Ecclesiastes 11 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Ecclesiastes 11

Cast Your Bread upon the Waters

11:1   Cast your bread upon the waters,
    for you will find it after many days.
2   Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,
    for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
3   If the clouds are full of rain,
    they empty themselves on the earth,
  and if a tree falls to the south or to the north,
    in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
4   He who observes the wind will not sow,
    and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb¹ of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.²

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain³ from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Footnotes

[1] 11:5 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Targum; most Hebrew manuscripts As you do not know the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb
[2] 11:8 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verse 10 (see note on 1:2)
[3] 11:10 Or evil

Commentary

v1-8: Lessons in service and evangelism.

v1: Farmers on the Nile river sowed seed in bread during the annual flood, so the seed had started to germinate by the time the floods receded. Although there is difficulty and opposition, we must use wisdom and ingenuity in our service. The fruit may not come immediately, but "after many days." We are to preach in season and out of season (2 Tim 4.2).

v2: An attitude of generosity, be a giver, sow generously not sparingly. 'That which you have given away returns (Kaonde Proverb, Zambia).'

v3: The rain speaks of bringing blessing to others, even at the cost of emptying ourselves, or laying down our lives; this speaks too of Christ's humility, 2 Cor 8.9; Phil 2.6-8.

The tree speaks of the limited time we have; once the tree is down, it will not be moved, but has to be cut up where it lays. 'Only one life, will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.' Also, we find that certain decisions in our lives will have long-term consequences; choice of training, career, home, partner, etc. We must be careful that we make our decisions wisely.

The certainty of death must fire us to faithful service for Christ. We have no second chance.

v4: Coping with difficulty and hardship; the danger is idleness and fear of man; we see complacency instead of commitment. Not only will we not sow, but we will not reap; the farmer would starve, not immediately but later, if he didn't sow due to the hard times; see also 10.18. The Ethiopian Proverb says; 'The dog I bought bit me; the fire I kindled burned me.'

v5: God's work is not always apparent immediately, John 3.8, spiritual growth is invisible, but God does give the increase. Trust the one who knows the unknown.

v6: Our part is liberal, faithful sowing, for God has already promised to be faithful; there is a reward in the lives of others.

v7-8: Use our time profitably, for there will be days of darkness, but we must remain faithful.

v9-10: The encouragement to 'follow your heart' is often heard in our western culture, as a form of self-authentication. Yet the heart is not infallible. The BIble goes further and says that the human heart is deceitful. No wonder the writer says that God will judge.

The opportunity in younger years to draw near to God, to put away evil. Lay the foundation of a life of godliness. This theme continues into chapter 12.