Tree of Life Version
Ecclesiastes 11:1
1Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it.
Ecclesiastes 11:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
- New International Version (NIV)Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.
Context of Ecclesiastes 11:1
Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it. 2Give portions to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what disaster may happen upon the earth. 3If the clouds are full, they empty out rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to south or north, the tree lies wherever it falls.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 11Ecclesiastes 11:1 word by word
שַׁלַּ֥ח לַחְמְךָ֖ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַמָּ֑יִם כִּֽי־בְרֹ֥ב הַיָּמִ֖ים תִּמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 11:1
- Isaiah 32:20Blessed are you, sowing by all waters, letting the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.
- Ecclesiastes 11:6In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not let your hand be idle, for you do not know if this or that will succeed, or if both will prosper together.
- Deuteronomy 15:10You must surely give to him, and your heart is not to be grieved when you give to him—for because of this thing Adonai your God will bless you in all your work and in every undertaking of your hand.
- Psalms 41:1For the music director: a psalm of David.
- Psalms 126:5Those who sow in tears will reap with a song of joy.
- Proverbs 11:18The wicked earn deceptive wages, but a sower of righteousness reaps a true reward.
- Proverbs 19:17One who is kind to the poor lends to Adonai, and Adonai will reward him for his good deed.
- Matthew 10:13If the household is worthy, let your shalom come upon it. But if it’s not worthy, let your shalom return to you.
- Matthew 25:40“And answering, the King will say to them, ‘Amen, I tell you, whatever you did to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
- Luke 14:14and you will be blessed, since they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.
- Galatians 6:8For the one who sows in the flesh will reap corruption from the flesh. But the one who sows in the Ruach will reap from the Ruach eternal life.
- Hebrews 6:10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love that you showed for His name, in having served and continuing to serve the kedoshim.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Cast thy bread upon the waters - An allusion to the sowing of rice; which was sown upon muddy ground, or ground covered with water, and trodden in by the feet of cattle: it thus took root, and grew, and was found after many days in a plentiful harvest. Give alms to the poor, and it will be as seed sown in good ground. God will cause thee afterwards to receive it with abundant increase. The Targum understands it of giving bread to poor sailors. The Vulgate…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The verse means: “Show hospitality, even though the corresponding return of hospitality to you may seem improbable; nevertheless, be hospitable in faith.” Compare Luke 14:13-14; Hebrews 13:2. Some interpreters (not unreasonably) understand by “bread” the seed from the produce of which bread is made. Seed cast upon the fertile soil flooded by the early rains would be returned to the sower in autumn with large increase.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Exhortation to liberality. (Eccl. 11:1-6) An admonition to prepare for death, and to young persons to be religious. (Eccl. 11:7-10) Verses 1-6 Solomon presses the rich to do good to others. Give freely, though it may seem thrown away and lost. Give to many. Excuse not thyself with the good thou hast done, from the good thou hast further to do. It is not lost, but well laid out. We have reason to expect evil, for we are born to trouble; it is wisdom to do…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2We should invest our resources instead of hoarding them, even if we cannot control the outcomes.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-10Ec 11:1-10. 1. Ec 11:2 shows that charity is here inculcated. bread--bread corn. As in the Lord's prayer, all things needful for the body and soul. Solomon reverts to the sentiment (Ec 9:10). waters--image from the custom of sowing seed by casting it from boats into the overflowing waters of the Nile, or in any marshy ground. When the waters receded, the grain in the alluvial soil sprang up (Is 32:20). "Waters" express multitudes, so Ec 11:2; Re 17:15…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 11:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11
- 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
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