Ecclesiastes 1:7 kjv
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 nkjv
All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 niv
All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 esv
All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 nlt
Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea.
Ecclesiastes 1 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ecc 1:2 | "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "vanity of vanities! All is vanity." | Introduction to Qoheleth's theme of futility. |
| Ecc 1:4 | A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. | Human transience versus earth's unchanging cycle. |
| Ecc 1:5 | The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. | Illustrates the daily, tireless repetition. |
| Ecc 1:6 | The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind... | Repetitive, circular movement in nature. |
| Ecc 1:9 | What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. | Direct statement of the theme of endless repetition. |
| Ecc 1:10 | Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already in the ages before us. | Questions genuine novelty in the earthly realm. |
| Ecc 3:15 | What has been is now; what is to be has already been; and God seeks what has been driven away. | Divine ordainment of unchanging cycles. |
| Ps 104:10-14 | You make springs gush forth in the valleys... they give drink... you water the mountains... | God's direct orchestration of the water cycle. |
| Job 36:27-28 | For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist into rain... which the clouds drop down... | Describes the complete hydrological cycle. |
| Isa 55:10 | For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth... | Divine purpose in water cycle, contrasts with Ecc's futility focus. |
| Amos 9:6 | he who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth... | God's sovereign control over natural phenomena. |
| Jer 2:13 | "My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and dug out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." | Illustrates futility of seeking fulfillment apart from God, parallel to sea never being full. |
| John 4:13-14 | Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again..." | Points to spiritual water that brings lasting satisfaction, contrasting the unending earthly cycle. |
| John 7:37-38 | On the last day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" | Spiritual "rivers" that truly fill and overflow. |
| Rev 21:6 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment." | Ultimate, eternal satisfaction in Christ, a future antithesis to earthly lack. |
| Rev 22:1 | Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. | Vision of eternal life's unfailing supply. |
| Prov 30:15-16 | The leech has two daughters: "Give! Give!" Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough": Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, "Enough." | "Land never satisfied with water" is similar to the sea never being full, highlighting insatiability. |
| Hab 2:5 | Moreover, wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who does not rest; he broadens his desire like Sheol, and he is like Death, never satisfied... | Metaphor for unending, unfulfilling desire. |
| Phil 4:11-13 | Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound... | Apostolic contentment found through Christ, counteracting the restless pursuit of satisfaction. |
| Col 2:8 | See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. | Caution against finding ultimate meaning in "under the sun" observations without Christ. |
| Heb 13:8 | Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. | Christ's unchanging nature contrasts with the endlessly repetitive, unsatisfying nature of creation without Him. |
| Rom 1:20 | For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. | While creation testifies to God, Qoheleth focuses on its lack of fulfillment for man. |
Ecclesiastes 1 verses
Ecclesiastes 1 7 Meaning
Ecclesiastes 1:7 describes the unending, cyclical nature of water in creation, observing that "All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again." This observation highlights a fundamental principle of repetition without ultimate accumulation or lasting satisfaction. The Preacher (Qoheleth) uses this natural phenomenon as an illustration of the broader theme of "vanity of vanities," signifying that within the earthly realm "under the sun," all endeavors, movements, and natural processes are trapped in perpetual cycles that do not lead to ultimate fulfillment, lasting newness, or permanent gain.
Ecclesiastes 1 7 Context
Ecclesiastes 1:7 is embedded within the opening argument of Qoheleth, the Preacher, concerning the fundamental "vanity" (hebel) of all things "under the sun" (Ecc 1:2-3). Following observations about the endless cycles of the sun (Ecc 1:5) and wind (Ecc 1:6), this verse focuses on the perpetual flow of water. These natural phenomena serve as prime examples for Qoheleth's philosophical premise: the constant, repetitive motions of the natural world do not lead to anything genuinely new, enduring gain, or ultimate satisfaction. They simply loop back to their starting point, much like human labor and pursuits on earth. Historically, the hydrological cycle was an observed fact, essential for life. The Preacher takes this observable fact and reinterprets it through a lens of existential weariness, highlighting that even essential natural processes, for all their continuity, never reach a point of completion or saturation, mirroring human striving that likewise yields no lasting ultimate satisfaction apart from God.
Ecclesiastes 1 7 Word analysis
- All streams (כָּל-הַנְּהָרִים, kol-hannehārim):
- `Kol` (all, every): Emphasizes universality and comprehensiveness of this natural phenomenon, implying it is an undeniable and perpetual truth.
- `Nehārim` (streams, rivers): Refers to the flowing fresh water vital for life in the ancient world, often a symbol of abundance and life. Yet here, these very sources of life contribute to an unfillable entity.
- run to the sea (הֹלְכִים אֶל-הַיָּם, holĕkîm el-hayyām):
- `Holĕkîm` (run, go, flow): Conveys constant, ceaseless movement. There is no stopping; the action is continuous and inherent.
- `Hayyām` (the sea): The ultimate recipient, vast and seemingly endless, yet paradoxically, according to the verse, never filled.
- but the sea is not full (וְהַיָּם אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא, vehayyām êynennū mālē’):
- This is the critical part of the observation, transforming it from a simple scientific fact into a philosophical point.
- `Êynennū` (is not, there is no): A strong negation.
- `Mālē’` (full, filled): Signifies completion, satisfaction, sufficiency. Its absence highlights an unending deficit despite constant input. This speaks to a lack of satiation.
- to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again (אֶל-מָקֹום שֶׁשָּׁם הַנְּחָלִים שָׁם הֵם שָׁבִים לָלֶכֶת, el-māqôm sheshām hannĕchālîm shām hēm shāvîm lālekhet):
- `Māqôm` (place): Refers to the source from which the streams originated (implicitly, via precipitation from the sea).
- `Shāvîm lālekhet` (they return to go/flow again): This explicitly states the cyclical nature, confirming a return to the origin point to restart the process. It emphasizes repetition without advancement or finality. It's a continuous, unbroken loop, highlighting the perpetual and unalterable cycle that exists in creation.
- "All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full": This phrase highlights an essential paradox for Qoheleth. There is perpetual activity and vast input (all streams), yet the destination (the sea) is never satiated or complete. This points to the insatiable nature of creation when seeking fulfillment "under the sun," a core theme of the book. It can be seen as a microcosm for all human efforts and accumulation that fail to bring ultimate satisfaction or lasting meaning.
- "to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again": This second part emphasizes the relentless cyclicality. The water returns to its source, not achieving a new state or a final resting point, but merely resetting for another round of the same process. This natural illustration perfectly embodies Qoheleth's observation that "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecc 1:9). It underscores the futility of human endeavor and life itself when viewed from a purely earthly, horizontal perspective, as it repeats endlessly without ultimate purpose or satisfaction.
Ecclesiastes 1 7 Bonus section
The observation in Ecclesiastes 1:7 implicitly attests to a marvelous design in creation, maintaining a perpetual equilibrium through natural cycles. While Qoheleth's initial focus is on the lack of fulfillment for human experience within this system, the underlying consistency of the hydrological cycle points to divine order and sustenance. However, without recognizing the Giver and source of all things, even this marvelous order can feel empty to the searching heart. The yearning for true "fullness" or lasting satisfaction, left unaddressed by the repetitive cycles of nature, points humanity towards a need for something beyond the created order—something truly new and filling, ultimately found only in God, the Creator who transcends His creation and offers living water (John 4:13-14) that truly satisfies.
Ecclesiastes 1 7 Commentary
Ecclesiastes 1:7 encapsulates a central aspect of Qoheleth's argument about the "vanity" or "futility" of life apart from God. The verse is a profound observation of the hydrological cycle: rivers tirelessly flow into the sea, yet the sea never overflows or truly becomes "full." Then, the water evaporates, forms clouds, rains, and the cycle begins anew. This continuous, unbroken process perfectly illustrates the Preacher's point about repetition without advancement or ultimate gain "under the sun."
Unlike modern science which sees the water cycle as efficient and purposeful, Qoheleth, focusing on existential satisfaction, highlights its endless nature without completion. It's an image of ceaseless activity yielding no net profit, mirroring human toil and wisdom that perpetually seek but never fully attain lasting contentment or novel experience. The natural world, in its unchanging, repetitive patterns, reflects the human condition, relentlessly pursuing fulfillment but never reaching a final state of satiety. The verse challenges the inherent human longing for something new, something that truly fills, suggesting that such satisfaction cannot be found within the self-contained cycles of creation alone.