Ecclesiastes 11

Ecclesiastes 11 is the eleventh of the twelve chapters of the Book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes 10 collects short proverbs contrasting wisdom and folly. Chapter 11 builds on the fact that human beings cannot know the future and offers counsel on how, then, one ought to live. This counsel leads into the opening of Ecclesiastes 12: "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth."

Outline

• Verses 1–2 The reader is urged to cast bread upon the waters (the older Korean Revised Version reads "food," the New Korean Revised Version "bread") and to give a portion to seven, and also to eight, because no one knows what evil may come upon the earth.
• Verses 3–5 Some things, like clouds full of rain or a fallen tree, cannot be changed by human effort. Whoever watches only the wind and the clouds will neither sow nor reap. Just as no one knows the way of the wind or how the bones grow in the womb of a pregnant woman, so no one knows the works of God.
• Verse 6 Therefore one should sow seed both in the morning and in the evening, for no one knows which will prosper.
• Verses 7–8 The chapter speaks of the sweetness of light and the pleasure of seeing the sun. One who lives many years should rejoice in them all, yet remember that the days of darkness will be many.
• Verses 9–10 The young man is told to rejoice in his youth and to walk in the ways of his heart and in the sight of his eyes, with the added warning that God will bring him into judgment for all these things. He is told to remove sorrow and put away evil, for childhood and youth are vanity.

Key Verses

• Ecclesiastes 11:1 "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." This is an exhortation to give even when the outcome cannot be guaranteed. The verse is widely cited in connection with almsgiving and sharing.
• Ecclesiastes 11:6 "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand." This sums up the attitude appropriate to people who cannot fully know the work of God.
• Ecclesiastes 11:9 "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; … but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." This verse displays a characteristic feature of Ecclesiastes: it speaks of life's joy and of accountability together (see Ecclesiastes 11:9–10).

People and Places

No person or place is named in the text. The speaker is the "Preacher" who has been speaking since chapter 1 (Hebrew Qoheleth, meaning one who speaks before an assembly). Jewish and Christian tradition has identified him with Solomon, though some scholars hold that the book was written at a later date. In verse 9 the speaker addresses a "young man" directly.

Points for Reflection

• Verses 1–2: Two interpretations have been handed down. One reads the passage as almsgiving that expects no return; the other reads it as practical advice to invest in overseas trade and to spread one's risk. Those who read it as almsgiving pair it with Proverbs 11:24–25 and 2 Corinthians 9:6–8.
• Verse 5: The Hebrew word ruach means both "wind" and "spirit" (or "breath of life"). Some translations therefore render the verse as "how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb." The statement that the way of the wind cannot be known is often read alongside John 3:8.
• Verse 6: The exhortation to keep sowing without knowing the outcome is often meditated on together with Galatians 6:8–10: "And let us not be weary in well doing."
• Verse 9: Because the encouragement to rejoice stands side by side with a warning of judgment, interpreters differ. Some take it as irony aimed at a life of pleasure-seeking; others take it as a sincere exhortation to enjoy the joy God gives while bearing responsibility for it. The reference to judgment leads to the book's conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:13–14.
• Verse 10: The Hebrew word hevel, translated "vanity," originally refers to a breath or vapor. For this reason some read it as "fleeting" or "quickly passing" rather than "meaningless."

In the Korean Church

Verses 1–2 are frequently used as sermon texts on almsgiving or missions. Verses 9–10, together with 12:1, are commonly cited in young adult ministry worship services and retreat sermons to speak of the joy and responsibility of youth.