Ecclesiastes 2:24 Meaning and Explanation
“There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Preacher concludes that the simple enjoyment of food, drink, and one's work is good, and that this enjoyment comes from God.
What Does Ecclesiastes 2:24 Mean?
After the long descent into futility, light breaks. The speaker finds that there is a real good after all: to eat, to drink, and to find genuine enjoyment in one's labor. And he sees the key that changes everything, that this gladness is from the hand of God.
This is the answer the whole chapter has sought. Joy cannot be seized as a wage or wrung from achievement; it is received as a gift from a generous God. The ordinary mercies of bread and work, taken with gratitude as from His hand, become holy. What striving could not produce, thanksgiving discovers, for every good gift comes down from above.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 2:24
What does Ecclesiastes 2:24 mean?
The Preacher concludes that the simple enjoyment of food, drink, and one's work is good, and that this enjoyment comes from God.