ים גֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ עַל־הָאָ֣רֶץ יָרִ֔יקוּ וְאִם־יִפּ֥וֹל עֵ֛ץ בַּדָּר֖וֹם וְאִ֣ם בַּצָּפ֑וֹן מְק֛וֹם שֶׁיִּפּ֥וֹל הָעֵ֖ץ שָׁ֥ם יְהֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- If the cloudsעָב‛âb · cloudH5645
- be fullמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
- of rainגֶּ֫שֶׁםgeshem · rainH1653
- they emptyרִיקrûq · to emptyH7324
- upon the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- and if the treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
- fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- toward the southדָּרוֹםdârôm · southH1864
- or toward the northצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · northH6828
- in the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- there it shall beהָוָהhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1933
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 11:3
- 1 Kings 18:45Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.
- Psalms 65:9You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it.
- Isaiah 55:10As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
- 1 John 3:17If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
- Matthew 3:10The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
- Luke 13:7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
- Luke 16:22“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3If the clouds be full of rain - Act as the clouds; when they are full they pour out their water indifferently on the field and on the desert. By giving charity indiscriminately, it may be that thou wilt often give it to the unworthy: but thou shouldst ever consider that he is an object of thy charity, who appears to be in real want; and better relieve or give to a hundred worthless persons, than pass by one who is in real distress. Where the tree falleth…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-6Verses 3-6 “Unforeseen events come from God; and the man who is always gazing on the uncertain future will neither begin nor complete any useful work: but do thou bear in mind that times and circumstances, the powers of nature and the results to which they minister, are in the hand of God; and be both diligent and trustful.” The images are connected chiefly with the occupation of an agricultural laborer: the discharge of rain from the cloud, and the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3clouds...rain: We can often predict what will happen. a tree...will lie: Our actions sometimes have permanent consequences.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. clouds--answering to "evil" (Ec 11:2), meaning, When the times of evil are fully ripe, evil must come; and speculations about it beforehand, so as to prevent one sowing seed of liberality, are vain (Ec 11:4). tree--Once the storm uproots it, it lies either northward or southward, according as it fell. So man's character is unchangeable, whether for hell or heaven, once that death overtakes him (Re 22:11, 14, 15). Now is his time for liberality, before…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 11:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11
- 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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries