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Ecclesiastes 2

Eccl. 2:24 KJV (With Strong’s)

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24
There is nothing better
towb (Hebrew #2896)
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
KJV usage: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).
Pronounce: tobe
Origin: from 2895
for a man
'adam (Hebrew #120)
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
KJV usage: X another, + hypocrite, + common sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
Pronounce: aw-dawm'
Origin: from 119
, than that he should eat
'akal (Hebrew #398)
to eat (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: X at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, X quite.
Pronounce: aw-kal'
Origin: a primitive root
and drink
shathah (Hebrew #8354)
to imbibe (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: X assuredly, banquet, X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk (X -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)
Pronounce: shaw-thaw'
Origin: a primitive root
, and that he should δmake his soul
nephesh (Hebrew #5315)
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
KJV usage: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire, X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
Pronounce: neh'-fesh
Origin: from 5314
enjoy
ra'ah (Hebrew #7200)
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
KJV usage: advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.
Pronounce: raw-aw'
Origin: a primitive root
good
towb (Hebrew #2896)
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
KJV usage: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).
Pronounce: tobe
Origin: from 2895
in his labor
`amal (Hebrew #5999)
toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of body or mind
KJV usage: grievance(-vousness), iniquity, labour, mischief, miserable(-sery), pain(-ful), perverseness, sorrow, toil, travail, trouble, wearisome, wickedness.
Pronounce: aw-mawl'
Origin: from 5998
. This
zoh (Hebrew #2090)
this or that
KJV usage: as well as another, it, this, that, thus and thus.
Pronounce: zo
Origin: for 2088
also I saw
ra'ah (Hebrew #7200)
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
KJV usage: advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.
Pronounce: raw-aw'
Origin: a primitive root
, that itf was from the hand
yad (Hebrew #3027)
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows)
KJV usage: (+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, (broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X yourselves.
Pronounce: yawd
Origin: a primitive word
of God
'elohiym (Hebrew #430)
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV usage: angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
Pronounce: el-o-heem'
Origin: plural of 433
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δ
or, delight his senses.
f
Eccl. 5:18‑19• 18Behold what I have seen good and comely: it is to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith man laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for that is his portion.
 19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour: that is a gift of God. (Eccl. 5:18‑19)

More on:

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God,
Soul; Spirit

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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nothing.
Eccl. 3:12‑13,22• 12I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;
 13yea also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, it is the gift of God.
 22And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? (Eccl. 3:12‑13,22)
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Eccl. 5:18• 18Behold what I have seen good and comely: it is to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith man laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for that is his portion. (Eccl. 5:18)
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Eccl. 8:15• 15And I commended mirth, because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun. (Eccl. 8:15)
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Eccl. 9:7‑9• 7Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
 8Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.
 9Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun. (Eccl. 9:7‑9)
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Eccl. 11:9‑10• 9Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
 10Then remove discontent from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity. (Eccl. 11:9‑10)
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Deut. 12:12,18• 12And ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your bondmen, and your handmaids, and the Levite that is within your gates; for he hath no portion nor inheritance with you.
 18but before Jehovah thy God shalt thou eat them in the place which Jehovah thy God will choose, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy bondman, and thy handmaid, and the Levite that is within thy gates; and thou shalt rejoice before Jehovah thy God in all the business of thy hand. (Deut. 12:12,18)
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Neh. 8:10• 10And he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared; for the day is holy to our Lord; and be not grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. (Neh. 8:10)
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Acts 14:17• 17though indeed he did not leave himself without witness, doing good, and giving to you from heaven rain and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness. (Acts 14:17)
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1 Tim. 6:17• 17Enjoin on those rich in the present age not to be high-minded, nor to trust on the uncertainty of riches; but in the God who affords us all things richly for our enjoyment; (1 Tim. 6:17)
make his soul enjoy good.
or, delight his senses.
that it.
Eccl. 3:13• 13yea also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, it is the gift of God. (Eccl. 3:13)
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Eccl. 5:19• 19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour: that is a gift of God. (Eccl. 5:19)
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Eccl. 6:2• 2one to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and a sore evil. (Eccl. 6:2)
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Mal. 2:2• 2If ye do not hear, and if ye do not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith Jehovah of hosts, I will even send the curse among you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have already cursed them, because ye do not lay it to heart. (Mal. 2:2)
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Luke 12:19‑20• 19and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much good things laid by for many years; repose thyself, eat, drink, be merry.
 20But God said to him, Fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; and whose shall be what thou hast prepared? (Luke 12:19‑20)
• Our translation of Ecclesiastes 2:24 seems quite out of harmony with the Preacher’s previous experiences, and the verse would better read (as in Dr. Taylor Lewis’ metrical version): “The good is not in man that he should eat and drink And find his soul’s enjoyment in his toil; This, too, I saw, is only from the hands of God.” (“Ecclesiastes 2” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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24
There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoye good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

JND Translation Notes

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e
Lit. "see," as ver. 1.