Ecclesiastes · 14 verses
Ecclesiastes 12
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
Old age arrives here with a household staff, a fading choir, a blossom, a failing grasshopper, and a shrivelling berry—then, with very little ceremony, the man goes home.
Before the house falls quietvv. 1–8
The Teacher urges remembrance before pleasure goes out of the years and the household begins its peculiar collapse: keepers tremble, strong men stoop, grinders grow few, watchers see dimly, and the doors close on the street. A bird can wake the sleeper, while song itself fades. Even the almond tree, grasshopper, and caper berry take their turns in the announcement. Then mourners walk the streets, the silver cord snaps, the bowl is crushed, the pitcher shatters, the wheel breaks, and dust and spirit return to their appointed destinations.
The Teacher puts down his pen, almostvv. 9–14
The Teacher has been busy: teaching knowledge, pondering, searching, arranging proverbs, and hunting for sayings that are both delightful and accurate. Wisdom is given a wonderfully practical pair of shapes—goads and nails—before the warning arrives that books will continue breeding and study will weary the body. The conclusion is spare: fear God, keep His commandments, and expect every deed, including the hidden ones, to come before judgment.
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
Eccl 12:1Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
Eccl 12:2before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,
Eccl 12:3on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
Eccl 12:4when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,
Eccl 12:5when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels—for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets.
Eccl 12:6Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,
Eccl 12:7before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Eccl 12:8“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”
Eccl 12:9Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.
Eccl 12:10The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
Eccl 12:11The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.
Eccl 12:12And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
Eccl 12:13When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
Eccl 12:14For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 172 passages were voted onto 14 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 13Deuteronomy 10:12And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
- 1Lamentations 3:27It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young.
- 13Micah 6:8He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
- 13Deuteronomy 6:2so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the LORD your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged.
- 13Psalms 111:10–1The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
- 1Ecclesiastes 11:8So if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is futile.
- 142 Corinthians 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- 1Psalms 71:17–18O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds.
- 13Job 28:28And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- 13Psalms 145:19He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
- 1Proverbs 22:6Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
- 13Luke 1:50His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
- 13Proverbs 19:23The fear of the LORD leads to life, that one may rest content, without visitation from harm.
- 14Romans 2:16on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
- 14Matthew 12:36But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
- 1Luke 18:16But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Onward