Ecclesiastes 9:7 kjv
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
Ecclesiastes 9:7 nkjv
Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.
Ecclesiastes 9:7 niv
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.
Ecclesiastes 9:7 esv
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
Ecclesiastes 9:7 nlt
So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!
Ecclesiastes 9 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ecc 2:24 | There is nothing better for a person than to eat and drink and find enjoyment in their toil... | Enjoyment of labor is God's gift. |
| Ecc 3:12-13 | I know that there is nothing better for people than to be joyful and to do good... to eat and drink and find enjoyment... | Joy and good deeds are God's provision. |
| Ecc 5:18-20 | This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink, and to find enjoyment in all their toil... God gives them the joy. | Enjoyment in labor is from God. |
| Ecc 8:15 | So I commend enjoyment, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat, drink, and be glad. | Enjoyment is the best under the sun. |
| Deut 14:26 | And spend the money... for anything you desire—oxen, sheep, wine, strong drink, or anything you crave. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice... | God permits enjoyment of provision. |
| Ps 104:14-15 | He causes the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to cultivate, that they may bring forth food from the earth— wine that makes the human heart glad, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. | God provides food/wine for joy. |
| Joel 2:26 | You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the Name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. | Fullness and praise after God's favor. |
| Neh 8:10 | Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready...” | Enjoy and share God's provision. |
| 1 Tim 4:4-5 | For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving... consecrated by the word of God and prayer. | All creation is good, receive with thanks. |
| 1 Tim 6:17 | Instruct those who are rich... not to be arrogant... but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. | God richly provides for enjoyment. |
| Col 3:17 | Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. | Actions, including eating/drinking, for God's glory. |
| 1 Cor 10:31 | So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. | Glorify God in eating and drinking. |
| Acts 2:46 | And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts... | Early church enjoyed fellowship and food with joy. |
| Phil 4:11-12 | I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances... I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation... | Learning contentment in all circumstances. |
| Rom 14:17 | For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit... | Kingdom joy transcends physical acts alone. |
| Ps 34:8 | Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. | Experience God's goodness personally. |
| Ps 16:11 | You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy... | Joy found in God's presence. |
| Prov 17:22 | A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. | Cheerfulness has physical benefits. |
| John 16:24 | Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. | Full joy comes through prayer and reception from God. |
| James 1:17 | Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. | All good gifts, including sustenance, from God. |
| Isa 65:13 | For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty..." | Contrast of provision for God's servants vs. unrighteous. |
| Matt 6:31-33 | So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’... your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. | Don't worry about provision; seek God's kingdom. |
| Heb 13:5 | Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” | Contentment with what is provided. |
Ecclesiastes 9 verses
Ecclesiastes 9 7 Meaning
Ecclesiastes 9:7 instructs the reader to embrace the simple joys of life—eating and drinking—with gladness, for these very actions, when done in grateful acknowledgement of God, are seen as acceptable and pleasing to Him. It's a counsel to enjoy God's good gifts in the present moment, recognizing divine providence and finding purpose within the often-perplexing realities of life under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 9 7 Context
Ecclesiastes 9:7 is situated within Qoheleth's broader discourse on the nature of life "under the sun"—a life marked by uncertainty, common fate, and the inevitable reality of death for all, wise or foolish, righteous or wicked (Ecc 9:1-6). Having established the vanity and futility of many human pursuits, and acknowledging that humans cannot know God's ultimate plan or what the future holds (Ecc 9:1), Qoheleth repeatedly offers a pragmatic and theological counsel: to embrace and enjoy the simple, present blessings that God provides. This verse is one of several such injunctions throughout the book, urging contentment and grateful pleasure in the gifts of everyday existence as a response to the paradox of a life lived by finite beings within an uncertain, yet divinely governed, world. It follows a reflection on the shared fate of the righteous and wicked, emphasizing that life is fleeting, and enjoyment should be seized while one has the opportunity before descending into silence and oblivion.
Ecclesiastes 9 7 Word analysis
- Go (לֵךְ - lekh): An imperative verb, commanding action. It implies an intentional, active engagement with life rather than passive waiting. It is a direct exhortation to the reader.
- Eat (אֱכֹל - ’ěḵōl) your bread (לַחְמְךָ - laḥmĕḵā): "Bread" (לחם - lechem) here is a synecdoche, representing all basic sustenance and daily provisions. It signifies partaking in the necessary, simple, and ordinary aspects of life. "Eat your bread" is a command to engage in the fundamental act of survival and enjoyment of provision.
- with joy (בְּשִׂמְחָה - bĕśimḥāh): "Joy" (שִׂמְחָה - simchah) denotes a deep, inward gladness and cheerfulness, often associated with feasting, celebration, and spiritual rejoicing. It implies a mindset of gratitude and pleasure, not merely a physical act of consumption.
- and drink (וּשְׁתֵה - ūšĕṯēh) your wine (יֵינְךָ - yêḵnâ): "Wine" (יין - yayin) is associated with celebration, enjoyment, and hospitality throughout the Bible. While there are warnings against excess, wine also represents a blessing and source of merriment from God. This phrase encourages experiencing life's more delightful, though not essential, gifts.
- with a merry (שָׂמֵחַ - śāmēaḥ) heart (לֵבָב - lēvāḇ): "Merry heart" (לב שמח - lev sameach) describes the inner disposition and emotional state. It's about an inner cheerfulness and lightness of being, connected to one's core emotions and spiritual attitude, distinguishing it from fleeting pleasure.
- for God (כִּי־הָאֱלֹהִים - kî-hā’ĕlōhîm): Introduces the reason for the exhortation. "Elohim" (אלהים) refers to God as the Creator, the sovereign power over all creation and human destiny. It anchors the command in a theological reality.
- has already approved (רָצָה - rāṣâ): "Approved" (רצה - ratsah) means to be pleased with, to accept, to delight in, or to have compassion on. It suggests God's prior and present gracious disposition. This isn't mere permission but active divine favor or delight. It implies that these actions of enjoying life's simple gifts are aligned with God's design and will for humanity. It indicates that genuine enjoyment of these things, within the bounds of God's wisdom, is an act that honors Him.
- what you do (מַעֲשֶׂיךָ - ma‘ăśêḵā): "What you do" (מעשה - ma'aseh) refers to one's actions, works, or deeds. Here, it encompasses the entirety of daily life, labor, and the acts of living and receiving God's provisions. God's approval extends not just to the act of eating/drinking but to a life lived in cheerful, grateful participation in His world.
- "Go, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart": This grouping forms a double injunction to engage cheerfully in basic life sustenance and pleasures. The parallelism reinforces the call for inner gladness to accompany outward acts of living and consuming. It contrasts sharply with anxiety or endless striving.
- "for God has already approved what you do": This phrase provides the profound theological grounding for the preceding commands. It elevates simple, grateful living from mere indulgence to divinely sanctioned conduct. It is a powerful affirmation that a life lived in humble appreciation of God's gifts, despite earthly uncertainties, finds favor with Him. The past perfect tense "has already approved" (or accepted) suggests a settled divine disposition, an eternal purpose already woven into creation itself.
Ecclesiastes 9 7 Bonus section
This verse reflects a balanced wisdom literature perspective. It avoids both stoic detachment and epicurean abandon. Instead, it advocates a "theological carpe diem"—seize the day, but do so with an awareness of God's sovereignty and pleasure. It acknowledges the gifts of life are from God's hand, therefore, to enjoy them is to honor the Giver. The "approval" is critical, indicating divine intent rather than human-invented permission. It counters the futility seen elsewhere in Ecclesiastes by showing that some activities, those tied to simple, God-given joys, are not meaningless, but rather are endorsed by the Creator.
Ecclesiastes 9 7 Commentary
Ecclesiastes 9:7 delivers one of Qoheleth's recurring yet vital exhortations: to embrace and enjoy the present life, especially its simple provisions. It's not a license for reckless hedonism but an invitation to find joy in God's daily gifts—food, drink, and human existence itself—because God Himself approves of such a cheerful and grateful disposition. In a world full of 'hebel' (vanity/meaninglessness) and where death looms for all, the Preacher advises finding contentment and pleasure in the here and now, for this simple enjoyment, lived thankfully, is seen as part of God's will and purpose for humanity. This perspective transforms ordinary acts of eating and drinking into a form of divinely blessed living, a grateful acknowledgment of life's goodness despite its underlying mysteries and ultimate brevity.For instance, enjoying a meal with family or friends, appreciating the taste and fellowship, rather than constantly striving for future riches or fretting over past mistakes, embodies this counsel. Or savoring a glass of water on a hot day, giving thanks for simple provision, becomes a fulfillment of this verse.