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 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 now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”: 2While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain; 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; 4When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low. 5Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the 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 21:15When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint.
• Psalms 90:9For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh.
• Psalms 102:23He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.
• Zechariah 8:4“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit In the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age.
• Ecclesiastes 12:2While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not 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