Ecclesiastes 12:13

Ecclesiastes 12:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
• New International Version (NIV)Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

Context of Ecclesiastes 12:13

11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 word by word

ס֥וֹף דָּבָ֖ר הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁמָ֑ע אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים יְרָא֙ וְאֶת־מִצְוֹתָ֣יו שְׁמ֔וֹר כִּי־זֶ֖ה כָּל־הָאָדָֽם׃Read the interlinear

• endסוֹףsôph · endH5490
• matterדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• commandmentsמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
• dutyדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 12:13

• Ecclesiastes 5:7For thus it cometh to pass through the multitude of dreams and vanities and many words: but fear thou God.
• Ecclesiastes 8:12Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
• Genesis 22:12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.
• Deuteronomy 6:2that thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
• Deuteronomy 10:12And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
• Psalms 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do thereafter: his praise endureth for ever.
• Psalms 112:1Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
• Psalms 145:19He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
• Psalms 147:11The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
• Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
• Proverbs 23:28Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the treacherous among men.
• Psalms 115:13He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.
• Proverbs 19:23The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
• Luke 1:50And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear him.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13After all, the sum of the great business of human life is comprised in this short sentence, on which some millions of books have been already written! Fear God, and Keep His Commandments Know that He Is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Reverence him; pay him adoration. Love him, that you may be happy. Keep his commandments - They are contained in two words: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart;" "And thy…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 This passage is properly regarded as the Epilogue of the whole book; a kind of apology for the obscurity of many of its sayings. The passage serves therefore to make the book more intelligible and more acceptable. Here, as in the beginning of the book Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, the Preacher speaks of himself Ecclesiastes 12:8-10 in the third person. He first repeats Ecclesiastes 12:8 the mournful, perplexing theme with which his musings began…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 Solomon repeats his text, VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. These are the words of one that could speak by dear-bought experience of the vanity of the world, which can do nothing to ease men of the burden of sin. As he considered the worth of souls, he gave good heed to what he spake and wrote; words of truth will always be acceptable words. The truths of God are as goads to such as are dull and draw back, and nails to such as are wandering…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-14The editor concludes from studying the Teacher's work that we should fear God (see Ecclesiastes 3:14; 5:7; 7:18; 8:12–13). This means we must obey his commands, because everything we do will face judgment (see Ecclesiastes 11:9; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. The grand inference of the whole book. Fear God--The antidote to following creature idols, and "vanities," whether self-righteousness (Ec 7:16, 18), or wicked oppression and other evils (Ec 8:12, 13), or mad mirth (Ec 2:2; 7:2-5), or self-mortifying avarice (Ec 8:13, 17), or youth spent without God (Ec 11:9; 12:1). this is the whole duty of man--literally, "this is the whole man," the full ideal of man, as originally contemplated, realized wholly by…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 12:13

• Fear of God
• Investigation
• Obedience

In the dictionaries

• God
• Conclusion
• Creator
• Heed
• Judgment
• Remember
• Whole
• Canon of the Old Testament
• Dead
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

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