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Wednesday 7/08/26
Thru the Bible: The final answer to the ultimate question…
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The final answer to the ultimate question…
Ecclesiastes 12
Last week we ended with an encouragement and warning from Solomon, which applies to all, but was specifically targeted towards young people.
Chapter 11:9 quite literally serves as THE pivot point of the entire book of Ecclesiastes!
As I said last week, up until this point, Solomon has presented to us a book filled with subjective views of what benefits mankind and what doesn’t. What externally seems fair while we live out our physical lives and what does not. What collectively is foolish, fleeting and without value as compared with what possesses real and lasting value.
What Solomon is now encouraging is joy with caution. A living of our lives “under the sun” with a view to the eternal consequences of the choices we make.
Solomon often instructs us to busy ourselves with work which is both best suited to our skills and which brings satisfaction and delight. Then to take the proceeds of our labors and eat and drink, so as to enjoy the short times of joy afforded us in this life.
He presents this as God’s gift to us.
Now Solomon continues with this encouragement, especially when we are young and have the strength and vigor to make the most of it. BUT, he cautions us to do whatever we do, with a view to the fact that our actions are before the eyes of God before Whom we will have to offer an account.
Interestingly here, Solomon draws the heist attention not to our actions alone, but also to the motive behind them. God sees all and will try all.
This is the introduction to the book’s conclusion which drives our attention towards motives and actions which will best hold up under the scrutinizing gaze of our Creator.
Let’s read Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 and then continue seamlessly into the beginning of chapter 12 to see where Solomon was heading.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-14,“(9) Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes, but know that God will judge your motives and actions. (10) Banish emotional stress from your mind. and put away pain from your body; for youth and the prime of life are fleeting.”
This reflects back to God’s judging not only our actions but our motives!“(1) So remember your Creator in the days of your youth – before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;”
Now Solomon launches into a bit of a torrent of “end of life” metaphors but I do not want you to forget for a second that these are all offered as warning statements to those who are young and have just begun life’s journey.
“(2) before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds disappear after the rain;”
This is another interesting translation issue which to be honest, I’m not clear on why it is an issue in the first place.
Let me explain…
Some of your translations will say that the clouds “disappear” or “do not return” after the rain. Others say that they “return” right after the rain.
This phrasing comes from the Hebrew verb shub (שׁוּב), which most straightforwardly translates as “to return” or “come back.”
However, the justification for translating this word as “disappear/do not return” is because this Hebrew verb shub (שׁוּב) can sometimes act as an idiomatic reversal in biblical poetry so that in fact the opposite meaning is the one intended.
This is seen in English due to other grammatical and linguistic purposes, but the results are the same.
For Example:
In English we sometimes use verbs of motion that change meaning entirely based on a preposition, or words that naturally contain opposite movements.
- “The alarm went off” – By this we most commonly do not mean that the alarm TURNED off, but that it began to sound. This is the most common understanding of this statement, even though when taken literally, it would mean that the alarm STOPPED sounding.
- “The meeting wound up” – In this case the word “up” means the meeting was coming to a close, even though the thought of “winding” anything up in most contexts means quite the opposite.
I like to offer these types of examples, not only for our understanding, but also for that of naysayers. Many adopt the rather juvenile means of dismissing scripture out of hand, due to things like this. People claim that translators are just making a verse say what they want it to, but I would submit to you that such things are rare indeed. Translation committees are deliberately set up to include people from a diversity of theological views to keep bias from creeping into the text.
Beyond this, before an English Bible translation can even begin, scholars must reconstruct the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts from thousands of ancient manuscript fragments. The committees that oversee these definitive “source texts”—such as the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece or the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft’s Biblia Hebraica—are strictly academic. Because the focus is purely on textual criticism (detecting scribal errors, analyzing ink and parchment, and linguistic dating), these committees prioritize the world’s elite philologists and textual critics, regardless of their personal religious faith.
Once this is done translation committees are assembled. This is done in several ways and I would encourage ANYONE who is genuinely interested or has concerns to research the topic. I believe they will walk away MORE than satisfied. But I will quickly introduce two differing approaches as examples;
The most common is to assemble committees with broad denominational diversity (e.g., Baptist, Presbyterian, Anglican). While it is most typical for these to require the members to share a specific, orthodox statement of faith – this is done to AVOID bias and unnecessary stalemates.
The other is less common, but does happen. There are critical text committees composed of a broad mix of religious and entirely non-religious linguistic experts. The explicit mandate is to translate the texts as historical, ancient literature rather than to conform to the theological or dogmatic preferences of any specific denomination.
The end Question is this –
When one looks at the translations produced by all of these methods, do the end results reflect more general agreement than disagreement across translations?
Answer: Yes, overwhelmingly so!
When scholars look across the entire landscape of English Bible translations—regardless of whether they were produced by strict evangelical committees (ESV), ecumenical teams (NRSV), linguistic stylists (CEV), or secular literary academics (Robert Alter)—the end results reflect VAST GENERAL AGREEMENT.
The overwhelming majority of the variations people notice are stylistic, semantic, or grammatical, rather than core disagreements about what the underlying ancient text actually says and that is outstanding!
Now that was a lot to say in order to address this little issue here in Ecclesiastes 12:2, but I thought it necessary.
After all the committees for source texts, translation committees and review boards have completed their arduous work, we still run into simple linguistic issues like this and what ultimately helps us here is CONTEXT. As I have told you from day one in our journey ‘Thru the Bible’ – context is KING!
So what is the context of Ecclesiastes 12? This is the summary of all that has gone before. It is composed as an extended poetic allegory for the aging process. This imagery describes in progressive terms the “winter years” of life. As such, the poetic use of weather as an allegory starts off with “the sun and the light of the moon and the stars grow dark” so it does not take a genius or a theological scholar to know that the follow up statement will not be one of sunny skies and birds singing.
So which translation best fits what Solomon is saying throughout this chapter? That’s easy – “the clouds RETURN soon after the rain.” This is a statement which says that when the “difficult days” begin to come, it will seem like one tragedy and one delivery of bad news will come quickly upon the heels of the last. And isn’t that the honest experience of most people as they age. Friends begin to die off, expertise in a field is replaced by new advancements, new technologies begin to concrete you in the past, your health and vigor begin to decline and you can sense an increasing view of your irrelevance in the overall culture. In short, “the clouds return quickly after the rain”! – Welcome to the “difficult days”!
Let’s move on!
“(3) when those who keep watch over the house begin to tremble,”
When through increased weakness, the elderly find it harder to feel safe. When due to advancing age their sense of courage and confidence in their ability to defend what is theirs has grown weak. And their bodies begin to tremble from that weakness or from the fear evoked from mindfulness over their vulnerability. I suppose this does not exclude the idea of anger over their increasing inabilities as well, though I don’t think that thought is inherent in the context.
There are several possible interpretations of this, but only one seems to fit the points being made.“and the virile men begin to stoop over,”
The idea “could” mean, when stronger men begin to loom over all that is yours offering a sense of insecurity and knowing that if they pressed their advantage, you would be helpless. This “could” also include the wife or daughter of an older man implying sexual vulnerability in relation to the ability to protect one’s wife or daughter from stronger, younger virile men.
This sprang to mind only due to the fact that these two words are used in immediate proximity to each other as a sexual reference in Job 31:10.
In that place the words “bend over” and “grinding” are used metaphorically to represent the idea of another man taking a man’s wife sexually.
Job 31:9-12,
“(9) If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door, (10) Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her. (11) For that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment. (12) For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase.”
So you can readily see that the idea of grinding and stooping are used in a sexual context here in Job and that it is highlighted as a grievous sense of loss. So in that way it would definitely fit the POINT Solomon is making which is one of vulnerability, fear and anxiety associated with age and a personal lack of defensive strength. However, nothing else in the text implies anything sexual and so it is in keeping with the best practices of textual analysis to assume the literary connection is imagined and not real in this case.
I only mention it because the idea of it immediately popped off the page for me due to the wording in Job and so I figured I may not be the only one, so I thought I’d address it.
One of the first objections I had to this is the tenses. When the passage mentions grinders it does so in the plural. If it had appeared in the singular it could imply sexual deviance in the wife due to growing impotency in her husband. But the plural lays that to one side.
The other issue is that in Hebrew poetry, when a writer wants to imply a sexual subtext, they almost always use a cluster of overlapping terms to make the double entendre clear and in this case that is missing.
Finally, the subject of the verse would require a shift from the vulnerable elderly person to a young virile person. This is too large of a literary leap to be consistent with the text. The development of Solomon’s point in verses 2-5 is entirely dependent upon the focus remaining upon the aging person. So to shift the main protagonist away from the aging person to a villain with no transitional language is not consistent with the flow of Hebrew poetry or any historical writing of Solomon.
So what DOES this mean?
Well, the most obvious front her beginning was that the “virile man” would be the elderly man in his youth, who has now begun to stoop or bend over – like one who must use a cane to walk about. The reason why I didn’t immediately gravitate towards that conclusion is because the word “virile” carries the additional idea of wealth, influence and even military strength. But in this case, it is best practice to assume it is only a poetic description of the waning strength of the aged.
“and the grinders begin to cease because they grow few,”
Here is the “grinding” phrase I mentioned earlier. With the removal of the possibility of a sexual subtext this has to be broadening the landscape of the metaphor to include those in the life of the aged growing fewer. It is a possible double entendre in that literal “grinders” are those who mill grain under the grinding wheel or mill stone, but can also be used in a figurative sense for molar teeth. I’m not sure why this made me laugh since it really isn’t funny, but sometimes things are funny in a mental concept which are anything but funny in reality.
“and those who look through the windows grow dim,”
The words “grow dim” are used in other places in scripture to depict failing eyesight in the elderly and while it may mean that here, I believe the main force is more regarding interest in outside life. I believe that because eye-sight was the very first thing Solomon mentioned in verse 2 so to mention it again, seems like a waste of a metaphor. But, this like above is most likely a double entendre in that growing dim clearly includes eye-sight, but is more pointed towards dimming interest in external affairs.
To see if my thoughts here are naturally supported by the text itself I submitted it to an AI overview of the text and this is what it said:
“The phrase “those who look through the windows grow dim” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) uses a highly specific cultural image. In the ancient Near East, women or servants would look out of the latticed windows of a house to engage with the public life of the village, watch festivals, or see who was passing by.
Therefore, when the “lookers” grow dim or fewer, it carries a heavy double meaning:
- The Biological Layer: The physical eyes are failing.
- The Social/Psychological Layer: The aging person is withdrawing from society. The windows are no longer a portal of curiosity, connection, or engagement with the community. Because of physical frailty, fear of the streets (Ecclesiastes 12:5), and diminishing physical senses, the old person retreats further inward into isolation. The outside world ceases to matter to them.
- The Climax of Disinterest: Your idea of “waning interest” is explicitly confirmed just two verses later in Ecclesiastes 12:5, which summarizes this exact psychological state: “and desire no longer is stirred”. The Hebrew word for desire here (’ăḇiyyônāh) refers to appetite, passion, and the drive to experience life.”
“(4) and the doors along the street are shut;”
This is, for me, a difficult metaphor. The doors are said to represent the hearing which would flow in the developing context, but the verbal imagery of “along the street” is lost on me. However, other translations render this as doors TO the street and this seems more in keeping with the direction and flow of Solomon’s point. So this is likely dual in nature as many of the preceding examples. Both the hearing is suffering in terms of acuteness but so is interest in what is being said.
The next phrase stays with the hearing metaphor but presents us with a conundrum which in some ways confirms our assessment. For while it hints at hearing which is getting worse, it also reveals how startled the aged can become over the simplest of noises.
“when the sound of the grinding mill grows low, and one is awakened by the sound of a bird, and all their songs grow faint, (5) and they are afraid of heights and the dangers in the street;”
The sound of the grinding mill may be a hint and familial loneliness. In Solomon’s day, the grinding mill was often attended by women working together. Obviously this would include an environment of much talking and even singing. In ancient cities, the daily sound of women grinding grain at the millstone was a sign of a bustling, vibrant household. So in contrast, a “low sound” would suggest a house that has grown quiet, unproductive, and empty over time.
It is suggested by Guzik that the sound of the birds stirring from sleep points to the light sleep of the elderly and the tendency to awake at dawn to the singing of birds. He also suggests that the sound of music represents a decreased interest in and appreciation of music, song and singing (though that has not been my experience with the elderly).
“Heights” here are probably a reference to becoming fragile where the smallest fall could break a bone and life becomes preoccupied with fear over safety than ability to abandon yourself to simple pleasures.
“the almond blossoms grow white, and the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry shrivels up – because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about in the streets – “
The almond blossom growing white is likely a reference to gray hair. The grasshopper dragging along pointing to decreased vigor and caper berries drying up to both a wrinkled appearance and a greatly diminished sexual appetite, since caper berries were a common aphrodisiac in Solomon’s day.
“(6) before the silver cord is removed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the well, or the water wheel is broken at the cistern – (7) and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God Who gave it.”
Verse 6 culminates in end of life imagery – so all interpretations must fit that paradigm.
It is interesting how all of the analogies regard water as the invigorating property of life. It makes me wonder of the deeper meanings associated with water throughout scripture, but particularly those referenced regarding natural birth and spiritual rebirth.
Jesus, when talking to Nicodemous said that a man must be born of both water and the Spirit to enter the Kingdom of God. Water, most likely representing the water breaking often associated with the birth of a child and of course the Spirit referring to the rejuvenation of the human spirit by the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah draws a connection between the spirit and water in Isaiah 44:3, where he prophecies,
“For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring”
These are all pitted against the dryness of dust to which we will return once our life “under the sun” has run its course.
Now, there are many suggested understandings of what the “silver cord” and “golden bowl” represent as metaphorical references, but they all point to the same idea and they both have to be in some way associated with water.
The interesting thing is how my inner self seemed to immediately make the connection that so many others have, even though I had no comprehension of the symbols used.
It is suggested that the “silver cord” represents that which tethers the spirit to the body and which is finally loosed at death and that the “golden bowl” represent human consciousness – though I do not believe it represents a lack of cognition, but a huge and eternal paradigm shift from the fleeting and temporal to the eternal.
The last two analogies being “the pitcher is shattered at the well, or the water wheel is broken at the cistern” both clearly water metaphors. That all the above examples are pointing to the same eventuality is clear since they are all “or” statements rather than a progressive statement where the images are connected by the word “then”.
All of these end in returning to the dust and the spirit returning to God Who gave it – which points back to Genesis where God made man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nose the breath of life.
“(7) and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God Who gave it.”
Now remember that all the above were “remember your creator in the days of your youth” statements – before the slow, inevitable march back to your Creator begins in earnest.
Solomon then repeats his often refrain throughout this book –
“(8) “Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher, “All of these things are futile! (9) Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught knowledge to the people; he carefully evaluated and arranged many proverbs. (10) The Teacher sought to find delightful words, and to write accurately truthful sayings. (11) The words of the sages are like prods, and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails; they are given by one shepherd.”
Here Solomon seamlessly mixes both carpentry and husbandry language together. Everything I am saying to you is like the goads used to guide sheep and are as fixed, sure and reliable as well driven nails are for constructing a house.
Therefore, his next words are “Be warned” which is an altogether better way to say “listen up”!
“(12) Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body.”
I think Solomon is saying that anyone who attempts to make more of life than what I have stated so far or which leads to a lesser conclusion than I am about to see before you is not worthy of your attention. You can study every book ever written and consult the sages, religious writings and proverbs of the world and though you will exhaust yourself, you will be none the wiser beyond what I am saying here!
“(13) Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. (14) For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
That this includes the motivations is clear from our opening verse, but it is also confirmed by two other passages.
Micah 6:3-8,
“(3) O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me. (4) For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. (5) O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the LORD.” (6) With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? (7) Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (8) He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”
Hebrews 4:11-13,
“(11) Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. (12) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (13) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
Blessings!
