Ecclesiastes 5:19
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Ecclesiastes 5:19
19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
Chapter Context
Ecclesiastes 5 is a philosophical reflection chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of truth, sacrifice, judgment. Written during likely Solomon's reign (c. 970-930 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Royal wisdom reflections paralleled other ancient Near Eastern philosophical works.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
This chapter is significant because it provides guidance for worship and spiritual devotion. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Ecclesiastes and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Ecclesiastes 5:19
19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
Analysis
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth (גַּם כָּל־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן־לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים עֹשֶׁר וּנְכָסִים, gam kol-ha'adam asher natan-lo ha'elohim osher unekhasim)—recognizing God as the source of material blessings, not personal achievement. And hath given him power to eat thereof (וְהִשְׁלִיטוֹ לֶאֱכֹל מִמֶּנּוּ, vehishlito le'ekhol mimmennu)—literally 'empowered him to eat from it,' acknowledging that enjoyment capacity itself is divinely granted. This is the gift of God (מַתַּת אֱלֹהִים הִיא, matat elohim hi)—the emphatic conclusion.
Verse 19 nuances verse 18: wealth isn't automatically evil, but only blessing when:
- recognized as God's gift, not personal achievement
- enjoyed rather than hoarded,
- received with contentment as one's chelqo (portion).
The phrase 'power to eat thereof' is crucial—wealth without the ability to enjoy it is the 'sore evil' of verses 13-17, but wealth received gratefully becomes matat elohim (God's gift). This anticipates James 1:17: 'Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.' The key difference isn't amount but attitude—stewardship versus ownership, gratitude versus entitlement.
Historical Context
This reflects Torah theology where God grants wealth as covenant blessing (Deuteronomy 8:18), yet warns against forgetting Him as the source (Deuteronomy 8:11-14). Solomon's own wealth was explicitly God-given (1 Kings 3:13), yet he failed to maintain proper perspective.
Reflection
- How does viewing wealth as God's gift rather than personal achievement change your relationship to possessions?
- In what ways might you possess 'riches' but lack the 'power to eat thereof'—the capacity for contentment?
- What would it look like to steward whatever wealth you have as 'gift of God' rather than personal achievement or entitlement?
Word Studies
- God: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) H430 - God (plural of majesty)
Cross-References
- References God: Ecclesiastes 3:13, 6:2, Deuteronomy 8:18
- Parallel theme: 1 Kings 3:13, 2 Chronicles 1:12