Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. The rhetorical questions expose futility of pursuing what cannot satisfy. "Spend money" (tishqelu-kesef, תִשְׁקְלוּ־כֶסֶף, literally "weigh out silver") and "labour" (yegi'akhem, יְגִיעֲכֶם) represent human effort and resources. "Not bread" (belo-lechem, בְּלוֹא־לֶחֶם) and "satisfieth not" (velo lesobah, וְלֹא לְשָׂבְעָה) indicate these pursuits provide no real nourishment or fulfillment.
The alternative: "hearken diligently" (literally "hearing, hear"—emphatic construction), "eat that which is good," "delight...in fatness." Deshen (דֶּשֶׁן, fatness) suggests rich, satisfying food—the best provisions. The soul's delight indicates not mere physical satisfaction but spiritual joy. The contrast sets worthless pursuits against valuable ones, futile labor against satisfying grace.
From a Reformed perspective, this addresses idolatry—pursuing created things expecting satisfaction only God provides. Augustine's famous prayer echoes this: "Thou hast made us for thyself, and our heart is restless until it finds rest in thee." Ecclesiastes demonstrates that wealth, pleasure, achievement—all prove "vanity" apart from God. This verse calls for repentance from idolatrous pursuits and turning to God's satisfying provision in Christ.
Historical Context
Ancient laborers often spent wages on insufficient or poor-quality food. The futility of labor without satisfaction was common experience, especially during economic hardship or oppression. Israel's exile involved forced labor benefiting Babylon, not themselves—literal example of laboring for what doesn't satisfy.
Ecclesiastes (written by Solomon) explores this theme extensively—pursuing wealth, pleasure, wisdom apart from God proves futile. Jesus addresses this in Sermon on the Mount: "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat" (Matthew 6:25-34). Paul warns against pursuing "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16). Church history shows saints abandoning worldly pursuits (Antony, Francis, Bunyan) for spiritual riches, testifying to this verse's wisdom.
Questions for Reflection
What 'not bread' are you pursuing that cannot ultimately satisfy?
Where do you labor for what doesn't satisfy rather than receiving God's free provision?
How can you cultivate soul-delight in God's 'fatness' rather than worldly substitutes?
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Analysis & Commentary
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. The rhetorical questions expose futility of pursuing what cannot satisfy. "Spend money" (tishqelu-kesef, תִשְׁקְלוּ־כֶסֶף, literally "weigh out silver") and "labour" (yegi'akhem, יְגִיעֲכֶם) represent human effort and resources. "Not bread" (belo-lechem, בְּלוֹא־לֶחֶם) and "satisfieth not" (velo lesobah, וְלֹא לְשָׂבְעָה) indicate these pursuits provide no real nourishment or fulfillment.
The alternative: "hearken diligently" (literally "hearing, hear"—emphatic construction), "eat that which is good," "delight...in fatness." Deshen (דֶּשֶׁן, fatness) suggests rich, satisfying food—the best provisions. The soul's delight indicates not mere physical satisfaction but spiritual joy. The contrast sets worthless pursuits against valuable ones, futile labor against satisfying grace.
From a Reformed perspective, this addresses idolatry—pursuing created things expecting satisfaction only God provides. Augustine's famous prayer echoes this: "Thou hast made us for thyself, and our heart is restless until it finds rest in thee." Ecclesiastes demonstrates that wealth, pleasure, achievement—all prove "vanity" apart from God. This verse calls for repentance from idolatrous pursuits and turning to God's satisfying provision in Christ.