King James Version

What Does Ecclesiastes 12:2 Mean?

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

Context

Remember 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;

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

In 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, the grinders: or, the grinders fail, because they grind little

And 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;

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(2) Here the style rises, and we have a figurative description of the “evil days;” but, as sometimes happens in the case of highly wrought poetry, it is much easier to perceive the general effect intended than to account for all the words which produce it. English readers generally have been deeply impressed by Ecclesiastes 12:6-7, in a general way understanding them as speaking of the dissolution of the noble structure of the bodily frame; and they scarcely gain anything by the efforts of commentators to explain to them what exactly is meant by the “silver cord” and the “golden bowl.” After using all the help my predecessors have given me, I frankly own myself unable to give more than a vague account of the figures employed in this whole passage. **Darkened.**—See Ecclesiastes 11:8. On darkness of the heavens as a symbol of calamity, comp. Isaiah 13:10-11; Jeremiah 4:28-29; Ezekiel 32:7-9; Joel 2:1-10; Amos 8:9-10; and contrast Isaiah 30:26; Isaiah 60:10.)

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ecclesiastes. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ecclesiastes 12:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.