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Ecclesiastes 11

Eccl. 11:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

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Cast
shalach (Hebrew #7971)
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
KJV usage: X any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).
Pronounce: shaw-lakh'
Origin: a primitive root
s thy bread
lechem (Hebrew #3899)
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
KJV usage: ((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.
Pronounce: lekh'-em
Origin: from 3898
λupon
paniym (Hebrew #6440)
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
KJV usage: + accept, a-(be- )fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with(- in, + -stand), X ye, X you.
Pronounce: paw-neem'
Origin: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh'}; from 6437)
the waters
mayim (Hebrew #4325)
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
KJV usage: + piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
Pronounce: mah'-yim
Origin: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense)
t: for thou shalt find
matsa' (Hebrew #4672)
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
KJV usage: + be able, befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
Pronounce: maw-tsaw'
Origin: a primitive root
it after many
rob (Hebrew #7230)
abundance (in any respect)
KJV usage: abundance(- antly), all, X common (sort), excellent, great(-ly, -ness, number), huge, be increased, long, many, more in number, most, much, multitude, plenty(-ifully), X very (age).
Pronounce: robe
Origin: from 7231
days
yowm (Hebrew #3117)
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
KJV usage: age, + always, + chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
Pronounce: yome
Origin: from an unused root meaning to be hot
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s
Isa. 32:20• 20Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass. (Isa. 32:20)
λ
upon the face of.
t
Deut. 15:10• 10Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. (Deut. 15:10)
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Psa. 41:1‑2• 1<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
 2The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. (Psa. 41:1‑2)
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Prov. 11:25• 25The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. (Prov. 11:25)
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Prov. 19:17• 17He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. (Prov. 19:17)
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Isa. 32:8• 8But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. (Isa. 32:8)
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Matt. 10:42• 42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matt. 10:42)
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2 Cor. 9:8• 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (2 Cor. 9:8)
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Heb. 6:10‑11• 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
 11And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: (Heb. 6:10‑11)

More on:

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Bread

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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1-6:  Directions for charity.
7-8:  Death in life,
9-10:  and the day ofjudgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on.
Cast.That is, says Bp. Lowth, "Sow thy seed or corn on the face of the waters;" in plain terms, sow without any hope of a harvest:
do good even to them on whom your benefactions seem thrown away.
Dr. Jebb has well illustrated it by the following passages:"Vain are the favours done to vicious men; Not vainer 'tis to sow the foaming deep. The deep no pleasant harvest shall afford, Nor will the wicked ever make return.""To befriend the wicked is like sowing in the sea."
These, indeed, invert this precept; nor is it extraordinary that they should;"The one, frail human power alone produced, The other, God."thy bread.
Deut. 15:7‑11• 7If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
 8But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
 9Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
 10Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
 11For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. (Deut. 15:7‑11)
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Prov. 11:24‑25• 24There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
 25The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. (Prov. 11:24‑25)
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Prov. 22:9• 9He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. (Prov. 22:9)
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Isa. 32:8• 8But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. (Isa. 32:8)
waters.
Heb. face of the waters.
Isa. 32:20• 20Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass. (Isa. 32:20)
for.
Eccl. 11:6• 6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. (Eccl. 11:6)
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Deut. 15:10• 10Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. (Deut. 15:10)
;
Psa. 41:1‑2• 1<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
 2The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. (Psa. 41:1‑2)
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Psa. 126:5‑6• 5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
 6He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psa. 126:5‑6)
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Prov. 11:18• 18The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. (Prov. 11:18)
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Prov. 19:17• 17He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. (Prov. 19:17)
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Matt. 10:13,42• 13And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
 42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matt. 10:13,42)
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Matt. 25:40• 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matt. 25:40)
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Luke 14:14• 14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. (Luke 14:14)
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2 Cor. 9:6• 6But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (2 Cor. 9:6)
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Gal. 6:8‑10• 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
 10As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Gal. 6:8‑10)
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Heb. 6:10• 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Heb. 6:10)
• In the first eight verses of Eccl. 11 we shall thus find man’s Reason running in a beautiful parallel with the divine, and yet in marked contrast with the narrow, selfish, short-sighted policy of the debased wisdom of this world. Their broad teaching is very clear; look forward―live not for the present. (“Ecclesiastes 11” by F.C. Jennings)
• Instead of hoarding or laying up for the evil day, cast thy bread―that staff of life, thy living―boldly upon the waters, it shall not be lost. You have, in so doing, intrusted it to the care of Him who loseth nothing; and the future, though perhaps far off, shall give thee a full harvest for such sowing. (“Ecclesiastes 11” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.