Ecclesiastes 2:19

And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Preacher addresses an unspecified audience while reflecting on his own accumulated achievements after detailing his experiments with pleasure and wisdom. He speaks at the precise moment of realizing his labor will be inherited by an unknown successor.

The words — The Hebrew יוֹדֵעַ (yo·de·aʿ) means "knowing," framing the speaker's admission that he cannot predict the successor's character. וְ/יִשְׁלַט (ve·yiš·laṭ) translates to "he may have power" or "he will take over," stressing the successor's absolute control over the Preacher's work.

The thread — The anxiety over an unknown heir inheriting labor runs through Ecclesiastes 2:18 and Ecclesiastes 2:20, where the author describes hating and despairing over his toil. The contrast between earthly and divine wisdom appears in James 3:17, which defines heavenly wisdom as pure and peace-loving rather than self-seeking.

Why it lands — The text states that an unknown successor will control all the Preacher's skillful labor and asks whether that person will be wise or foolish. It requires readers to acknowledge the limits of human control and the reality that their efforts will ultimately serve an unpredictable future.

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

וּמִ֣יu./Miand/ who?יוֹדֵ֗עַyo.De.a'[is] knowing הֶֽחָכָ֤םhe./cha.Kham¿/ a wise [person]יִהְיֶה֙yih.Yehwill he be א֣וֹ'oor?סָכָ֔לsa.Khala fool וְיִשְׁלַט֙ve./yish.Latso/ he may have power בְּכָל־be./kholover/ all עֲמָלִ֔י'a.ma.L/itoil/ my שֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּיshe./'a.Mal.tithat/ I have toiled וְשֶׁחָכַ֖מְתִּיve./she./cha.Kham.tiand/ that/ I worked skillfully תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunder הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha./Sha.meshthe/ sun גַּם־gam-also זֶ֖הzehthis הָֽבֶל׃Ha.vel[is] futility

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Ecclesiastes 3:22 I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?
James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
1 Kings 12:14 and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”
1 Kings 14:25 In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 10:13 And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders
2 Chronicles 12:9 So King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and seized the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made.
Ecclesiastes 9:13 I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:
Luke 16:8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.