Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 12:7–9

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapterReport issue
More

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

3 selected · 7 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

15 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 7

  1. Daniel 12:2Rank 1 from verse 7
    Open

    2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

  2. Ecclesiastes 3:20–21Rank 2 from verse 7
    Open

    20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

    21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

  3. Psalms 146:4Rank 3 from verse 7
    Open

    4His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

  4. Genesis 3:19Rank 4 from verse 7
    Open

    19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

  5. Job 34:14–15Rank 5 from verse 7
    Open

    14If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

    15All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

From verse 8

  1. Ecclesiastes 1:2Rank 1 from verse 8
    Open

    2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

  2. Ecclesiastes 6:12Rank 2 from verse 8
    Open

    12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

  3. Ecclesiastes 8:8Rank 3 from verse 8
    Open

    8There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

  4. Ecclesiastes 1:14Rank 4 from verse 8
    Open

    14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  5. Ecclesiastes 2:17Rank 5 from verse 8
    Open

    17Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

From verse 9

  1. 1 Kings 4:32Rank 1 from verse 9
    Open

    32And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

  2. Proverbs 1:1Rank 2 from verse 9
    Open

    1THE proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

  3. Proverbs 25:1Rank 3 from verse 9
    Open

    1THESE are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

  4. 1 Kings 10:8Rank 4 from verse 9
    Open

    8Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

  5. Proverbs 10:1Rank 5 from verse 9
    Open

    1THE proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 12:7

COMBINED MEANING

shall

↗

An auxiliary verb expressing future action, intention, promise, command, requirement, or determination.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

return

↗

Sense 1: To go, come, send, or give back; to restore, answer, or turn again. Sense 2: The act or time of coming back or recurring.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

earth

↗

Sense 1: The world in distinction from heaven. Sense 2: Dry land, ground, soil, or dust. Sense 3: A land, region, or its inhabitants.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

spirit

↗

Sense 1: An immaterial living or personal being distinct from a body. Sense 2: The inward life, disposition, mind, or courage of a person. Sense 3: The Holy Spirit, the divine Spirit of God.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

gave

↗

1. Bestowed, delivered, or granted. 2. Caused or appointed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 12:8

COMBINED MEANING

vanity

↗

Emptiness, futility, worthlessness, falsehood, unreliability, or transience.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 12:9

COMBINED MEANING

moreover

↗

Besides, further, additionally, or what is more, introducing another statement, fact, command, reason, or continuation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

wise

↗

Sense 1: Possessing or exercising understanding, knowledge, prudence, judgment, discernment, or skill; also a wise person. Sense 2: In phrases such as in no wise, way, manner, respect, or degree.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

still

↗

Sense 1: Continuing without interruption, or remaining as before. Sense 2: Quiet, silent, or without motion. Sense 3: Even yet or nevertheless. Sense 4: To make quiet or cause to cease.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

people

↗

Persons collectively; a nation, community, or group considered as a body.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

yea

↗

1. Indeed, marking confirmation, emphasis, addition, continuation, or heightening of what is said; it may also emphasize a question. 2. Yes, expressing an affirmative answer or declaration.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

gave

↗

1. Bestowed, delivered, or granted. 2. Caused or appointed.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

good

↗

Sense 1: Right, morally upright, beneficial, pleasing, useful, suitable, sound, favourable, or excellent. Sense 2: A good thing, benefit, welfare, possession, or goods. Sense 3: In ‘make good,’ to repair, repay, fulfil, establish, or prove.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

heed

↗

Careful attention, notice, or regard; to watch, consider, listen to, or guard oneself.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

out

↗

Outside, away from within, forth, absent, or no longer in a stated condition.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

set

↗

1. To put or place a person or thing in a position, relation, or condition; when passive, to be so placed, fixed, or adorned. 2. To establish, fix, appoint, assign, prescribe, or determine. 3. To arrange, prepare, present, display, or put in order or array. 4. To direct, turn, or firmly apply the face, heart, eyes, mind, affection, or action toward something. 5. To start, advance, send out, proceed on a course or work, or make an attack, as in set forward, set forth, or set upon where those meanings apply. 6. To value or esteem; or, in set at nought or set light by, to despise. 7. Of the sun, to go down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

order

↗

Sense 1: Arrangement in a sequence, position, rank, class, manner, pattern, or appointed course. Sense 2: An instruction, rule, prescribed service, or kind of office. Sense 3: To set in order: to arrange, recount, repair, regulate, or complete.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in scripture.

READ THE PASSAGE

View in context

Suggested context · Ecclesiastes 12:1–12

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

12:1REMEMBER now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

12:2While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

12:3In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

12:4And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

12:5Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

12:6Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

12:7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Selected passage

12:8¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

Selected passage

12:9And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

Selected passage

12:10The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

12:11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12:12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Ask a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.