Chapter 6
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
6Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
“A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.”
Overview
The Preacher describes the tragic case of a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, yet God does not give him the ability to enjoy them. He observes that even if a man lives a thousand years twice over but does not enjoy good things, all go to one place. He concludes that the appetite is never satisfied and that no one knows what is good for a person during the few days of their vain life.
Key Themes
Wealth Without Enjoyment
Having abundance without the God-given ability to enjoy it is a grievous evil, showing that enjoyment depends on God's gift, not human accumulation.
The Insatiable Appetite
The soul's appetite is never filled by earthly things, revealing an inner emptiness that material prosperity cannot address.
The Uncertainty of Human Knowledge
No one can tell what is truly good for a person or what will happen after they are gone, highlighting the limits of human foresight.
Study Questions
How can someone have everything yet lack the ability to enjoy it (vv. 1-2)?
What does this chapter teach about the difference between possession and enjoyment?
Why does the Preacher say 'the appetite is not filled' (v. 7 paraphrase)?
How does this chapter challenge the assumption that having more automatically means experiencing more?
What does the inability to enjoy blessings tell us about our dependence on God?
Connection to Christ
The insatiable appetite described by the Preacher is the hunger that only Christ can satisfy. Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst' (John 6:35).
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Ecclesiastes 6. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?