Ecclesiastes 5:14

Authorized King James Version

But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וְאָבַ֛ד
H6
perish
properly, to wander away, i.e., lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)
#2
הָעֹ֥שֶׁר
But those riches
wealth
#3
הַה֖וּא
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
#4
בְּעִנְיַ֣ן
travail
ado, i.e., (generally) employment or (specifically) an affair
#5
רָ֑ע
by evil
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
#6
וְהוֹלִ֣יד
and he begetteth
to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
#7
בֵּ֔ן
a son
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
#8
וְאֵ֥ין
a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle
#9
בְּיָד֖וֹ
in his hand
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
#10
מְאֽוּמָה׃
and there is nothing
properly, a speck or point, i.e., (by implication) something; with negative, nothing

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of the literary conventions and historical circumstances of biblical literature shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of salvation within the theological tradition of Ecclesiastes Understanding the ancient worldview that shaped the author's theological expression helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes divine revelation in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection

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