Ecclesiastes 3:13
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
In the ancient world, many labored without enjoying their work's fruits—slaves built monuments for masters, peasants farmed lands owned by landlords, conquered peoples paid tribute to foreign powers. The ability to 'eat and drink' from your own labor was not universal but a covenant blessing (Deuteronomy 28:30-33 lists eating others' produce as a curse). For Israel, enjoying their labor's good fruits depended on covenant faithfulness and God's blessing. Post-exilic Jews, rebuilding under foreign domination (Persian, then Greek, then Roman), found encouragement here: even limited enjoyment of labor's fruits is God's gift, to be received gratefully rather than taken for granted.
Questions for Reflection
- When you enjoy a good meal, a completed project, or rest after labor, do you recognize these as gifts from God rather than merely earned rewards?
- How does viewing enjoyment as God's gift rather than your achievement change your response to both abundance and scarcity?
Analysis & Commentary
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God (וְגַם כָּל־הָאָדָם שֶׁיֹּאכַל וְשָׁתָה וְרָאָה טוֹב בְּכָל־עֲמָלוֹ מַתַּת אֱלֹהִים הִיא, v'gam kol-ha'adam sheyochal v'shatah v'ra'ah tov b'chol-amalo matat Elohim hi). This verse radically reframes labor's meaning. The ability to eat and drink—meet basic needs—and enjoy the good (רָאָה טוֹב, ra'ah tov, literally 'see good') of one's labor isn't human achievement but the gift of God (מַתַּת אֱלֹהִים, matat Elohim).
The Hebrew 'matat' (מַתַּת) emphasizes that enjoyment is a gift, not a right or earned reward. You can labor extensively yet be unable to enjoy its fruits—anxiety, illness, injustice, or death can rob you of satisfaction. Therefore, when you can enjoy your work's good fruits, recognize this as God's gracious gift. This transforms labor from a quest for ultimate meaning into grateful reception of daily grace. Paul later teaches that God 'giveth us richly all things to enjoy' (1 Timothy 6:17)—enjoyment is not guilty indulgence but grateful stewardship of God's gifts. This verse appears five times in Ecclesiastes (2:24; 3:13; 3:22; 5:18; 8:15), emphasizing its centrality.