Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 2:18–19

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
¶ Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapter
More
Report an issueTell us about a text or study problem

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

2 selected · 8 available

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

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

10 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 18

  1. Psalms 39:6Rank 1 from verse 18
    Open

    6Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

  2. Psalms 49:10Rank 2 from verse 18
    Open

    10For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

  3. Luke 16:27–28Rank 3 from verse 18
    Open

    27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

    28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

  4. 1 Corinthians 3:10Rank 4 from verse 18
    Open

    10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

  5. 1 Kings 11:11–13Rank 5 from verse 18
    Open

    11Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

    12Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

    13Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.

From verse 19

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:22Rank 1 from verse 19
    Open

    22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

  2. James 3:17Rank 2 from verse 19
    Open

    17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

  3. 1 Kings 12:14–20Rank 3 from verse 19
    Open

    14And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

    15Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

    16¶ So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

    17But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

    18Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

    19So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

    20And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

  4. 1 Kings 14:25–28Rank 4 from verse 19
    Open

    25¶ And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:

    26And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

    27And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house.

    28And it was so, when the king went into the house of the Lord, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.

  5. 2 Chronicles 10:13–16Rank 5 from verse 19
    Open

    13And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,

    14And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

    15So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

    16¶ And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 2:18

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

hated

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of hate, meaning to feel strong dislike, aversion, or enmity toward; in comparisons, to love less.

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

COMBINED MEANING

labour

↗

1. Work, toil, effort, exertion, service, or the product of work. 2. Weariness or trouble. 3. Travail in childbirth. 4. To work, strive, serve, or exert oneself.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

taken

↗

1. Received, accepted, or chosen. 2. Seized or captured. 3. Carried or laid hold of.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sun

↗

The great light that rules the day and gives light and heat.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

should

↗

A verb expressing duty, propriety, expectation, intention, purpose, condition, appointed outcome, or a future event viewed from another time or statement.

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

COMBINED MEANING

leave

↗

1. To depart, cease from, abandon, forsake, release, permit, entrust, bequeath, cause or allow to remain, omit, exclude, or not take. 2. As a noun, permission or liberty to act, including permission to depart.

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

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

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

after

↗

1. Later than or following in time or order. 2. Behind. 3. In pursuit of.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 2:19

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

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

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fool

↗

Sense 1: A person lacking wisdom or moral understanding. Sense 2: As a verb, to act foolishly or deceive.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

yet

↗

1. Up to or at the present or stated time; still. 2. At some future time. 3. Nevertheless; however. 4. In addition; further.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

rule

↗

Sense 1: To govern, lead, direct, control, or exercise authority. Sense 2: A standard, principle, prescribed order, measuring line, boundary, or allotted sphere.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

labour

↗

1. Work, toil, effort, exertion, service, or the product of work. 2. Weariness or trouble. 3. Travail in childbirth. 4. To work, strive, serve, or exert oneself.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

shewed

↗

Past-tense or past-participial form of show (to reveal, declare, display, or make known).

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sun

↗

The great light that rules the day and gives light and heat.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

vanity

↗

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

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 BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

Nearby Scripture remains separate from the selected passage until you add it.

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.

18¶ Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

Selected passage

19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

Selected passage

20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Find 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.