Ecclesiastes 5 20

Ecclesiastes 5:20 kjv

For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:20 nkjv

For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:20 niv

They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:20 esv

For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:20 nlt

God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.

Ecclesiastes 5 verses

Ecclesiastes 5 20 Meaning

Ecclesiastes 5:20 describes the blessed state of an individual who receives true joy and satisfaction directly from God. Such a person does not dwell on the brevity, toil, or vanity of his earthly existence because God fills his heart with profound contentment. This divine gift of joy liberates him from obsessive reflection on life's troubles or its fleeting nature, enabling him to embrace the present good God provides.

Ecclesiastes 5 20 Context

Ecclesiastes 5:20 concludes a short section (5:18-20) that stands as an antidote to the prevalent "vanity" (Hebrew: hebel) themes within the book. After observing the futility of human toil, wealth accumulation, and the fleeting nature of life "under the sun," Koheleth introduces a practical wisdom: the greatest good a person can experience is to find enjoyment in their labor and partake of life's blessings, recognizing these as gifts from God. This particular verse deepens that insight, moving beyond mere material enjoyment to an internal state of peace and joy bestowed by God Himself. It posits that divine satisfaction is so complete it eclipses the nagging awareness of life's burdens and brevity, providing a lasting fulfillment that human striving cannot.

Ecclesiastes 5 20 Word analysis

• For he shall not much remember (כִּי לֹא יַרְבֶּה יִזְכֹּר - ki loh yarbeh yizkor):
  • yarbeh (much/often): Derived from rabah (to multiply, increase). Implies "not dwelling much upon," "not often calling to mind," or "not largely remembering."
  • yizkor (remember/call to mind): From the Hebrew verb zakhar. It doesn't mean literal amnesia but refers to not being preoccupied with, weighed down by, or dwelling mournfully upon. The person is free from a morbid obsession with the downsides of life.
• the days of his life (אֶת־יְמֵי חַיָּיו - et-yemei chayyayw): This refers to the duration, brevity, and inherent toils and struggles that characterize human existence. It's the "under the sun" perspective of life as labor-filled and transient, which often brings a sense of futility in Ecclesiastes.
• for God (כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים - ki ha'Elohim): This marks the divine intervention. The source of this profound contentment is not human effort or positive thinking, but the Sovereign Creator, God.
• answereth him (מַעֲנֶה אֹתוֹ - ma'aneh oto): This is a critical phrase derived from the verb ‘anah.
  • While ‘anah can mean "to answer" (as in response to prayer), here in the Hiphil stem (ma’aneh), it carries the sense of "to busy," "to occupy," "to engross," "to keep engaged." Thus, "God keeps him occupied/busy."
  • The implication is that God's gift of joy is so absorbing and fulfilling that it totally pre-occupies the individual, leaving no room for anxious or melancholic thoughts about life's difficulties. It’s a divine re-orientation of focus.
• in the joy of his heart (בְּשִׂמְחַת לִבּוֹ - b'simchat libbo):
  • simchat (joy): Deep inner gladness, happiness, cheerfulness.
  • libbo (his heart): The heart in Hebrew thought is the seat of emotions, intellect, will, and conscience; the core of one's being. This is a profound, internal, divinely-imparted joy, not dependent on external circumstances.

• For he shall not much remember the days of his life; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart. This whole phrase creates a cause-and-effect relationship. The effect (not remembering life's toil) is directly attributed to the divine cause (God's joyous filling of the heart). It highlights that genuine, lasting contentment transcends life's inherent difficulties and comes as a gracious endowment from the Almighty, directing one's inner being away from despair and towards gratitude and delight.

Ecclesiastes 5 20 Bonus section

This verse offers a theological anchor within a book grappling with existential questions. It highlights that ultimate satisfaction (the opposite of hebel, "vanity") is always the result of a direct, active divine work within an individual's life, specifically related to the heart's disposition. This gift from God bypasses the limitations of the "under the sun" human experience, where joy is fleeting and often overshadowed by sorrow and labor. Instead, it posits a Spirit-led contentment, a joy that flows directly from the Creator and becomes so foundational to one's being that it naturally lessens the grip of anxiety and a morbid focus on mortality or past difficulties.

Ecclesiastes 5 20 Commentary

Ecclesiastes 5:20 presents a pivotal counterpoint to the book's overarching theme of "vanity." It encapsulates the Teacher's mature wisdom: that genuine human flourishing and freedom from life's inherent burdens are not found in human acquisition or achievement, but in a divine impartation. The person whom God blesses with the "joy of his heart" is so fully engrossed and satisfied by this internal gift that they are not tormented by worries over life's brevity, its struggles, or their past sorrows. This is not passive forgetting, but an active, divine enablement of joyful living that overshadows all transient concerns. It is God Himself who "occupies" the heart with such profound joy that the fleeting, laborious aspects of existence lose their dominant grip on one's consciousness. This profound contentment is God's antidote to the futility "under the sun," directing focus from what passes to what is eternally given.