Ecclesiastes 2:26 Meaning and Explanation
“For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those pleasing to Him, while the toil of the sinner's hoarding finally passes to the good.
What Does Ecclesiastes 2:26 Mean?
The chapter closes by lifting the whole question into God's hands. To the one good in His sight, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, gifts that cannot be bought. The one who lives apart from Him may labor to gather and heap up, yet in the end that store passes to those who please God. The endless hoarding, taken alone, is still vapor.
Here the Preacher's search lands on solid ground. Meaning and joy are not earned but given, and given by a God who governs all outcomes wisely. The verse invites the reader to stop grasping and start receiving, to seek first to be good in His sight, trusting that the joy money cannot buy is freely given to those who walk with Him.
Ecclesiastes 2:26 in the Original Language
chote (חוֹטֵא), 'sinner' -- one who misses the mark, who falls short of the way set before him.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 2:26
What does Ecclesiastes 2:26 mean?
God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those pleasing to Him, while the toil of the sinner's hoarding finally passes to the good.