Bible Strands
Ecclesiastes 12:13
When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Preacher addresses his reader at the close of his discourse, summarizing his investigation after noting that endless bookmaking and heavy study exhaust the body.
The words — סוֹף (Sof) and דָּבָר (da-var) open the verse as "the end of the matter" or "the conclusion of the matter," framing the final verdict after the preceding observations.
The thread — The verse aligns with Deuteronomy 6:2, which ties fearing God to keeping His commands across generations, while standing parallel to Deuteronomy 10:12’s call to walk in His ways and Micah 6:8’s requirement to act justly and love mercy.
Why it lands — The text requires a concrete response of reverence and obedience as the definitive answer to human striving, immediately followed by the statement that God will judge every deed and hidden thing.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
- Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Deuteronomy 6:2 so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the LORD your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged.
- Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!
- Job 28:28 And He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
- Psalms 145:19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
- Luke 1:50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
- Ecclesiastes 8:12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.
- Psalms 115:13 He will bless those who fear the LORD—small and great alike.
- Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.