Ecclesiastes 12:3

on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Preacher addresses the reader while cataloging the physical decline that follows the darkening of celestial bodies.

The words — שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת (sho.me.Rei ha.Ba.yit) = keepers of the house, and אַנְשֵׁי הַחַיִל ('an.Shei ha.Cha.yil) = strong men or people of strength.

The thread — The text parallels the fading of bodily strength with the declining years described in Psalms 90:9 and Psalms 102:23, and it mirrors Isaac’s failing sight in Genesis 27:1.

Why it lands — The text states that bodily functions will cease and vision will dim, asking the reader to recognize the inevitable end of human vitality without romanticizing the process.

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

בַּיּ֗וֹםba/i.Yomin the/ day שֶׁיָּזֻ֙עוּ֙shei./ya.Zu.'uwhen/ they will tremble שֹׁמְרֵ֣יsho.me.Rei[the] keepers of הַבַּ֔יִתha./Ba.yitthe/ house וְהִֽתְעַוְּת֖וּve./hit.'a.ve.Tuand/ they will bend themselves אַנְשֵׁ֣י'an.Shei[the] people of הֶחָ֑יִלhe./Cha.yil<the>/ strength וּבָטְל֤וּu./va.te.Luand/ they will cease הַטֹּֽחֲנוֹת֙ha./to.cha.nOtthe/ [female] grinders כִּ֣יkifor מִעֵ֔טוּmi.'E.tuthey have become few וְחָשְׁכ֥וּve./cha.she.Khuand/ they will grow dim הָרֹא֖וֹתha./ro.'otthe/ [women who] look בָּאֲרֻבּֽוֹת׃ba./'a.ru.Botin the/ windows

King James Version

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,

Cross-references

Psalms 90:9 For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh.
Psalms 102:23 He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days.
Genesis 27:1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.
Genesis 48:10 Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
1 Samuel 3:2 And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.
2 Samuel 21:15 Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines. But David became exhausted.
Zechariah 8:4 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age.