Ecclesiastes 12:13
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
American King James Version (AKJV)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
American Standard Version (ASV)
This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
Webster's Revision
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
World English Bible
This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
English Revised Version (ERV)
This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
Definitions for Ecclesiastes 12:13
Clarke's Ecclesiastes 12:13 Bible Commentary
After all, the sum of the great business of human life is comprised in this short sentence, on which some millions of books have been already written!
Fear God, and Keep His Commandments
1. Know that He Is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
2. Reverence him; pay him adoration.
3. Love him, that you may be happy.
Keep his commandments - They are contained in two words:
1. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart;"
2. "And thy neighbor as thyself."
Blessed be God, much reading and much study are not necessary to accomplish this, which is called כל האדם col haadam, the whole of Adam; the whole that God required of the first man and of all his posterity. But the gospel of Jesus Christ must be understood to comprehend the full force of this short saying.
The word duty, added here by our translators, spoils, if not Perverts, the sense.
The whole passage is rendered with great simplicity by Coverdale: -
"The same preacher was not wyse alone: but taught the people knowledge also. He gave good hede, sought out the grounde, and set forth many parables. His diligence was to fynde out acceptable wordes, right scripture, and the wordes of trueth. For the wordes of the wyse are like prickes and nales that go thorow, wherewith men are kepte together: for they are geven of one Shepherd onely. Therefore be warre (my sonne) that above these thou make thee not many and innumerable bookes, nor take dyverse doctrynes in hande, to weery thy body withall.
"Let us heare the conclusion of all thinges; Feare God, and kepe his comaundementes, for that toucheth all men; for God shall judge all workes and secrete thinges, whether they be good or evell."
I shall give the same from my old MS. Bible: -
continued...
Barnes's Ecclesiastes 12:13 Bible Commentary
literally, "The conclusion of the discourse" (or "word," equals words, Ecclesiastes 1:1), "the whole, let us hear."
The whole duty of man - Rather, the whole man. To revere God and to obey Him is the whole man, constitutes man's whole being; that only is conceded to Man; all other things, as this book teaches again and again, are dependent on a Higher Incomprehensible Being.
Wesley's Ecclesiastes 12:13 Bible Commentary
12:13 The conclusion - The sum of all that hath been said or written by wise men. Fear God - Which is put here, for all the inward worship of God, reverence, and love, and trust, and a devotedness of heart to serve and please him. The whole - It is his whole work and business, his whole perfection and happiness; it is the sum of what he need either know, or do, or enjoy.
