9:2“The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone” means that all will eventually die.
Life Application Study BibleEcclesiastesChapter 9
Ecclesiastes 9
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1070, 1071
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
9Ecclesiastes 9
4. Solomon’s final conclusion
Death Comes to All
1This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. 2The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad,* ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don't. 3It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. That is why people are not more careful to be good. Instead, they choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. ‘There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!” 5The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. 6Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth. 7So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! 8Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne! SLive happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. 10Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave,* there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. "'Thave observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. 12People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.
Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly
1313Here is another bit of wisdom that has impressed me as I have watched the way our world works. 14There was a small town with only a few people, and a great king came with his army and besieged it. 5A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued. But afterward no one thought to thank him. 16So even though wisdom is better than strength, those who are wise will be despised if they are poor. What they say will not be appreciated for long.
17Better to hear the quiet words of a wise personthan the shouts of a foolish king.
18Better to have wisdom than weapons of war,but one sinner can destroy much that is good.10
Textual footnotes
- 9:2 As in Greek and Syriac versions and Latin Vulgate; Hebrew lacks or bad.
- 9:10 Hebrew to Sheol.
Life Application Notes 6 notes
9:5,10When Solomon says the dead know nothing and that there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom after death, he is not contrasting life with afterlife, but life with death. After you die, you can't change what you have done. Resurrection to a new life after death was a vague concept for Old Testament believers. It was only made clear after Jesus rose from the dead.
9:7-10Considering the uncertainties of the future and the certainty of death, Solomon recommends enjoying life as God’s gift. He may have been criticizing those who put off all present pleasures in order to accumulate wealth, much like those who get caught up in today’s rat race. Solomon asks, “What is your wealth really worth, anyway?” Because the future is so uncertain, we should enjoy God’s gifts while we are able.
9:9Solomon aiso wrote a proverb about marriage. “The man who finds a wife finds a treasure; he receives a gift from the Logp” (Proverbs 18:22). How sad it would be to be married and not appreciate or enjoy the companion God has given you.
9:10,11It isn’t difficult to think of cases where the fastest and the strongest don’t win, the wise are poor, and the skillful are unrewarded with wealth or honor. Some people see such examples and call life unfair, and they are right. The world is finite, and sin has twisted life, making it what God did not intend. Solomon is trying to reduce our expectations. The book of Proverbs emphasizes how life would go if everyone acted fairly; Ecclesiastes explains what usually happens in our sinful and imperfect world. We must keep our perspective. Don’t let the inequities of life keep you from earnest, dedicated work. We serve God, not people (see Colossians 3:23).
9:13-18Our society honors wealth, attractiveness, and success above wisdom. Yet wisdom is a greater asset than strength, although it is often overlooked. Even though it is more effective, wisdom from people who are poor often goes unheeded. From this parable we can learn to appreciate wisdom, no matter whom it comes from.
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Study feature · page 1071
everything we have (from wisdom to riches) is nothing without God. But when God uses what littie we have, it becomes all we could ever want or need. 10:10 Trying to do anything without the necessary skills or tools is like chopping wood with a dull ax. If your tool is dull, you should sharpen it to do a better job. Similarly, if you lack skills, you should sharpen them through training and practice. “Sharpening the blade” means recognizing where a problem exists, acquiring or honing the skills (or tools) to do the job better, and then going out and doing it. Find the areas of your life where your “ax” is dull, and sharpen your skills so you can be more effective for God’s work.