Ecclesiastes 5:15
"As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came,.... This may be understood either of the covetous rich man, or of his son; and that supposing what is before said should not be the case of either of them, but they should possess their substance as long as they live; yet, when they come to die, they will be stripped of

them all; of their gold and silver, their plate and jewels, and rich household furniture; of their cattle and possessions, farms and estates, which are no longer theirs; and even of their very clothes, and be as naked as they were when they came into the world; and which is indeed the case of every man, Job 1:21 ; and is used as an argument, and a very forcible one, against covetousness; and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand; nothing of his substance, which he has got by his labour, and hoarded up with great care; not the least portion of it can he carry away with him when he dies; not any of his jewels, nor bags of gold and silver; and if any of these should be put into his grave, which has been sometimes done at the interment of great personages, these are of no manner of use and service to him, either to comfort and refresh his body, or to save his soul from hell, and procure it an entrance into the heavenly glory; see Ti1 6:7 . The Targum allegorizes this in a very orthodox way, not very usual, in favour of original sin, and against the doctrine of merit; "as he goes out of his mother's womb naked, without a covering, and without any good; so he shall return to go to the house of his grave, indigent of merit, as he came into this world; and no good reward shall he receive by his labour, to take with him into the world to which he goes, that it may be for merit in his hand.''

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (13 words)

H1571 גַּם
Definition:

6וַתִּתֵּן גַּם לְאִישָׁהּand gavealsoto her husband,Genesis 3:27and takealsoof the tree of life,Genesis 7:3;Genesis 19:21;Genesis 24:19;Genesis 26:21;Genesis 29:27;Genesis 30:15;Genesis 32:21(גַּם הִ 6וַתִּתֵּן גַּם לְאִישָׁהּand gavealsoto her husband,Genesis 3:27and takealsoof the tree of life,Genesis 7:3;Genesis 19:21;Genesis 24:19;Genesis 26:21;Genesis 29:27;Genesis 30:15;Genesis 32:21(גַּם הִ

Possible Meanings:
  • moreover (semantic_range)
  • yea (semantic_range)
H2090 זֹה
Definition:

19;Ezekiel 40:45;Ecclesiastes 2:2,24;Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 5:18;Ecclesiastes 7:23;Ecclesiastes 9:13(זאתdoes not occur in Ecclesiastes); also in the phraseכָּזֹה וְכָזֶה(seeזה6cβ).Topical Lexi 19;Ezekiel 40:45;Ecclesiastes 2:2,24;Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 5:18;Ecclesiastes 7:23;Ecclesiastes 9:13(זאתdoes not occur in Ecclesiastes); also in the phraseכָּזֹה וְכָזֶה(seeזה6cβ).Topical Lexi

Possible Meanings:
  • this (semantic_range)
H7451 רַע
Definition:

Fromra'a'; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) -- adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure), distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief(-vous), harm Fromra'a'; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) -- adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure), distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief(-vous), harm

Possible Meanings:
  • misery (semantic_range)
  • injury (semantic_range)
H2470 חָלָה
Definition:

A primitive root (comparechuwl,chalah,chalal); properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), A primitive root (comparechuwl,chalah,chalal); properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering),

Possible Meanings:
  • a kind of cake (semantic_range)
  • perforated (semantic_range)
H3605 כֹּל
Definition:

8 Kt.),noun masculinethe whole, all(Moabite, Phoenician,id.; Aramaicכּוֺל,; Arabic; Sabeanכל, compare DHMEpigr. Denk. 36-38; EthiopicAssyriankullatu) — absoluteכֹּל, constructכֹּלGenesis 2:5,16,20 #NA 8 Kt.),noun masculinethe whole, all(Moabite, Phoenician,id.; Aramaicכּוֺל,; Arabic; Sabeanכל, compare DHMEpigr. Denk. 36-38; EthiopicAssyriankullatu) — absoluteכֹּל, constructכֹּלGenesis 2:5,16,20 #NA

H5980 עֻמָּה
Definition:

15always withלְ, suffixלְעֻמָּתוֺ, once plural constructלְעֻמּוֺתEzekiel 45:7; —a.close by, side by side with:Exodus 25:27(Exodus 37:14),Exodus 28:27(Exodus 39:20),Leviticus 3:9לְעֻמַּת הֻעָצֶה יְסִיר 15always withלְ, suffixלְעֻמָּתוֺ, once plural constructלְעֻמּוֺתEzekiel 45:7; —a.close by, side by side with:Exodus 25:27(Exodus 37:14),Exodus 28:27(Exodus 39:20),Leviticus 3:9לְעֻמַּת הֻעָצֶה יְסִיר

Possible Meanings:
  • juxtaposition (semantic_range)
  • parallel to (semantic_range)
  • agreeing with (semantic_range)
H0935 בּוֹא
Definition:

13+; 3 feminine singularבָּ֫אָהGenesis 15:17+; suffixבָּאַתְנוּPsalm 44:18; 2masculine singularבָּ֫אתָJoshua 13:1+,בָּ֫אתָה2 Samuel 3:7; 2feminine singularבָּאתְGenesis 16:8;Ruth 2:12,וּבָאתְconsecuti 13+; 3 feminine singularבָּ֫אָהGenesis 15:17+; suffixבָּאַתְנוּPsalm 44:18; 2masculine singularבָּ֫אתָJoshua 13:1+,בָּ֫אתָה2 Samuel 3:7; 2feminine singularבָּאתְGenesis 16:8;Ruth 2:12,וּבָאתְconsecuti

Possible Meanings:
  • come in (semantic_range)
  • come (semantic_range)
  • go in (semantic_range)
  • go (semantic_range)
  • come in (semantic_range)
H3651 כֵּן
Definition:

29+ (on possibly construct see2near the end); pluralכֵּנִיםGenesis 42:11,19,31,33,34; —1right, usually indecl., often as substantivea right thing, especially with vbb.dicendiExodus 10:29(J)כֵּן דִּבַּ 29+ (on possibly construct see2near the end); pluralכֵּנִיםGenesis 42:11,19,31,33,34; —1right, usually indecl., often as substantivea right thing, especially with vbb.dicendiExodus 10:29(J)כֵּן דִּבַּ

Possible Meanings:
  • thus (semantic_range)
  • as follows (semantic_range)
H3212 יָלַךְ
Definition:

A primitive root (comparehalak); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) -- X again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, + follow(-ing), A primitive root (comparehalak); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) -- X again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, + follow(-ing),

H4100 מָה
Definition:

43;Joshua 22:16;Judges 8:1),מַהֿ,מַהּ,מֶה,מַּ(Exodus 4:2;Isaiah 3:15;Malachi 1:13;1 Chronicles 15:13; 2Chronicles 30:3),מָ(only inמָהֵםEzekiel 8:6Kt., Qr.מָה הֵם) — on the distinction in the use of th 43;Joshua 22:16;Judges 8:1),מַהֿ,מַהּ,מֶה,מַּ(Exodus 4:2;Isaiah 3:15;Malachi 1:13;1 Chronicles 15:13; 2Chronicles 30:3),מָ(only inמָהֵםEzekiel 8:6Kt., Qr.מָה הֵם) — on the distinction in the use of th

Possible Meanings:
  • what? (semantic_range)
H3504 יִתְרוֹן
Definition:

34t.; constructEcclesiastes 2:134t.; —advantageto (ל) any one,מַהיִֿתְרוֺן לָאָדָםEcclesiastes 1:3, i.e.what advantage hath a man?Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 10:11; followed byמִןcomparative =advan 34t.; constructEcclesiastes 2:134t.; —advantageto (ל) any one,מַהיִֿתְרוֺן לָאָדָםEcclesiastes 1:3, i.e.what advantage hath a man?Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 10:11; followed byמִןcomparative =advan

Possible Meanings:
  • profit (semantic_range)
H5998 עָמַל
Definition:

21; 3feminine singularעָֽמְלָהProverbs 16:26; 2masculine singularעָמַלְתָּJonah 4:10; 1singularעָמַלְתִּיEcclesiastes 2:112t.; 3 pluralעָֽמְלוּPsalm 127:1;Imperfect3masculine singularיַעֲמֹלEcclesiast 21; 3feminine singularעָֽמְלָהProverbs 16:26; 2masculine singularעָמַלְתָּJonah 4:10; 1singularעָמַלְתִּיEcclesiastes 2:112t.; 3 pluralעָֽמְלוּPsalm 127:1;Imperfect3masculine singularיַעֲמֹלEcclesiast

Possible Meanings:
  • toiling (semantic_range)
H7307 רוּחַ
Definition:

8(less oftenmasculineExodus 10:13+)breath, wind, spirit; — absolute׳רGenesis 8:1+,ר֑וּחָהJeremiah 52:23; constructרוּחַGenesis 6:17+; suffixרוּחִיGenesis 6:3+,רוּחֲךָPsalm 104:30+, etc.; pluralרוּחוֺת 8(less oftenmasculineExodus 10:13+)breath, wind, spirit; — absolute׳רGenesis 8:1+,ר֑וּחָהJeremiah 52:23; constructרוּחַGenesis 6:17+; suffixרוּחִיGenesis 6:3+,רוּחֲךָPsalm 104:30+, etc.; pluralרוּחוֺת

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