Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

Fear God and Keep His Commandments

9 Besides being wise, 1the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging 2many proverbs with great care.
10 3The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11 4The words of the wise are like goads, and like 5nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are 6given by 7one Shepherd.
12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making 8many books there is no end, and 9much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. 10Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.[a]
14 For 11God will bring every deed into judgment, with[b] every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 12

This chapter begins with advice to young men, which is continued from the preceding; and particularly to remember their Creator in the days of their youth; enforced from the consideration of the troubles and inconveniences of old age, Ec 12:1; which, in an allegorical way, is beautifully described, Ec 12:2-6; and from the certainty of death, when it would be too late, Ec 12:7. And then the wise man returns to his first proposition, and which he kept in view all along, that all is vanity in youth or old age, Ec 12:8; and recommends the reading of this book, from the diligence, pains and labour, he used in composing it; from the sententious matter in it; from the agreeable, acceptable, and well chosen words, in which he had expressed it; and from the wisdom, uprightness, truth, efficacy, and authority of the doctrines of it, Ec 12:9-11; and from its preference to other books, which were wearisome both to author and reader, Ec 12:12. And it is concluded with the scope and design, the sum and substance of the whole of it, reducible to these two heads; the fear of God, and obedience to him, Ec 12:13; and which are urged from the consideration of a future judgment, into which all things shall be brought, Ec 12:14.

Cross References 11

  • 1. [See ver. 8 above]
  • 2. See Proverbs 1:1
  • 3. [See ver. 8 above]
  • 4. Proverbs 22:17
  • 5. Ezra 9:8; Isaiah 22:23
  • 6. Proverbs 1:6; Proverbs 2:6
  • 7. Psalms 80:1; Ezekiel 34:23; John 10:11, 16
  • 8. [1 Kings 4:32, 33]
  • 9. [Ecclesiastes 1:18]
  • 10. Ecclesiastes 5:7; Deuteronomy 6:2; Deuteronomy 10:12
  • 11. Ecclesiastes 11:9; Job 19:29; Matthew 12:36; Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16; Romans 14:10, 12; 1 Corinthians 4:5; [Ecclesiastes 3:15, 17; Genesis 18:25; Psalms 58:11]

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Or the duty of all mankind
  • [b]. Or into the judgment on
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.