Ecclesiastes 7 14

Ecclesiastes 7:14 kjv

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 nkjv

In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 niv

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 esv

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 nlt

Enjoy prosperity while you can,
but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.
Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

Ecclesiastes 7 verses

Ecclesiastes 7 14 Meaning

Ecclesiastes 7:14 advises a balanced and godly response to life's varying circumstances. In times of blessing and ease, one should embrace joy and gratitude. In periods of hardship and distress, one should engage in sober reflection and understanding. This approach is rooted in the recognition that God sovereignly ordains both prosperity and adversity as integral parts of the human experience. The divine purpose behind this dual provision is to prevent humanity from fully grasping or predicting the future, thus fostering humility, dependence on God, and a profound awareness of divine control over all things.

Ecclesiastes 7 14 Context

Ecclesiastes 7 falls within the middle section of the book, where Qoheleth (the Preacher) moves from observations on life's vanities to offering specific pieces of wisdom regarding how to live in a world where much is "hevel" (vanity/futility). This chapter contrasts wisdom with folly, lamenting life's inequalities and advocating for a balanced, sober approach to existence.

The immediate verses leading up to 7:14 discuss the benefit of sorrow over laughter (v. 2-4), the wisdom of hearing rebuke (v. 5-6), the corrupting influence of oppression and bribery (v. 7), and the virtue of patience (v. 8). Qoheleth often points out that humans cannot fully grasp God's work from beginning to end (3:11, 8:17), which sets the stage for the inability to "find out anything that will be after him" in verse 14. This verse is a pragmatic and theological summary: accept God's sovereignty over life's swings, because your limited understanding makes it impossible to predict or control the future. The historical and cultural context reflects a wisdom tradition that grappled with divine justice and human suffering, with Qoheleth offering a uniquely existential and sometimes skeptical, yet ultimately God-acknowledging, perspective on these mysteries.

Ecclesiastes 7 14 Word analysis

• In the day of prosperity: This refers to times of favor, good fortune, material well-being, and ease. The Hebrew word is tov (טוֹב), meaning "good" or "well-being," implying a favorable condition. It speaks of enjoying what God provides.

• be joyful: Hebrew besimchah (בְּשִׂמְחָה), meaning "in gladness" or "with joy." It is an active embrace of the moment, a recognition of blessing. It’s a commanded response to divine favor, a counter-balance to Qoheleth’s frequent emphasis on vanity.

• but in the day of adversity: This contrasts directly with prosperity. Adversity translates ra'ah (רָעָה), which signifies "evil," "calamity," "trouble," or "misfortune." It denotes periods of difficulty, suffering, or hardship.

• consider: Hebrew re'eh (רְאֵה), from the root "to see," but here implying to "look closely," "perceive," "discern," "reflect upon," or "understand." It calls for sober thought and an intellectual grasp of the situation, rather than a purely emotional reaction like despair.

• God has made: The Hebrew 'asah (עָשָׂה) indicates God's active involvement as the orchestrator and Creator. This is not accidental fate but deliberate divine design.

• the one as well as the other: The literal Hebrew phrase is zeh neged zeh (זֶה נֶגֶד זֶה), meaning "this opposite this" or "this over against this." It powerfully conveys the idea of two contrasting, yet divinely balanced and co-existing, realities. God has placed them in a deliberate relationship of counterpoint. It highlights equilibrium and purpose in seemingly contradictory experiences.

• so that: The Hebrew lema'an (לְמַעַן) is a strong purpose clause, revealing God's explicit intention behind orchestrating both prosperity and adversity.

• man may not find out: The verb yimtsa' (יִמְצָא) means "to find," "to discover," "to attain," or "to grasp." The negative lo yimtsa' indicates a deliberate limitation on human comprehension and control.

• anything that will be after him: Hebrew me'umah acharov (מְאוּמָה אַחֲרָיו). This refers to future events, what is to come after the present moment or after one's own life, or what lies beyond human experience. It signifies that humanity cannot fully know, predict, or control what God has ordained for the future. This limitation is a divine design, preventing arrogance and enforcing reliance on God.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider": This structure emphasizes the two distinct but equally vital human responses demanded by divine providence. It's a call to balanced living and emotional and intellectual equanimity.
  • "God has made the one as well as the other": This crucial declaration establishes divine sovereignty as the underlying reality. It removes any notion of randomness or chance in the distribution of good and bad experiences, placing them firmly within God's deliberate plan. It challenges fatalism and humanistic self-sufficiency.
  • "so that man may not find out anything that will be after him": This clause reveals the telos (purpose) of God's design. It limits human intellectual hubris and control. It prevents individuals from charting their own certain future or boasting about their destiny, forcing reliance on the Almighty whose ways are beyond human full discovery. This divine opacity is an intentional means to humble humanity and prevent self-exaltation.

Ecclesiastes 7 14 Bonus section

This verse implicitly addresses the pervasive human desire for control and predictability. By stating that God ensures humanity cannot know what comes after, it challenges all forms of divination, self-assured planning for the distant future without acknowledging God, and reliance on human wisdom as the ultimate guide. It points to a theology of divine hiddenness – not that God hides Himself from us entirely, but that certain aspects of His plan and future outcomes are kept opaque to human minds, precisely to cultivate trust and humble submission. The message reinforces the wisdom found throughout Ecclesiastes: much of life under the sun remains mysterious, and the wise response is not to conquer the mystery, but to accept and live faithfully within it, acknowledging God as the sole knower of the end from the beginning.

Ecclesiastes 7 14 Commentary

Ecclesiastes 7:14 provides a pivotal theological and practical instruction within the Preacher’s reflections on life "under the sun." It moves beyond mere observation of life's unpredictable nature to offering a God-centered framework for navigating it. The verse asserts that God, in His ultimate sovereignty, actively ordains both the seasons of joy and prosperity and the periods of sorrow and adversity. These experiences are not random occurrences but are meticulously woven together by divine hands (zeh neged zeh – this over against this) to serve a profound purpose.

The wisdom lies not in striving to eliminate adversity or endlessly pursue prosperity, but in cultivating the appropriate, God-honoring posture for each. Joy in prosperity acknowledges God’s goodness, while sober consideration in adversity means looking beyond the immediate pain to the underlying divine hand and purpose. This isn't a passive resignation but an active engagement that seeks to understand the greater scheme.

The ultimate reason for this divine orchestration is the humbling of humanity. By limiting human foresight and control over the future ("so that man may not find out anything that will be after him"), God keeps humanity in its proper place of dependence. This prevents arrogance, self-reliance, and the vain pursuit of absolute knowledge or mastery over life. It serves as a constant reminder that only God truly knows and directs all outcomes. This truth fosters humility, promotes reliance on God's unsearchable wisdom, and encourages contentment with His provision in every season, accepting both the pleasant and the challenging as gifts from His hand, all serving His deeper, incomprehensible designs.