Ecclesiastes 4:5
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Original Language Analysis
הַכְּסִיל֙
The fool
H3684
הַכְּסִיל֙
The fool
Strong's:
H3684
Word #:
1 of 7
properly, fat, i.e., (figuratively) stupid or silly
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
3 of 7
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
יָדָ֔יו
his hands
H3027
יָדָ֔יו
his hands
Strong's:
H3027
Word #:
4 of 7
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
Cross References
Isaiah 9:20And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:Job 13:14Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?Proverbs 20:4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.Proverbs 13:4The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
Historical Context
Agricultural societies required consistent labor for survival—planting, tending, harvesting demanded diligent work. The lazy person who 'folded his hands' during planting season would literally starve during winter, 'eating his own flesh' as resources depleted. Ancient wisdom literature universally condemned laziness (Egyptian Instruction of Amenemope; Mesopotamian wisdom). Israel's agrarian economy provided no safety net for voluntary idleness—Torah mandated provision for genuinely unable (widows, orphans, disabled) but not the willfully lazy. The New Testament church confronted idle busybodies who refused work while expecting communal support (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12).
Questions for Reflection
- In what areas might you be 'folding your hands'—avoiding necessary work and thereby consuming your own resources and future?
- How does this verse challenge contemporary attitudes that romanticize leisure while denigrating productive work?
Analysis & Commentary
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh—after diagnosing envy-driven achievement (4:4), the Preacher addresses the opposite extreme. The Hebrew kesil (כְּסִיל, fool) designates moral and practical stupidity, not mere intellectual limitation. Chovek et-yadav (חֹבֵק אֶת־יָדָיו, folds his hands) depicts lazy inactivity—arms crossed in idle refusal to work. The result: okhel et-besaro (אֹכֵל אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ, eats his own flesh)—self-destruction through sloth.
This vivid metaphor portrays laziness as self-cannibalism: refusing productive work, the fool consumes his own resources and substance until nothing remains. Proverbs repeatedly condemns sloth (6:6-11; 24:30-34). Between envy-driven overwork (4:4) and lazy self-destruction (4:5), verse 6 will offer the balanced alternative: peaceful sufficiency. Paul commanded, 'If any would not work, neither should he eat' (2 Thessalonians 3:10), condemning parasitic idleness.