Ecclesiastes 9:10

Ecclesiastes 9:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
• New International Version (NIV)Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:10

8Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne! 9Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. 11I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. 12People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 word by word

כֹּ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּמְצָ֧א יָֽדְךָ֛ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ֖ עֲשֵׂ֑ה כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ וְדַ֣עַת וְחָכְמָ֔ה בִּשְׁא֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה הֹלֵ֥ךְ שָֽׁמָּה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whatsoever thy handיָדyâd · handH3027
• findethמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• with thy mightכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• no workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• nor deviceחֶשְׁבּוֹןcheshbôn · explanationH2808
• nor knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
• nor wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• in the graveשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585
• whither thou goestהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:10

• Numbers 13:30But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
• 1 Chronicles 22:19Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that you can bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the Lord’s name.”
• 1 Chronicles 28:20Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly.
• 1 Chronicles 29:2Using every resource at my command, I have gathered as much as I could for building the Temple of my God. Now there is enough gold, silver, bronze, iron, and wood, as well as great quantities of onyx, other precious stones, costly jewels, and all kinds of fine stone and marble.
• 2 Chronicles 31:20In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God.
• Ezra 6:14So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they were greatly encouraged by the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. The Temple was finally finished, as had been commanded by the God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia.
• Nehemiah 2:12I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding.
• Nehemiah 3:1Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hananel.
• Nehemiah 4:2saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”
• Nehemiah 13:8I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah’s belongings out of the room.
• Psalms 71:15I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words.
• Jeremiah 29:13If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
• Matthew 6:33Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
• John 4:34Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.
• Romans 12:11Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
• Romans 15:18Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do - Examine here the What the How, and the Why. I. What is necessary to be done in this life, in reference to another? Turn from sin. Repent. Frequent the ordinances of God, and associate with the upright. Read the Scriptures. Pray for pardon. Believe on the Lord Jesus, that thou mayest obtain it. Look for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Bring forth in their seasons the fruits of it - (1) Repentance, (2) Faith; and (3) The…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. 10in Sheol: In the Old Testament, Sheol is where the dead reside. It is not always linked to punishment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Whatsoever--namely, in the service of God. This and last verse plainly are the language of Solomon, not of a skeptic, as Holden would explain it. hand, &c.--(Le 12:8, Margin; 1Sa 10:7, Margin). thy might--diligence (De 6:5; Jr 48:10, Margin). no work ... in the grave--(Joh 9:4; Re 14:13). "The soul's play-day is Satan's work-day; the idler the man the busier the tempter" [South].Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:10

• Death
• Diligence
• Hell
• Industry
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Death
• Decease, in the Old Testament and Apocyphra
• Device
• Eschatology of the Old Testament
• Psalms, Book of
• Synagogue, the Great

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