Ecclesiastes 2 26

Ecclesiastes 2:26 kjv

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 2:26 nkjv

For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26 niv

To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26 esv

For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26 nlt

God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless ? like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2 verses

Ecclesiastes 2 26 Meaning

Ecclesiastes 2:26 presents a core theological distinction: God actively intervenes in the distribution of good and ill. To those who "please Him" – acting in a way that brings His divine approval – God grants the internal blessings of wisdom, knowledge, and joy. In stark contrast, the "sinner" is destined for toilsome labor, gathering and accumulating wealth that ultimately serves not his own lasting benefit, but will eventually pass to the one who pleases God. The verse concludes by reaffirming the transient and ultimately futile nature of the sinner's efforts from a purely earthly perspective.

Ecclesiastes 2 26 Context

Ecclesiastes Chapter 2 details Koheleth's (the Preacher's) comprehensive experimentation in seeking meaning and satisfaction. He systematically pursued various avenues: pleasure, laughter, wine, grand construction projects, immense wealth, large harems, and deeper philosophical wisdom. Despite achieving unparalleled success in all these endeavors "under the sun," his conclusion, articulated in verses like 2:11, remained consistent: "all was vanity and a striving after wind." Life's grandest pursuits, detached from divine purpose, yield no lasting satisfaction or ultimate meaning. Verse 26, therefore, provides a pivotal theological break in this otherwise pessimistic recounting. It shifts from observations of human endeavor and futility to a declarative statement about God's direct, purposeful involvement in human affairs, contrasting the fate of those who please Him with that of the sinner. This introduces a divine framework of justice and sovereignty amidst the observed futility.

Ecclesiastes 2 26 Word analysis

• For (כִּי - kî): This conjunction often introduces a reason or explanation. Here, it introduces the divine explanation for why all earthly efforts "under the sun" by themselves are ultimately unsatisfying or vain for humans. It connects the futility expressed earlier to God's distributive justice.
• to the one who pleases Him (טוֹב לְפָנָיו - ṭôḇ lip̄nāyw): Literally, "good before His face/presence." This is not merely about being "a good person" in human estimation but denotes one who finds favor and approval in God's eyes. It implies a relationship characterized by faith, obedience, and alignment with God's will. It refers to divine approbation rather than innate human moral superiority. This phrase suggests an internal state or disposition toward God that is honored.
• God (Elohim - אֱלֹהִים): The most common Hebrew word for God, referring to the transcendent Creator and sovereign Ruler. The use of this term here emphasizes His ultimate authority and active involvement in orchestrating human destinies and dispensing gifts.
• gives (נָתַן - nātan): A direct action by God. This implies a bestowal, a gracious endowment, rather than something earned by human effort. The gifts are not achieved through Koheleth's previous experimental toil, but divinely granted.
• wisdom (חָכְמָה - ḥokhmāh): Practical discernment, skill, or understanding in living righteously and effectively. Not merely intellectual capacity but also moral and spiritual insight into God's ways.
• and knowledge (וָדַעַת - wāḏa‘aṯ): Understanding, perception, awareness, often specifically of divine truth or realities. Complementary to wisdom, suggesting deeper comprehension.
• and joy (וְשִׂמְחָה - wəśimḥāh): An internal state of contentment, gladness, or delight. This joy contrasts sharply with the emptiness Koheleth felt despite his vast achievements, indicating true joy is a spiritual gift from God, independent of external circumstances or material possessions.
• but to the sinner (וְלַחוֹטֵא - wəlaḥôṭēʾ): The one who misses the mark, goes astray, offends or rebels against God. This stands in direct contrast to "the one who pleases Him," highlighting a moral and relational dichotomy determining one's fate.
• He gives the task of gathering and collecting (inyān le'esōf welikhnos - עִנְיָן לֶאֱסֹף וְלִכְנוֹס): The word ‘inyān refers to burden, toil, or labor. 'asaph is to gather or amass, often resources, while kanas is to collect or store up, often specifically referring to money or property. This implies burdensome labor directed at accumulating wealth. It is a divine imposition, indicating a predetermined course of futile labor.
• so that he may give to one who pleases God: This phrase reveals the divine purpose behind the sinner's seemingly industrious toil. Their efforts are not ultimately for their own benefit or pleasure, but serve a higher, providential plan, where the amassed wealth transfers to the righteous.
• This also (גַּם זֶה - gam zeh): "This" refers to the sinner's fruitless toil and the transience of material possessions obtained without God's favor.
• is vanity (הֶבֶל - hebel): "Vanity," meaning breath, vapor, futility, emptiness, or meaninglessness. It reiterates the central theme of Ecclesiastes, but here specifically applies it to the outcome of the sinner's labor. Their striving, even if seemingly successful in accumulating, lacks ultimate value or permanence for them.
• and a striving after wind (וְרַעְיוֹן רוּחַ - wəra‘yōn rûaḥ): "Striving" (ra‘yon) means vexation of spirit, a chasing or herding, a futile pursuit. "Wind" (ruach) represents something unsubstantial, impossible to grasp, transient, or empty. This strong metaphor emphasizes the utter pointlessness and elusive nature of such efforts.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For to the one who pleases Him, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy": This phrase introduces a divine economy based on relationship with God, not on human merit alone. The blessings given—wisdom, knowledge, and joy—are primarily internal and spiritual, aligning with the "fear of God" theme in Ecclesiastes. These gifts stand in contrast to the external, material pursuits that Koheleth found vain. God's grace initiates these benefits.
• "but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who pleases God": This highlights God's sovereign hand in judgment and providence. The "task" implies burdensome, perhaps thankless, labor. The wealth acquired through this labor is not for the sinner's lasting enjoyment but is designated by God to ultimately transfer to the righteous. This mechanism demonstrates God's ultimate control over earthly wealth and counters the idea that wealth accumulation in itself leads to happiness or security. It suggests divine justice in action within temporal affairs.
• "This also is vanity and a striving after wind": This concluding phrase directly ties the sinner's ultimate fate and endeavors back to the book's overarching theme of futility. Even success in accumulating earthly goods (by the sinner) is deemed "vanity" because it lacks lasting benefit or satisfaction for them, especially since it's ultimately redistributed by God. Their life's effort is spent on something fleeting and ungraspable like the wind, signifying profound pointlessness.

Ecclesiastes 2 26 Bonus section

This verse significantly qualifies the seemingly bleak universalism of "all is vanity" from earlier in the book. It introduces a theological nuance: while human striving apart from God leads to vanity, God's direct involvement introduces purpose and differential outcomes based on one's relationship with Him. It moves beyond Koheleth's empirical observations of life "under the sun" to reveal a transcendent God who superintends human affairs. The blessings of wisdom, knowledge, and joy given to those who please God point to an internal, spiritual wealth that is lasting, contrasting sharply with the fleeting nature of material gain. The idea of the sinner gathering for the righteous echoes a pervasive theme in wisdom literature (e.g., Proverbs, Job), illustrating a moral order overseen by God even amidst apparent earthly injustices or random occurrences.

Ecclesiastes 2 26 Commentary

Ecclesiastes 2:26 provides a crucial theological counterpoint to Koheleth's previous observations of universal futility. While much of human endeavor "under the sun" may indeed be "vanity," this verse asserts that a sovereign God actively distinguishes between individuals based on their standing "before Him." God directly bestows the enduring internal blessings of wisdom, knowledge, and joy upon those who seek His favor and live in a manner that pleases Him. These are gifts that earthly toil and accumulation cannot provide, addressing the inner emptiness Koheleth previously described.

Conversely, the individual defined as a "sinner" (one who acts contrary to God's will) is consigned to an arduous life of acquisition that is ultimately rendered meaningless for them, as their amassed wealth is redirected by divine providence to the righteous. This demonstrates that human success or failure, wealth or poverty, are not solely a matter of chance or human effort, but are ultimately subject to God's wise and just administration. The sinner's relentless striving for material gain, separated from God, remains an example of "vanity and a striving after wind" because it fails to yield personal fulfillment and is ultimately for another's benefit. The verse emphasizes that true security and blessing stem from a right relationship with God, not from earthly acquisitions.