Ecclesiastes 12:5 Meaning and Explanation
“Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Fear of heights, white hair like almond blossom, and failing strength and desire show the body nearing its long home in death.
What Does Ecclesiastes 12:5 Mean?
The portrait of age deepens. Fear of heights and dangers in the road speak of unsteady steps; the flowering almond tree, white with blossom, pictures hair gone gray; the grasshopper become a burden and failing desire show strength and appetite spent. Then the veil lifts: man goes to his long home, and the mourners fill the streets.
The Preacher names death plainly, the long home toward which every life is moving. This is not the last word but the sober ground on which wisdom stands, for those who reckon honestly with the end live the days between with greater care. The grave is real, yet it is not the end of the story for those who trust the God who holds both the living and the dead.
Ecclesiastes 12:5 in the Original Language
shaqed (שָׁקֵד), 'almond' -- the early-blossoming tree whose white flowers evoke the white hair of age.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 12:5
What does Ecclesiastes 12:5 mean?
Fear of heights, white hair like almond blossom, and failing strength and desire show the body nearing its long home in death.