Ecclesiastes 7:28

Authorized King James Version

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Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

Original Language Analysis

אֲשֶׁ֛ר H834
אֲשֶׁ֛ר
Strong's: H834
Word #: 1 of 15
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
עוֹד H5750
עוֹד
Strong's: H5750
Word #: 2 of 15
properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more
בִּקְשָׁ֥ה seeketh H1245
בִּקְשָׁ֥ה seeketh
Strong's: H1245
Word #: 3 of 15
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
נַפְשִׁ֖י Which yet my soul H5315
נַפְשִׁ֖י Which yet my soul
Strong's: H5315
Word #: 4 of 15
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
וְלֹ֣א H3808
וְלֹ֣א
Strong's: H3808
Word #: 5 of 15
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
מָצָֽאתִי׃ among all those have I not found H4672
מָצָֽאתִי׃ among all those have I not found
Strong's: H4672
Word #: 6 of 15
properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
אָדָ֞ם man H120
אָדָ֞ם man
Strong's: H120
Word #: 7 of 15
ruddy i.e., a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
אֶחָ֤ד not one H259
אֶחָ֤ד not one
Strong's: H259
Word #: 8 of 15
properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first
מֵאֶ֙לֶף֙ among a thousand H505
מֵאֶ֙לֶף֙ among a thousand
Strong's: H505
Word #: 9 of 15
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
מָצָֽאתִי׃ among all those have I not found H4672
מָצָֽאתִי׃ among all those have I not found
Strong's: H4672
Word #: 10 of 15
properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
וְאִשָּׁ֥ה but a woman H802
וְאִשָּׁ֥ה but a woman
Strong's: H802
Word #: 11 of 15
a woman
בְכָל H3605
בְכָל
Strong's: H3605
Word #: 12 of 15
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֵ֖לֶּה H428
אֵ֖לֶּה
Strong's: H428
Word #: 13 of 15
these or those
לֹ֥א H3808
לֹ֥א
Strong's: H3808
Word #: 14 of 15
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
מָצָֽאתִי׃ among all those have I not found H4672
מָצָֽאתִי׃ among all those have I not found
Strong's: H4672
Word #: 15 of 15
properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present

Analysis & Commentary

Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not (אֲשֶׁר עוֹד בִּקְשָׁה נַפְשִׁי וְלֹא מָצָאתִי, asher od biqshah nafshi velo matsati)—'which still my soul seeks, but I have not found.' One man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found (אָדָם אֶחָד מֵאֶלֶף מָצָאתִי וְאִשָּׁה בְכָל־אֵלֶּה לֹא מָצָאתִי, adam echad me'elef matsati ve'ishah vekhol-eleh lo matsati)—one man in a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.

This is Scripture's most controversial gender statement, requiring interpretive care. What is Qoheleth seeking? Context (v. 25-29) suggests moral integrity or true wisdom. His finding: among a thousand people examined, he found one man meeting the standard, but no women. Several interpretations exist:

  1. Solomon's specific historical context with 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3)—none were righteous influences
  2. a patriarchal context where women had less access to education/wisdom roles
  3. hyperbole expressing rarity of true wisdom generally.

Verse 29 provides the interpretive key: 'God made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions'—the problem is universal human sinfulness, not gender-specific failing. The numbers may be proverbial for extreme rarity (like 'one in a million'), not literal statistics.

Historical Context

Solomon's harem of foreign women explicitly led him into idolatry (1 Kings 11:4-8), providing specific historical context for finding no righteous woman among his thousand-plus wives and concubines. His experience was exceptional, not normative.

Questions for Reflection