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Ecclesiastes 1

Eccl. 1:2 KJV (With Strong’s)

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2
Vanity
hebel (Hebrew #1892)
from 1891; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
KJV usage: X altogether, vain, vanity.
Pronounce: heh'bel
Origin: or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}
of vanities
hebel (Hebrew #1892)
from 1891; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
KJV usage: X altogether, vain, vanity.
Pronounce: heh'bel
Origin: or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}
, saith
'amar (Hebrew #559)
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV usage: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.
Pronounce: aw-mar'
Origin: a primitive root
the Preacher
qoheleth (Hebrew #6953)
a (female) assembler (i.e. lecturer): abstractly, preaching (used as a "nom de plume", Koheleth)
KJV usage: preacher.
Pronounce: ko-heh'-leth
Origin: feminine of active participle from 6950
, vanity
hebel (Hebrew #1892)
from 1891; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
KJV usage: X altogether, vain, vanity.
Pronounce: heh'bel
Origin: or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}
of vanities
hebel (Hebrew #1892)
from 1891; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
KJV usage: X altogether, vain, vanity.
Pronounce: heh'bel
Origin: or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}
; allb is vanity
hebel (Hebrew #1892)
from 1891; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
KJV usage: X altogether, vain, vanity.
Pronounce: heh'bel
Origin: or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}
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b
Psa. 39:5‑6• 5Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
 6Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. (Psa. 39:5‑6)
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Psa. 144:4• 4Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. (Psa. 144:4)
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Mark 8:36‑37• 36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36‑37)

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Preaching

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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Eccl. 2:11,15,17,19,21,23,26• 11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
 15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
 17Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
 19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
 21For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
 23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
 26For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. (Eccl. 2:11,15,17,19,21,23,26)
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Eccl. 3:19• 19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. (Eccl. 3:19)
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Eccl. 4:4,8,16• 4Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
 8There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
 16There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. (Eccl. 4:4,8,16)
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Eccl. 5:10• 10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. (Eccl. 5:10)
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Eccl. 6:11• 11Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? (Eccl. 6:11)
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Eccl. 11:8,10• 8But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
 10Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. (Eccl. 11:8,10)
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Eccl. 12:8• 8Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. (Eccl. 12:8)
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Psa. 39:5‑6• 5Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
 6Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. (Psa. 39:5‑6)
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Psa. 62:9‑10• 9Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
 10Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. (Psa. 62:9‑10)
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Psa. 144:4• 4Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. (Psa. 144:4)
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Rom. 8:20• 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, (Rom. 8:20)
• The first verse gives us who the writer is; the second, the beginning and ending of his search. (“Ecclesiastes 1: Old Groans and New Songs” by F.C. Jennings)
• “The word hahvehl is always translated, as here, “vanity.” It is sometimes applied to “idols,” as Deut. 32:21, and would give the idea of emptiness―nothingness. What a striking contrast! Man has here all that Nature can possibly give; and his poor heart, far from singing, is empty still, and utters its sad bitter groan of disappointment. (“Ecclesiastes 1: Old Groans and New Songs” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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2
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities! all is vanity.