And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
What does Ecclesiastes 4:12 mean?
Surely he has more satisfaction in life, who labours hard to maintain those he loves, than the miser has in his toil. In all things union tends to success and safety, but above all, the union of Christians.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4:12
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him,....
Key words
- prevail
-
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him,.
- against
-
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him,.
- withstand
-
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him,.
Context in Ecclesiastes 4
Show chapter context
Ecclesiastes 4 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as experiments in wisdom and pleasure. Ecclesiastes examines toil, pleasure, wisdom, time, death, and the elusiveness of gain, then counsels reverent realism under God. Read this chapter with the wider themes of vanity, time, and death in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
Explore by topic
Beloved passages for wedding ceremonies, vows, invitations, and toasts — verses on love, faithfulness, and the covenant of marriage.
Verses on the fear of the Lord, wise speech, practical judgment, teachability, and the difference between biblical wisdom and mere cleverness.
Bible verses about death and dying
Passages on mortality, the reality of death, comfort in bereavement, resurrection hope, and the defeat of death through Christ.