Ecclesiastes 9:11

Ecclesiastes 9:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
• New International Version (NIV)I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:11

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. 10Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. I 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. 13Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 word by word

שַׁ֜בְתִּי וְרָאֹ֣ה תַֽחַת־הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ כִּ֣י לֹא֩ לַקַּלִּ֨ים הַמֵּר֜וֹץ וְלֹ֧א לַגִּבּוֹרִ֣ים הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְ֠גַם לֹ֣א לַחֲכָמִ֥ים לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְגַ֨ם לֹ֤א לַנְּבֹנִים֙ עֹ֔שֶׁר וְגַ֛ם לֹ֥א לַיֹּדְעִ֖ים חֵ֑ן כִּי־עֵ֥ת וָפֶ֖גַע יִקְרֶ֥ה אֶת־כֻּלָּֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
• and sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• that the raceמֵרוֹץmêrôts · raceH4793
• not to the swiftקַלqal · swiftH7031
• nor the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• to the strongגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
• neither yet breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• to the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• nor yet richesעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
• to men of understandingבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• nor yet favourחֵןchên · favorH2580
• to men of skillיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• but timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• and chanceפֶּ֫גַעpega‛ · chanceH6294
• happenethקָרָהqârâh · to meetH7136

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Ecclesiastes 2:12So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king?).
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless.
• Malachi 3:18Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
• 1 Samuel 17:50So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.
• 2 Samuel 2:18Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle,
• 2 Samuel 17:14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!
• Psalms 33:16The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
• Psalms 73:6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty.
• Psalms 147:10He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might.
• Jeremiah 9:23This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.
• Jeremiah 46:6“The swiftest runners cannot flee; the mightiest warriors cannot escape. By the Euphrates River to the north, they stumble and fall.
• Amos 2:14Your fastest runners will not get away. The strongest among you will become weak. Even mighty warriors will be unable to save themselves.
• Ecclesiastes 2:14For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.” Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate.
• Ecclesiastes 3:14And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him.
• Ecclesiastes 7:13Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
• 1 Samuel 2:3“Stop acting so proud and haughty! Don’t speak with such arrogance! For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done; he will judge your actions.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11The race is not to the swift - It is not by swiftness, nor by strength and valor, that races are gained and battles won. God causes the lame often to take the prey, the prize; and so works that the weak overthrow the strong; therefore, no man should confide in himself. All things are under the government, and at the disposal of God. But time and chance - עת eth, time or opportunity, and פגע pega, incident or occurrence: - Happeneth to them all - Every man…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. 11Verse 11 ,12 Men's success seldom equals their expectations. We must use means, but not trust to them: if we succeed, we must give God the praise; if crossed, we must submit to his will. Those who put off the great concerns of their souls, are caught in Satan's net, which he baits with some worldly object, for which they reject or neglect the gospel, and go on in sin till they suddenly fall into destruction.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11chance: We cannot control the outcome (compare Ecclesiastes 7:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. This verse qualifies the sentiment, Ec 9:7-9. Earthly "enjoyments," however lawful in their place (Ec 3:1), are to give way when any work to be done for God requires it. Reverting to the sentiment (Ec 8:17), we ought, therefore, not only to work God's work "with might" (Ec 9:10), but also with the feeling that the event is wholly "in God's hand" (Ec 9:1). race ... not to the swift--(2Sa 18:23); spiritually (Zep 3:19; Ro 9:16). nor ... battle to…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:11

• Race

In the dictionaries

• Chance
• Event
• Evil
• Games
• Remember
• Reward
• Happen
• Providence
• Skill; Skilful
• 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