Ecclesiastes 7:23 kjv
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Ecclesiastes 7:23 nkjv
All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise"; But it was far from me.
Ecclesiastes 7:23 niv
All this I tested by wisdom and I said, "I am determined to be wise"? but this was beyond me.
Ecclesiastes 7:23 esv
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
Ecclesiastes 7:23 nlt
I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, "I am determined to be wise." But it didn't work.
Ecclesiastes 7 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ecc 1:1-2 | ...all is vanity and a striving after wind. | Broad futility of life without God |
| Ecc 3:11 | ...He has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done... | Human inability to fully grasp God's work |
| Ecc 8:16-17 | ...no one can find out the work that is done under the sun... | Continued theme of human incomprehension |
| Ecc 12:13 | The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments... | Ultimate path when human wisdom fails |
| Job 11:7-9 | "Can you find out the deep things of God?... They are higher than heaven..." | God's unsearchable nature |
| Job 28:12, 20-21 | "But where shall wisdom be found?... It is hidden from the eyes of all living..." | Wisdom's elusiveness to mankind |
| Isa 40:28 | "...there is no searching of His understanding." | God's boundless and incomprehensible wisdom |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways..." | God's superior and distinct thoughts/ways |
| Jer 10:23 | "...it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps." | Human incapacity for self-guidance |
| Prov 2:6 | "For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." | True wisdom originates from God |
| Prov 16:25 | "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." | Human wisdom's deceptive nature |
| Prov 21:30 | "No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD." | Human plans subservient to God's will |
| Deut 29:29 | "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us..." | God's reserved knowledge and revelation |
| 1 Cor 1:19 | "...I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will thwart." | God's power over human wisdom |
| 1 Cor 1:20-21 | "...Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?... the world through wisdom did not know God..." | Worldly wisdom's failure to know God |
| 1 Cor 2:5-7 | "...your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." | Superiority of divine power over human wisdom |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God..." | Spiritual truths are beyond natural reason |
| Rom 1:21-22 | "Professing to be wise, they became fools..." | Human pride leading to intellectual and spiritual downfall |
| Rom 11:33-34 | "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable..." | God's unfathomable wisdom |
| Col 2:2-3 | "...Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." | Wisdom's source and fullness in Christ |
| Jas 1:5 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all..." | Divine grace providing true wisdom |
| Jas 3:17 | "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, full of mercy..." | Characteristics of godly wisdom |
| Matt 11:25 | "You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children..." | God's revelation to the humble |
Ecclesiastes 7 verses
Ecclesiastes 7 23 Meaning
Ecclesiastes 7:23 reveals the Preacher's profound realization that despite his dedicated and rigorous application of wisdom to examine all aspects of life, complete and comprehensive understanding remained elusive. He embarked on an ambitious quest for ultimate wisdom, declaring his intent to fully grasp it, but ultimately concluded that such complete comprehension was far beyond his reach, underscoring the inherent limitations of human intellect in comprehending the divine mysteries of existence.
Ecclesiastes 7 23 Context
Ecclesiastes chapter 7 navigates the complexities of life, presenting a series of paradoxes and observations about wisdom, foolishness, righteousness, and wickedness. The Preacher reflects on the benefits of adversity over mirth (vv. 2-6), the virtue of patience (vv. 7-10), and the protective power of wisdom (vv. 11-12). He then delves into the problem of extreme righteousness and wickedness, acknowledging that no one on earth is so righteous as to never sin (v. 20). Following this, verses 23-29 describe Kohelet's deep, personal quest to truly grasp the essence of wisdom and truth. Verse 23 is a pivotal moment, as it highlights his extensive investigation into finding profound, ultimate wisdom, only to confront its inherent elusiveness. It precedes a discussion about his search for "man" or "wisdom," culminating in the discovery that "God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes" (v. 29). This verse directly leads to the understanding that human efforts, even the most rigorous application of wisdom, have inherent limits, thus pointing towards a greater truth that must originate outside of human ability.
Ecclesiastes 7 23 Word analysis
- All this (כָּל־זֹה, kol-zeh): Refers to the comprehensive sum of observations and paradoxes presented up to this point in the book, particularly the intricate findings in chapter 7 regarding human nature, righteousness, and the seemingly arbitrary nature of events "under the sun." It signifies the extensive scope of Kohelet's inquiry, covering many facets of life.
- I have proved (בָּחַנְתִּי, bakhan'ti): Derived from the Hebrew verb bakhan (בָּחַן), meaning "to test," "examine," "prove," "investigate," or "try." This word conveys a sense of thorough, methodical, and empirical investigation. It suggests a personal and active engagement in research, much like assaying metal to determine its purity, emphasizing a rigorous, almost scientific, approach to life's enigmas.
- by wisdom (בַחָכְמָה, bachokmah): The preposition be (בְּ) denotes "by means of" or "through." Thus, "by wisdom" indicates that wisdom (ḥokhmah, חָכְמָה) was the very tool, method, and instrument through which the Preacher conducted his rigorous examination. It refers to human intellect, practical insight, and learned knowledge—the pinnacle of human capacity.
- I said, 'I will be wise,' (אָמַרְתִּי אֶחְכָּמָה, amar'ti eḥkamah): "I said" (אָמַרְתִּי) indicates a firm decision, an intention, or a determined declaration of will. It's not a mere passing thought but a deliberate resolve. "I will be wise" (אֶחְכָּמָה) expresses an ambitious aspiration to acquire profound and comprehensive wisdom, not just superficial knowledge. It implies a deep longing to master wisdom, to fully understand life's ultimate secrets through human intelligence and observation.
- but it was far from me (וְהִיא רָחוֹק מִמֶּנִּי, v'hi raḥoq mimmenni): The conjunction "but" (וְ) introduces a strong contrast. "It" refers back to the comprehensive wisdom that the Preacher sought. "Far from me" (raḥoq mimmenni) powerfully communicates elusiveness, distance, and unattainability. Despite his unparalleled intellectual prowess and dedicated effort, the ultimate, complete understanding he yearned for remained outside his grasp. This phrase encapsulates the humbling conclusion that there are inherent, unbridgeable limits to human intellectual capacity, particularly in grasping divine and ultimate truths. It signifies a profound intellectual and existential limitation, not merely a difficulty, but an essential impossibility for humans to achieve perfect wisdom on their own terms.
Ecclesiastes 7 23 Bonus section
This verse is foundational to understanding the core message of Ecclesiastes, which argues for the vanity (hebel) of all human pursuits—including the pursuit of wisdom—when undertaken apart from a right relationship with God. The Preacher, traditionally identified with Solomon, the wisest man in Israel's history (1 Kgs 4:29-30), admitting the failure of his profound wisdom is highly significant. If even he could not fully grasp truth through intellectual means alone, it highlights a universal human limitation. The verse subtly serves as a polemic against the hubris of pure rationalism or self-sufficient philosophy that believes humanity can attain all answers independently. It implicitly suggests that certain truths are reserved by God (Deut 29:29) and can only be known through divine revelation or a humble walk of faith, a concept foundational in both Old and New Testaments concerning God's unique sovereignty over knowledge. This paves the way for the book's theological conclusion: fear God and keep His commandments (Ecc 12:13), suggesting that life's true meaning lies in reverent obedience, not intellectual mastery.
Ecclesiastes 7 23 Commentary
Ecclesiastes 7:23 stands as a poignant admission from the Preacher, renowned for his vast wisdom, that even his most exhaustive and diligent efforts to comprehend life's deepest truths through human intellect ultimately failed. He invested tremendous energy and applied the full force of his superior wisdom to unravel the complexities and paradoxes "under the sun," only to encounter an insurmountable barrier. This verse is not an abandonment of wisdom but a humble recognition of its intrinsic limitations. It powerfully conveys that human wisdom, however refined or diligently applied, cannot fully penetrate the mysteries of God's ways or provide ultimate satisfaction and complete understanding of life's meaning. The realization that "it was far from me" underscores the inherent gap between human aspiration for comprehensive knowledge and the reality of divine inscrutability. This serves to steer the reader towards the only true source of ultimate wisdom and understanding: a reverence for God and obedience to His commands (Ecc 12:13), rather than relying solely on finite human intellect.