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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 9:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ec 9:5	Strong Concordance	For the living [02416] know [03045] that they shall die [04191]: but the dead [04191] know [03045] not any thing [03972], neither have they any more a reward [07939]; for the memory [02143] of them is forgotten [07911].
	King James	For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
know that they shall die--and may thereby be led "so to number their days, that they may apply their hearts to wisdom" (Ecc 7:1-4; Psa 90:12). dead know not anything--that is, so far as their bodily senses and worldly affairs are concerned (Job 14:21; Isa 63:16); also, they know no door of repentance open to them, such as is to all on earth. neither . . . reward--no advantage from their worldly labors (Ecc 2:18-22; Ecc 4:9). memory--not of the righteous (Psa 112:6; Mal 3:16), but the wicked, who with all the pains to perpetuate their names (Psa 49:11) are soon "forgotten" (Ecc 8:10).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

know that they shall die--and may thereby be led "so to number their days, that they may apply their hearts to wisdom" (Ecc 7:1-4; Psa 90:12).

dead know not anything--that is, so far as their bodily senses and worldly affairs are concerned (Job 14:21; Isa 63:16); also, they know no door of repentance open to them, such as is to all on earth.

neither . . . reward--no advantage from their worldly labors (Ecc 2:18-22; Ecc 4:9).

memory--not of the righteous (Psa 112:6; Mal 3:16), but the wicked, who with all the pains to perpetuate their names (Psa 49:11) are soon "forgotten" (Ecc 8:10).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
See Ecc 8:12, note; Ecc 8:14, note. The living are conscious that there is a future before them: but the dead are unconscious; they earn nothing, receive nothing, even the memory of them soon disappears; they are no longer excited by the passions which belong to people in this life; their share in its activity has ceased. Solomon here describes what he sees, not what he believes; there is no reference here to the fact or the mode of the existence of the soul in another world, which are matters of faith. The last clause of Ecc 9:6 indicates that the writer confines his observations on the dead to their portion in, or relation to, this world. Ecc 9:6 Now - Rather: "long ago."

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
He sarcastically verifies his comparison in favour of a living dog. "For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, and have no more a reward; for their memory is forgotten. Their love, as well as their hatred and their envy, has long ago perished, and they have part no more for ever in all that is done under the sun." The description of the condition of death begins sarcastically and then becomes elegiac. "They have no reward further," viz., in this upper world, since there it is only too soon forgotten that they once existed, and that they did anything worthy of being remembered; Koheleth might here indeed, with his view shrouded in dark clouds, even suppose that God also forgot them, Job 14:13. The suff. of אהב, etc., present themselves was subjective, and there is no reason, with Knobel and Ginsburg, to render them objectively: not merely the objects of their love, and hatred, and envy, are lost to them, but these their affections and strivings themselves have ceased (Rosenm., Hitzig, Zckl., and others), they lie (Kevar 'avadah) far behind them as absolutely gone; for the dead have no part more in the history which is unfolding itself amid the light of the upper world, and they can have no more any part therein, for the dead as not living are not only without knowledge, but also without feeling and desire. The representation of the state after death is here more comfortless than anywhere else. For elsewhere we read that those who have been living here spend in Sheol, i.e., in the deep (R. של, to be loose, to hang down, to go downwards) realm of the dead, as rephaim (Isa 14:9, etc.), lying beneath the upper world, far from the love and the praise of God (Psa 6:3; Psa 30:10), a prospectless (Job 7:7., Job 14:6-12; Job 18:11-13), dark, shadowy existence; the soul in Hades, though neither annihilated nor sleeping, finds itself in a state of death no less than does the body in the grave. But here the state of death is not even set forth over against the idea of the dissolution of life, the complete annihilation of individuality, much less that a retribution in eternity, i.e., a retribution executed, if not here, yet at some time, postulated elsewhere by the author, throws a ray of light into the night of death. The apocryphal book of the Wisdom of Solomon, which distinguishes between a state of blessedness and a state of misery measured out to men in the future following death, has in this surpassed the canonical Book of Koheleth. In vain do the Targ., Midrash, and the older Christian interpreters refer that which is said to the wicked dead; others regard Koheleth as introducing here the discourse of atheists (e.g., Oetinger), and interpret, under the influence of monstrous self-deception, Ecc 9:7 as the voice of the spirit (Hengst.) opposing the voice of the flesh. But that which Koheleth expresses here only in a particularly rugged way is the view of Hades predominating in the O.T. It is the consequence of viewing death from the side of its anger. Revelation intentionally permits this manner of viewing it to remain; but from premises which the revelation sets forth, the religious consciousness in the course of time draws always more decidedly the conclusion, that the man who is united to God will fully reach through death that which since the entrance of sin into the world cannot be reached without the loss of this present life, i.e., without death, viz., a more perfect life in fellowship with God. Yet the confusion of the O.T. representation of Hades remains; in the Book of Sirach it also still throws its deep shadows (17:22f.) into the contemplation of the future; for the first time the N.T. solution actually removes the confusion, and turns the scale in favour of the view of death on its side of light. In this history of the ideas of eternity moving forward amid many fluctuations to the N.T. goal, a significant place belongs to the Book of Koheleth; certainly the Christian interpreter ought not to have an interest in explaining away and concealing the imperfections of knowledge which made it impossible for the author spiritually to rise above his pessimism. He does not rise, in contrast to his pessimism, above an eudaemonism which is earthly, which, without knowing of a future life (not like the modern pessimism, without wishing to know of a future life), recommends a pleasant enjoyment of the present life, so far as that is morally allowable:

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

He sarcastically verifies his comparison in favour of a living dog. "For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, and have no more a reward; for their memory is forgotten. Their love, as well as their hatred and their envy, has long ago perished, and they have part no more for ever in all that is done under the sun." The description of the condition of death begins sarcastically and then becomes elegiac. "They have no reward further," viz., in this upper world, since there it is only too soon forgotten that they once existed, and that they did anything worthy of being remembered; Koheleth might here indeed, with his view shrouded in dark clouds, even suppose that God also forgot them, Job 14:13. The suff. of אהב, etc., present themselves was subjective, and there is no reason, with Knobel and Ginsburg, to render them objectively: not merely the objects of their love, and hatred, and envy, are lost to them, but these their affections and strivings themselves have ceased (Rosenm., Hitzig, Zckl., and others), they lie (Kevar 'avadah) far behind them as absolutely gone; for the dead have no part more in the history which is unfolding itself amid the light of the upper world, and they can have no more any part therein, for the dead as not living are not only without knowledge, but also without feeling and desire. The representation of the state after death is here more comfortless than anywhere else. For elsewhere we read that those who have been living here spend in Sheol, i.e., in the deep (R. של, to be loose, to hang down, to go downwards) realm of the dead, as rephaim (Isa 14:9, etc.), lying beneath the upper world, far from the love and the praise of God (Psa 6:3; Psa 30:10), a prospectless (Job 7:7., Job 14:6-12; Job 18:11-13), dark, shadowy existence; the soul in Hades, though neither annihilated nor sleeping, finds itself in a state of death no less than does the body in the grave. But here the state of death is not even set forth over against the idea of the dissolution of life, the complete annihilation of individuality, much less that a retribution in eternity, i.e., a retribution executed, if not here, yet at some time, postulated elsewhere by the author, throws a ray of light into the night of death. The apocryphal book of the Wisdom of Solomon, which distinguishes between a state of blessedness and a state of misery measured out to men in the future following death, has in this surpassed the canonical Book of Koheleth. In vain do the Targ., Midrash, and the older Christian interpreters refer that which is said to the wicked dead; others regard Koheleth as introducing here the discourse of atheists (e.g., Oetinger), and interpret, under the influence of monstrous self-deception, Ecc 9:7 as the voice of the spirit (Hengst.) opposing the voice of the flesh. But that which Koheleth expresses here only in a particularly rugged way is the view of Hades predominating in the O.T. It is the consequence of viewing death from the side of its anger. Revelation intentionally permits this manner of viewing it to remain; but from premises which the revelation sets forth, the religious consciousness in the course of time draws always more decidedly the conclusion, that the man who is united to God will fully reach through death that which since the entrance of sin into the world cannot be reached without the loss of this present life, i.e., without death, viz., a more perfect life in fellowship with God. Yet the confusion of the O.T. representation of Hades remains; in the Book of Sirach it also still throws its deep shadows (17:22f.) into the contemplation of the future; for the first time the N.T. solution actually removes the confusion, and turns the scale in favour of the view of death on its side of light. In this history of the ideas of eternity moving forward amid many fluctuations to the N.T. goal, a significant place belongs to the Book of Koheleth; certainly the Christian interpreter ought not to have an interest in explaining away and concealing the imperfections of knowledge which made it impossible for the author spiritually to rise above his pessimism. He does not rise, in contrast to his pessimism, above an eudaemonism which is earthly, which, without knowing of a future life (not like the modern pessimism, without wishing to know of a future life), recommends a pleasant enjoyment of the present life, so far as that is morally allowable:

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Die - Whereby they are taught to improve life. Any thing - Of the actions and events of this world. Reward - The fruit of their labours in this world, are utterly lost as to them. Forgotten - Even in those places where they had lived in great power and glory.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
The living know that they shall die - This is so self-evident that none can doubt it; and therefore all that have this conviction should prepare for death and eternal blessedness. But the dead know not any thing - Cut off from life, they know nothing of what passes under the sun. Their day of probation is ended, and therefore they can have no farther reward in living a holy life; nor can they be liable to any farther punishment for crimes in a state of probation, that being ended.

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¹⁰ And so [03651] I saw [07200] the wicked [07563] buried [06912], who had come [0935] and gone [01980] from the place [04725] of the holy [06918], and they were forgotten [07911] in the city [05892] where they had so done [06213]: this is also vanity [01892].

¹¹ Their inward [07130] thought is, that their houses [01004] shall continue for ever [05769], and their dwelling [04908] places to all [01755] generations [01755]; they call [07121] their lands [0127] after their own names [08034].

¹⁶ Then they that feared [03373] the LORD [03068] spake often [01696] one [0376] to another [07453]: and the LORD [03068] hearkened [07181], and heard [08085] it, and a book [05612] of remembrance [02146] was written [03789] before [06440] him for them that feared [03373] the LORD [03068], and that thought [02803] upon his name [08034].

⁶ Surely he shall not be moved [04131] for ever [05769]: the righteous [06662] shall be in everlasting [05769] remembrance [02143].

⁹ Two [08147] are better [02896] than one [0259]; because they have [03426] a good [02896] reward [07939] for their labour [05999].

¹⁸ Yea, I hated [08130] all my labour [05999] which I had taken [06001] under the sun [08121]: because I should leave [03240] it unto the man [0120] that shall be after [0310] me.
¹⁹ And who knoweth [03045] whether he shall be a wise [02450] man or a fool [05530]? yet shall he have rule [07980] over all my labour [05999] wherein I have laboured [05998], and wherein I have shewed myself wise [02449] under the sun [08121]. This is also vanity [01892].
²⁰ Therefore I went about [05437] to cause [02976] my heart [03820] to despair [02976] of all the labour [05999] which I took [05998] under the sun [08121].
²¹ For there is [03426] a man [0120] whose labour [05999] is in wisdom [02451], and in knowledge [01847], and in equity [03788]; yet to a man [0120] that hath not laboured [05998] therein shall he leave [05414] it for his portion [02506]. This also is vanity [01892] and a great [07227] evil [07451].
²² For what hath [01933] man [0120] of all his labour [05999], and of the vexation [07475] of his heart [03820], wherein [01931] he hath laboured [06001] under the sun [08121]?

¹⁶ Doubtless [03588] thou art our father [01], though Abraham [085] be ignorant [03808] [03045] of us, and Israel [03478] acknowledge [05234] us not: thou, O LORD [03068], art our father [01], our redeemer [01350]; thy name [08034] is from everlasting [05769].

²¹ His sons [01121] come to honour [03513], and he knoweth [03045] it not; and they are brought low [06819], but he perceiveth [0995] it not of them.

¹² So teach [03045] us to number [04487] our days [03117], that we may apply [0935] our hearts [03824] unto wisdom [02451].

¹ A good name [08034] is better [02896] than precious [02896] ointment [08081]; and the day [03117] of death [04194] than the day [03117] of one's birth [03205].
² It is better [02896] to go [03212] to the house [01004] of mourning [060], than to go [03212] to the house [01004] of feasting [04960]: for [0834] that is the end [05490] of all men [0120]; and the living [02416] will lay [05414] it to his heart [03820].
³ Sorrow [03708] is better [02896] than laughter [07814]: for by the sadness [07455] of the countenance [06440] the heart [03820] is made better [03190].
⁴ The heart [03820] of the wise [02450] is in the house [01004] of mourning [060]; but the heart [03820] of fools [03684] is in the house [01004] of mirth [08057].

⁶ Also their love [0160], and their hatred [08135], and their envy [07068], is now [03528] perished [06]; neither have they any more a portion [02506] for ever [05769] in any thing that is done [06213] under the sun [08121].

¹⁴ There is [03426] a vanity [01892] which is done [06213] upon the earth [0776]; that there be just [06662] men, unto whom it happeneth [05060] according to the work [04639] of the wicked [07563]; again, there be [03426] wicked [07563] men, to whom it happeneth [05060] according to the work [04639] of the righteous [06662]: I said [0559] that this also [01571] is vanity [01892].

¹² Though a sinner [02398] do [06213] evil [07451] an hundred times [03967], and his days be prolonged [0748], yet surely I know [03045] that it shall be well [02896] with them that fear [03373] God [0430], which fear [03372] before [06440] him:

⁷ Go thy way [03212], eat [0398] thy bread [03899] with joy [08057], and drink [08354] thy wine [03196] with a merry [02896] heart [03820]; for God [0430] now [03528] accepteth [07521] thy works [04639].

¹¹ Terrors [01091] shall make him afraid [01204] on every side [05439], and shall drive [06327] him to his feet [07272].
¹² His strength [0202] shall be hungerbitten [07457], and destruction [0343] shall be ready [03559] at his side [06763].
¹³ It shall devour [0398] the strength [0905] of his skin [05785]: even the firstborn [01060] of death [04194] shall devour [0398] his strength [0905].

⁶ Turn [08159] from him, that he may rest [02308], till he shall accomplish [07521], as an hireling [07916], his day [03117].
⁷ For there is [03426] hope [08615] of a tree [06086], if it be cut down [03772], that it will sprout again [02498], and that the tender branch [03127] thereof will not cease [02308].
⁸ Though the root [08328] thereof wax old [02204] in the earth [0776], and the stock [01503] thereof die [04191] in the ground [06083];
⁹ Yet through the scent [07381] of water [04325] it will bud [06524], and bring forth [06213] boughs [07105] like a plant [05194].
¹⁰ But man [01397] dieth [04191], and wasteth away [02522]: yea, man [0120] giveth up the ghost [01478], and where is he?
¹¹ As the waters [04325] fail [0235] from the sea [03220], and the flood [05104] decayeth [02717] and drieth up [03001]:
¹² So man [0376] lieth down [07901], and riseth [06965] not: till the heavens [08064] be no more [01115], they shall not awake [06974], nor be raised out [05782] of their sleep [08142].

⁷ O remember [02142] that my life [02416] is wind [07307]: mine eye [05869] shall no more [07725] see [07200] good [02896].

¹⁰ Hear [08085], O LORD [03068], and have mercy [02603] upon me: LORD [03068], be thou my helper [05826].

³ My soul [05315] is also sore [03966] vexed [0926]: but thou, O LORD [03068], how long?

⁹ Hell [07585] from beneath is moved [07264] for thee to meet [07125] thee at thy coming [0935]: it stirreth up [05782] the dead [07496] for thee, even all the chief ones [06260] of the earth [0776]; it hath raised up [06965] from their thrones [03678] all the kings [04428] of the nations [01471].

¹³ O that [05414] thou wouldest hide [06845] me in the grave [07585], that thou wouldest keep me secret [05641], until thy wrath [0639] be past [07725], that thou wouldest appoint [07896] me a set time [02706], and remember [02142] me!