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,
• 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;
• New Living Translation (NLT)Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.

Context of Ecclesiastes 12:3

1Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”— 2before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; 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; 4when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; 5when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about 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 21:15Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted.
• Psalms 90:9All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.
• Psalms 102:23In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days.
• Zechariah 8:4This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age.
• Ecclesiastes 12:2before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return 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