Ecclesiastes 7:12 Meaning and Explanation
“For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Both wisdom and money offer shelter, but wisdom's surpassing worth is that it preserves the very life of the one who holds it.
What Does Ecclesiastes 7:12 Mean?
Building on the previous verse, the Preacher grants that money, like wisdom, provides a kind of protection — the Hebrew pictures both as a 'shade' or shelter from life's heat. Then he names the difference that makes wisdom supreme.
Wealth shields the body for a time, but wisdom guards and quickens the whole person, giving a life worth living. Riches cannot teach a soul how to live or ready it for death; wisdom does both. Scripture names the fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom, and in Christ wisdom becomes life that the grave cannot take.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 in the Original Language
tsel (צֵל), 'defence' -- literally 'shade' or shadow, shelter from the sun's heat.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 7:12
What does Ecclesiastes 7:12 mean?
Both wisdom and money offer shelter, but wisdom's surpassing worth is that it preserves the very life of the one who holds it.