Tree of Life Version
Ecclesiastes 6:2
2God gives a man riches, wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to eat from it—instead a foreigner will eat it. This is fruitless—an agonizing illness.
Ecclesiastes 6:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
- New International Version (NIV)God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
- English Standard Version (ESV)a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.
Context of Ecclesiastes 6:2
1There is a misery that I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon humanity. God gives a man riches, wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to eat from it—instead a foreigner will eat it. This is fruitless—an agonizing illness. 3Even if a man should father a hundred children and live many years, however many the days of his years may be, yet his soul is never satisfied with his prosperity and he does not have a proper burial, then I say that it is better for the stillborn than him. 4Even though it comes in futility and departs into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness,
Read all of Ecclesiastes 6Ecclesiastes 6:2 word by word
אִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתֶּן־ל֣וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים עֹשֶׁר֩ וּנְכָסִ֨ים וְכָב֜וֹד וְֽאֵינֶ֨נּוּ חָסֵ֥ר לְנַפְשׁ֣וֹ׀ מִכֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יִתְאַוֶּ֗ה וְלֹֽא־יַשְׁלִיטֶ֤נּוּ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל מִמֶּ֔נּוּ כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ נָכְרִ֖י יֹֽאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וָחֳלִ֥י רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- A manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- to whom Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- hath givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- richesעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
- wealthנֶ֫כֶסnekes · wealthH5233
- and honourכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- so that he wantethחָסֵרchâsêr · lackingH2638
- nothing for his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
- of all that he desirethאָוָה'âvâh · to desireH183
- giveth him not powerשָׁלַטshâlaţ · to domineerH7980
- to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- thereof, but a strangerנׇכְרִיnokrîy · foreignH5237
- thereof, but a strangerאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
- an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
- diseaseחֳלִיchŏlîy · sicknessH2483
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 6:2
- Ecclesiastes 5:19For he will not often consider the days of his life, since God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
- 1 Kings 3:13Moreover I have also given you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that no one among the kings will be like you all your days.
- 1 Chronicles 29:25Adonai highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had never been on any king before him in Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 1:11Then God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart and you have not asked for riches, possessions or honor, nor for the life of those who hate you and have not even asked for long life but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself—so you can govern My people over whom I have made you king—
- Daniel 5:18Your majesty, God Most High gave your father Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor.
- Deuteronomy 8:7For Adonai your God is bringing you into a good land—a land of wadis with water, of springs and fountains flowing out in the valleys and hills,
- Judges 18:10When you get there, you will come to unsuspecting people. The land is spacious. For God has put it in your hand—a place where there is no lack of anything on the earth.”
- Job 21:9Their homes have peace and are free from fear; no rod of God is on them.
- Psalms 17:14from men, with Your hand, Adonai, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their belly with Your treasure —with plenty of children— and leave their surplus to their babes.
- Psalms 73:7Their eyes bulge out from fatness. The imaginations of their hearts run wild.
- Luke 12:19And I’ll say to myself, ’O my soul, you have plenty of goods saved up for many years! So take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry.”’
- Deuteronomy 28:33A people you do not know will eat up the produce of your soil and all your labor, and you will be only oppressed and crushed all the time.
- Psalms 39:6Behold, You made my days mere hand-breadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Surely all humanity is but vapor. Selah
- Lamentations 5:2Our inheritance is turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.
- Hosea 7:9Strangers devoured his strength— yet he does not know it. Gray hairs have spread on him— and he does not know it.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I saw that all toil and all skill that is done come from man’s envy of his neighbor; this too is fleeting and striving after the wind.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A man to whom God hath given riches - A man may possess much earthly goods, and yet enjoy nothing of them. Possession and fruition are not necessarily joined together; and this is also among the vanities of life. It is worthy of remark, that it belongs to God as much to give the power to enjoy as it does to give the earthly blessings. A wise heathen saw this: - Di tibi divitias dederant, artemque fruendi. Hor. Ep. lib. i., ep. 4, ver. 7. "The gods had…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2This parable of the "unfortunate man" is similar to Ecclesiastes 4:7–8 and 5:13–17. It is a sad tragedy when someone succeeds but cannot enjoy their success. This person misses the only real benefit of success.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. for his soul--that is, his enjoyment. God giveth him not power to eat--This distinguishes him from the "rich" man in Ec 5:19. "God hath given" distinguishes him also from the man who got his wealth by "oppression" (Ec 5:8, 10). stranger--those not akin, nay, even hostile to him (Jr 51:51; La 5:2; Ho 7:9). He seems to have it in his "power" to do as he will with his wealth, but an unseen power gives him up to his own avarice: God wills that he should…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 6:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6
- 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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
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