Ecclesiastes 1:7 Meaning and Explanation
“All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Rivers pour endlessly into the sea, yet it is never filled, picturing labor that flows on without ever reaching a point of fullness.
What Does Ecclesiastes 1:7 Mean?
The Preacher completes his portrait of nature with the rivers. They run steadily to the sea, yet the sea is never full, and somehow the waters circle back to flow again. The work of the rivers is constant and the result, to the eye, never finished.
Here is a mirror of human striving: we pour ourselves out, and still the sea of our wanting is not filled. Earthly things, however much we add to them, never reach the brim. The verse gently exposes the futility of seeking fullness from what cannot hold it, and points the thirsting soul toward the only source able to satisfy it completely.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 1:7
What does Ecclesiastes 1:7 mean?
Rivers pour endlessly into the sea, yet it is never filled, picturing labor that flows on without ever reaching a point of fullness.