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Text -- Ecclesiastes 5:13-20 (NET)
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Strongs On/Off
Context
Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life
5:13 Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen : Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery .
5:14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck ; although he fathered a son , he has nothing left to give him.
5:15 Just as he came forth from his mother's womb , naked will he return as he came , and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil .
5:16 This is another misfortune : Just as he came , so will he go . What did he gain from toiling for the wind ?
5:17 Surely , he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger .
Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor
5:18 I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink , and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has given them, for this is their reward .
5:19 To every man whom God has given wealth , and possessions , he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil ; these things are the gift of God .
5:20 For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
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Dictionary Themes and Topics:
Philosophy |
Instruction |
Riches |
Life |
Rich, The |
Gifts from God |
WEALTH, WEALTHY |
POINTS |
ADVENTURE |
Nakedness |
WISDOM |
Naked |
God |
Blessing |
Death |
more
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expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
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NET Notes: Ecc 5:17 Heb “all his days.” The phrase “of his life” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarit...
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NET Notes: Ecc 5:18 The term חֵלֶק (kheleq, “lot”) has a wide range of meanings: (1) “share of spoils” (Gen 14:24; N...
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NET Notes: Ecc 5:19 Heb “this.” The feminine singular demonstrative pronoun זֹה (zoh, “this”) refers back to all that preceded i...
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