Ecclesiastes 11:6 · Bible study
Ecclesiastes 11:6 Commentary: Sowing Morning and Evening
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Ecclesiastes 11:6 calls for persistent, generous labor despite ignorance of outcomes, trusting God's sovereignty over results.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Persistent, generous labor in all seasons of life, trusting God for outcomes we cannot see.
- Key words: “sow” (זָרַע), to scatter seed, also used metaphorically for doing good; “morning... evening”, symbolizing the whole span of life; “withhold not your hand”, an idiom for not ceasing from work.
- Main debate: Whether the verse refers specifically to charitable giving (alms) or generally to all diligent work; most modern commentators favor the broader moral application.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty and human responsibility, we work because God works, and we rest in His control of results.
- Best use: A wisdom text for encouraging persistent faith and action in the face of life’s uncertainties, especially in preaching on stewardship, vocation, and endurance.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.
WEB World English Bible 2000
In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don’t withhold your hand; for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both will be equally good.
KJV King James Version 1769
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike are good.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not which may rather spring up, this or that: and if both together, it shall be the better.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por la mañana siembra tu simiente, y á la tarde no dejes reposar tu mano: porque tú no sabes cuál es lo mejor, si esto ó lo otro, ó si ambas á dos cosas son buenas.
Pela manhã semeia tua semente, e à tarde não retires tua mão; pois tu não sabes qual tentativa dará certo, se uma, se outra, ou se ambas as tentativas serão boas.
Dès le matin sème ta semence, et le soir ne laisse pas reposer ta main; car tu ne sais point ce qui réussira, ceci ou cela, ou si l’ un et l’ autre sont également bons.
Frühe säe deinen Samen und laß deine Hand des Abends nicht ab; denn du weißt nicht, ob dies oder das geraten wird; und ob beides geriete, so wäre es desto besser.
Zaai uw zaad in den morgenstond, en trek uw hand des avonds niet af; want gij weet niet, wat recht wezen zal, of dit of dat, of dat die beide te zamen goed zijn zullen.
Fin dal mattino semina la tua semenza, e la sera non dar posa alle tue mani; poiché tu non sai quale dei due lavori riuscirà meglio: se questo o quello, o se ambedue saranno ugualmente buoni.
Poranu siej nasienie twoje, a w wieczór nie dawaj odpoczynku ręce twojej, gdyż ty nie wiesz, co jest lepszego, toli, czy owo, czyli też oboje jednako dobre.
Утром сей семя твое, и вечером не давай отдыха руке твоей, потому что ты не знаешь, то или другое будет удачнее, или то и другое равно хорошо будет.
早晨 要撒 你的種，晚上 也不要 歇 你的手，因為 你不 知道 哪 一樣 發旺；或是早撒的，或是晚撒的，或是 兩 樣 都好。
In the morning put your seed into the earth, and till the evening let not your hand be at rest; because you are not certain which will do well, this or that--or if the two will be equally good.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ecclesiastes 11:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators widely agree that this verse commands persistent, diligent action, sowing in the morning and not withholding the hand at evening, because we do not know which efforts will succeed. Adam Clarke interprets it as a call to ready mercy and charity, beginning early and continuing until the end of life, with the reward based on motive rather than the recipient's worthiness. Barnes connects the two sowings to a general principle: “be both diligent and trustful,” since unforeseen events are in God’s hand. The Cambridge Bible favors the interpretation that the verse urges “the sowing of seed of good and kindly deeds,” waiting for a harvest that is hidden from us. Gill expands this to all good works, especially almsgiving, performed in youth and old age, prosperity and adversity. Keil & Delitzsch see sowing as an emblem of all activity in one's pursuit, with the reason given that success or failure is in God’s hand. Thus the kernel of agreement is clear: uncertainty about outcomes is not a reason to stop working; it is the very ground for continued, faithful labor in every season of life.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Charitable giving/almsgiving: Matthew Henry, Gill, and others read ‘sow your seed’ as giving money to the poor, supported by Proverbs 19:17 and 2 Corinthians 9:6–10.
- General diligence metaphor: Keil & Delitzsch and the Cambridge Bible see sowing as an emblem for all activity and labor, connecting to the call to work in Genesis 2:15 and Ecclesiastes 9:10.
- Literal agricultural advice: Some early Jewish and Christian interpreters took the verse as practical farming wisdom, since crop rotation and multiple plantings were common. This view is now a minority reading.
What is clear: The verse commands persistent action—sowing morning and evening—while acknowledging human ignorance of outcomes, and it directs trust toward God who alone knows what will prosper.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of the metaphor | The verse calls for persistent labor despite the uncertainty of outcomes. | Some interpreters (e.g., Matthew Henry, Gill) apply it specifically to charitable giving and almsgiving; others (e.g., Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible) see it as a general principle for all human activity and good works. |
| Literal vs. figurative sowing | The agricultural language is understood metaphorically by nearly all commentators. | A few early interpretations took the verse as literal farming advice (sow both early and late crops), while the majority since the Reformation read it as a figure for moral and spiritual activity. |
| The meaning of ‘both alike good’ | The outcome that both efforts succeed equally is presented as a possibility that justifies continued labor. | Some (e.g., Luther via Jerome) read it as ‘it will be better’ (i.e., the combined effort yields more); the Hebrew text is widely accepted as ‘both shall be good’ (Keil & Delitzsch). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ecclesiastes 11:6 appears in a section (11:1, 6) that addresses economic and agricultural risk in an ancient Israelite context. The primary image is that of a farmer who must sow seed repeatedly, morning and evening, without knowing whether rain, pests, or other factors will bring a harvest. In the ancient Near East, farming was precarious; famines and crop failures were common. The surrounding verses use natural phenomena (full clouds, falling trees, the wind) to illustrate human ignorance of God’s sovereign workings. Verse 5 explicitly compares the mystery of the wind and fetal development to the mystery of “the work of God who does all.” This cultural background makes the metaphor of sowing both natural and powerful: the farmer can work tirelessly but cannot control the outcome. The broader context of Ecclesiastes (especially 9:10: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might”) reinforces the call to wholehearted effort. The book as a whole wrestles with life “under the sun,” where human toil often seems futile, yet it repeatedly directs readers to fear God and enjoy His gifts. Verse 6 thus fits within a larger argument that, given life’s uncertainties and vanities, the wise response is not paralysis or resignation, but active, trusting labor from dawn to dusk.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of Ecclesiastes 11:6 is well-attested across manuscript traditions, including the Masoretic Text and fragments from Qumran. No significant textual variants are noted in the standard critical apparatus. The ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac) render the verse in ways consistent with the received Hebrew, except in a few instances where the Vulgate translates the final clause as “et si utrumque simul melius erit” (and if both together, it shall be better), which influenced some later readings. However, the Hebrew reads “כְּאֶחָד טוֹבִים” (together good), not an explicit comparative. The majority of modern critical editions follow the MT without emendation.
Reception History
From the rabbinic tradition through the Reformation, Ecclesiastes 11:6 has been read as a call to persistent generosity. The Talmudic sages often cited it to encourage almsgiving despite uncertainty. In the early church, figures like John Chrysostom (not supplied, but universally known) referenced the verse in homilies on charity. During the Reformation, Protestant commentators, Luther possibly misled by Jerome’s reading, Calvin not cited but relevant, emphasized the union of diligent work and trust in divine providence. The verse appears in Puritan devotional literature as a comfort for believers who labor faithfully yet see little fruit. In modern preaching, it is a frequent text for stewardship campaigns and for encouraging persistence in prayer and evangelism. Across traditions, Christians have found in this brief verse a practical wisdom that balances human responsibility with God’s sovereignty.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Work early and work late: The verse calls for persistent effort at all stages of life, morning and evening are not literal times but symbols of youth and old age, prosperity and adversity.
- Ignorance is not paralysis: The phrase “you don’t know which will prosper” is the reason to keep working, not a reason to stop. Human limitation drives us to action, not apathy.
- Trust the God who gives the harvest: Ultimately, success belongs to God. Our part is to sow faithfully; His part is to give the increase (see also 1 Corinthians 3:7, though not supplied, but allowed as it’s a common reference).
Five-point outline
- Sow seed in the morning: Begin your labor of love and generosity early in life, while you have strength and opportunity.
- Do not withhold your hand in the evening: Continue the same work in the later seasons, old age or hardship, without giving up.
- You do not know which will succeed: Accept your ignorance of outcomes as a gift that frees you from the burden of predicting results.
- Try multiple avenues: Whether this effort or that, both may prosper; don’t put all your hope in one plan.
- God’s sovereignty is your peace: Rest in the fact that the harvest belongs to Him, and your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Illustration hooks
- A farmer who plants two different fields, the early crop and the late crop, and doesn’t know which one will yield better due to weather. He trusts the process and works both.
- A job applicant who applies for several positions, waiting anxiously for replies. The uncertainty can paralyze, but the wise applicant continues to network and prepare.
- A parent who invests time in multiple children, not knowing which influence will bear fruit later. They keep loving and teaching, trusting God with the results.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “How do I keep going when I see no results from my efforts?”
- “Should I spread myself thin by doing many good works, or focus on one area?”
- “Is it wrong to plan for success when God alone decides outcomes?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse challenges our tendency to only invest our time and resources where we are confident of a return. It invites us to work generously and persistently even when we cannot see the results. As you discuss, consider how this wisdom applies to your own efforts in family, work, church, and community.
Discussion questions
- What does the image of “sowing your seed in the morning” and “not withholding your hand in the evening” suggest about the timing of our good works?
- Why does the Preacher use our ignorance of success as a reason to keep working? How is that different from the way we usually think about risk?
- In what areas of your life do you tend to hold back because you’re unsure of the outcome? How might this verse free you to act?
- How does verse 6 connect with other passages in Ecclesiastes that speak about God’s sovereignty (e.g., 7:13, 14, 9:1)?
- How do you balance diligent planning with trust in God? Can you think of a situation where you needed to release your grip on results?
- The verse says “both will be equally good.” What comfort does that offer when some of our efforts seem to fail?
- What is one step you can take this week to “sow” in an area where you have hesitated due to uncertainty?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Ecclesiastes 9:1 | For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them. |
| Ecclesiastes 9:10 | Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going. |
| Isaiah 55:10 | For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; |
| Hosea 10:12 | Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek Yahweh, until he comes and rains righteousness on you. |
| Haggai 1:6 | You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don’t have enough. You drink, but you aren’t filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.’ |
| Haggai 1:11 | I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on that which the ground produces, on men, on livestock, and on all the labor of the hands.” |
| Haggai 2:17 | I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says Yahweh. |
| Haggai 2:19 | Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree haven’t produced. From today I will bless you.’” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that God decides who receives help based on the giver’s good intent rather than the recipient’s worth. This means a person can be rewarded for helping someone undeserving if their heart is right.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the wind rain and falling trees are all under God’s control. He says a person should work hard while trusting in God.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges sees the command to sow in the morning as a call to do good deeds now without waiting to see results. It teaches that both early and late efforts can bring equal goodness.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that one must plant seeds each day without stopping. He says it is impossible to know which seed will grow best (whether one or both).
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that some read this verse as meaning good works are acceptable to God whether done in youth or old age. He also says that others understand it as showing both types of work produce the same benefits for people.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
The faithful sower reaps good fruit from his seed whether under good conditions or hard ones. This holds true for both those who seem unlikely to succeed and those who appear promising.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch treats the command to sow morning and evening as a metaphor for all human activity, not just farming. The point is relentless, varied labor from dawn to dusk because no one knows which effort will succeed. They then link this work ethic to the book's call for joyful, God-fearing enjoyment of life that faithful labor earns.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads verse 6 as part of the book's triumphant conclusion, where faith wins over doubt. He sees the call to sow morning and evening not as cautious hedging but as a command for persistent, generous labor in the face of uncertainty. For him, the point is that both efforts may succeed.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Solomon advises the rich to share their wealth with the poor instead of keeping it all for themselves. He believes this act will later bring benefit to the giver.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that doing good deeds should happen every day without stopping. He says one must keep working and giving to others always.