Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
What does Ecclesiastes 9:10 mean?
The most despicable living man's state, is preferable to that of the most noble who have died impenitent. Solomon exhorts the wise and pious to cheerful confidence in God, whatever their condition in life.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:10
The works which we carry on here with the combined energies of body and soul come to an end in the hour of death, when the soul enters a new sphere of existence, and body and soul cease to act together. Compare John 9:4 . Device - See Ecclesiastes 7:25 note.
Key words
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Context in Ecclesiastes 9
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Ecclesiastes 9 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as reflections on time, labor, and mortality. 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
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