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 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;

Context of Ecclesiastes 12:3

1Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 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, 4And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; 5Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long 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

• 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 21:15Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
• Psalms 90:9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
• Psalms 102:23He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
• Zechariah 8:4Thus saith Yhwh of Armies; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
• Ecclesiastes 12:2While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor 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