Ecclesiastes 12 6

Ecclesiastes 12:6 kjv

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

Ecclesiastes 12:6 nkjv

Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.

Ecclesiastes 12:6 niv

Remember him?before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well,

Ecclesiastes 12:6 esv

before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,

Ecclesiastes 12:6 nlt

Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don't wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.

Ecclesiastes 12 verses

Ecclesiastes 12 6 Meaning

This verse vividly describes the frailty of old age, likening the final stages of life to the time just before complete dissolution, where the pitcher is broken at the well and the wheel at the cistern. It signifies the utter depletion of life's resources and functions, leading to imminent death.

Ecclesiastes 12 6 Context

Ecclesiastes 12 serves as a powerful conclusion to the Teacher's reflections on life under the sun. The preceding verses detail the physical and mental decline associated with old age, using various metaphors. Chapter 12, verse 6 directly follows the imagery of a house being broken into, the strong men bowing, the grinders ceasing, and the daughters of song falling silent. This verse encapsulates the final stages of this deterioration, leading up to the ultimate return of humanity to the dust from which it came. The overarching theme is the vanity of earthly pursuits apart from God and the importance of remembering God in one's youth.

Ecclesiastes 12 6 Word Analysis

• Then (Hebrew: וְגַם - wə·ḡam): "And also," "And indeed," signifying an additional, inevitable aspect or consequence of old age. It connects this verse to the preceding metaphors of decline.
• shall (Hebrew: יָשׁוּב - yā·šūḇ): "will return," "is returned." Future tense indicating an unavoidable end or a restoration to origin.
• the (Hebrew: הַבּ֘וּקִיּהַ– hä·ḇû·qî·yäh): The definite article "the," referring to a specific cistern or water source.
• silver (Hebrew: כַּסְפּ֘וֹ– kās·pî): "silver." While not explicitly mentioning silver in the phrase "the wheel," the Septuagint (LXX) and some rabbinic traditions interpret "wheel" (עִגָּלָה - iggäläh) as possibly related to vessels made of precious metal. This is debated, with some suggesting it refers to the mechanism for drawing water or the bucket itself. If linked to silver, it elevates the image of destruction to the failure of a valuable apparatus.
• cord (Hebrew: חוּט– ḥû·ṭ): "cord," "string," "rope." In this context, it refers to the rope used to draw water from a well or cistern. Its breaking signifies the loss of the means to access sustenance.
• be (Hebrew: תִּשָׁבֵ֓ר– tiš·šā·ḇêr): "will be broken," "is broken." Passive verb, emphasizing the state of being shattered.
• broken (Hebrew: תִּשָׁבֵ֓ר– tiš·šā·ḇêr): "will be broken," "is broken."
• in (Hebrew: אֶל– ’el): "unto," "toward," indicating the destination or point of breakage.
• pieces (Hebrew: לִגְרָס– liḡ·rās): "for grinding," "crushing," "into pieces." This is a difficult word. Some translate it as "at the source" or "at the cistern." It can refer to the place where grain is crushed, or the cistern itself. If the "wheel" is the mechanism, "at the cistern" makes sense for its breaking. It highlights a final, irreparable destruction of the means of provision.
• and (Hebrew: וְ– wə): "and."
• the (Hebrew: וּגְרָס– û·ḡər·sâ): Definite article.
• pitcher (Hebrew: חֶרֶס– ḥé·reś): "earthenware," "clay," "pottery." This represents the vessel, typically a common clay pot or jug, used to draw water.
• at (Hebrew: אֶל– ’el): "unto," "toward."
• the (Hebrew: הַבּ֘וּקִיּהַ– hä·ḇû·qî·yäh): Definite article.
• fountain (Hebrew: מַעְיָן– ma·‘ə·yān): "spring," "fountain," "wellspring." Represents the source of life-giving water.

Words Group Analysis:

• "the pitcher be broken... at the fountain": This phrase uses the imagery of a fragile clay pitcher being shattered at its very source. It implies a total and final failure, a loss of the means to draw water from the life-giving spring. This symbolizes the body's inability to sustain itself, its fundamental breakdown at the most basic level of life's necessities. The "fountain" represents the source of life itself, and the breaking at this point signifies death.
• "and the silver cord untie": This refers to the breaking of the rope or cord used to draw the pitcher. The "silver cord" is a poetic phrase, possibly alluding to the preciousness or strength of the rope, or, as some commentators suggest (following LXX and later traditions), referring to the chain mechanism by which the bucket might be lowered and raised, or even the vessel itself. Its snapping signifies the inability to draw anything, the ultimate severance from sustenance and life's resources. This together with the pitcher breaking depicts a total cessation of the vital processes.

Ecclesiastes 12 6 Bonus Section

The imagery in Ecclesiastes 12:6 draws parallels with ancient life, where water was a primary necessity, drawn from wells and fountains. The failure of these means of sustenance represented utter destitution and death. The "silver cord" has been interpreted in various ways:

• Literal: The rope made of precious metal or possessing the quality of silver.
• Poetic: A symbol of the delicate but strong connection to life.
• Figurative (later interpretations): Sometimes connected to the spirit or soul's connection to the body, echoing ideas found in other literature like Ecclesiastes 12:3, where the keepers of the house (hands/arms) tremble and the strong men (legs) bow themselves. This metaphorical interpretation emphasizes the spirit's severance from the physical form at death.

The Teacher's purpose here is to present old age not merely as a time of physical decline but as a prelude to the soul's separation from the body, emphasizing the inevitability and totality of death as the ultimate end of earthly existence, reinforcing the call to remember God while vitality remains.

Ecclesiastes 12 6 Commentary

This verse employs striking metaphors of domestic life to portray the irreversible decay of old age. The shattering of the pitcher at the well and the breaking of the cord used to draw water illustrate the body's ultimate failure and inability to sustain itself, even from the most fundamental sources of life. The "fountain" is the life-giving source, the "pitcher" is the frail body or its functional capacity, and the "cord" is the mechanism or effort that connects it to life. When these are broken, the individual ceases to draw life's sustenance, mirroring the finality of death. This signifies not just physical weakness but the absolute cessation of function and the inability to procure the very means of life. It's the point where all activity stops, and the connection to earthly provisions is permanently severed, leading to the return of the spirit to God.