Study notes

Ecclesiastes 12

Introducing EcclesiastesWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

11:7–12:14 Section

The last poem describes the main lessons the Teacher talked about throughout Ecclesiastes. The final words of the book do this as well. The main lesson was that everything is meaningless. Because of this, human beings should do three things.

They should fully and freely enjoy life. They should be aware that they are going to die. And they should remember their Creator. Remembering their Creator means that they recognise who God is and who they are. God is the one true God with all power and authority. He keeps the earth going and gives his breath of life to human beings. He is the Judge who will show if people have done good while they lived. He will bring judgement against people for all the evil things they do.

Human beings are creatures created by God. So they must always be humble before their Creator. They don’t have the authority to judge what God chooses to do. They must always respect God and obey his commandments. It was helpful for the Teacher to ask his questions about life and meaning. His teachings, poems and proverbs help people know what actions to take in their lives. But human beings don’t need to spend all their time studying these questions. God made them to be satisfied during their short life. He made their hearts to be filled with joy.

12:1–2

Remember your Creator: Reverence for God can provide wisdom (Proverbs 1:7) and guidance on what is beneficial in life and pleasing to God at judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14). It is better to remember God when young, as wisdom can greatly impact life's outcomes.

12:1–7

This beautiful prose poem, rich with Hebrew metaphors, describes the painful decline that comes with aging. It continues from Ecclesiastes 11:7–10.

12:3

The New Living Translation explains the Hebrew metaphors like:

keepers of the house (guards)
strong men
those grinding (servants)
those watching through windows (women)

It also interprets these poetic elements as:

Legs
Shoulders
Teeth
Eyes

12:5

In the ancient Near East, people knew the caperberry as a love-enhancing food.

12:6

The silver cord and the golden bowl, like human life, are very valuable.
The body is like a simple clay jar that is fragile and easily broken (compare Isaiah 29:16; Jeremiah 19:1, 10–11; 22:28; 2 Corinthians 4:7).

12:7

dust returns to the ground: See Genesis 2:7; 3:19.
The idea that the spirit will return to God who gave it suggests a belief in an afterlife (compare Ecclesiastes 3:21; see “The Afterlife” Theme Note).

12:8

This almost exact repetition of Ecclesiastes 1:2 summarizes the Teacher's conclusion.

12:9

Even as king (Ecclesiastes 1:1), the Teacher made time to study wisdom. He gathered and organized proverbs (see also 1 Kings 4:29–34; Proverbs 1:1; 10:1; 25:1).

12:9–14

This final note by the editor (see “Author and Recipients” in the Book Introduction) shows respect for the Teacher. It urges readers to apply the Teacher's lessons and shares the editor’s conclusion from studying the Teacher (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

12:11

goads...firmly embedded nails: Sometimes, painful lessons guide us to paths we prefer to avoid.
a single Shepherd: This word might refer to God as the shepherd of his people (Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11). The sentence could also compare the wise person's words to a shepherd's work in caring for his flock.

12:12

A balanced approach to writing and studying wisdom allows time to use it and enjoy its benefits.

12:13–14

The editor concludes from studying the Teacher's work that we should fear God (see Ecclesiastes 3:14; 5:7; 7:18; 8:12–13). This means we must obey his commands, because everything we do will face judgment (see Ecclesiastes 11:9; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources