Ecclesiastes 5:17 · Bible study
Ecclesiastes 5:17 Commentary: Eating in Darkness
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This verse describes the haunted life of the greedy, eating in darkness, frustrated, sick, angry. Does it warn literally or poetically?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The miser's life is one of darkness, frustration, sickness, and anger, a stark warning against greed.
- Key words: Eat (figure for live), darkness (gloom/wrath), frustration (vexation), sickness (physical/mental affliction).
- Main debate: Literal stealthy eating vs. metaphorical life without God's light.
- Theological theme: The vanity of trusting in riches; true joy is God's gift.
- Best use: A cautionary text for sermons on contentment, stewardship, and the folly of covetousness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
WEB World English Bible 2000
All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.
KJV King James Version 1769
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he is sore vexed, and hath sickness and wrath.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Also all his days in darkness he consumeth, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and hath much vexation, and sickness, and irritation.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
This therefore hath seemed good to me, that a man should eat and drink, and enjoy the fruit of his labour, wherewith he hath laboured under the sun, all the days of his life, which God hath given him: and this is his portion.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Demás de esto, todos los días de su vida comerá en tinieblas, con mucho enojo y dolor y miseria.
Além disso, ele comeu em trevas todos os seus dias; sofreu muito, e teve enfermidades e irritações.
Voici ce que j’ ai vu: c’ est pour l’ homme une chose bonne et belle de manger et de boire, et de jouir du bien-être au milieu de tout le travail qu’ il fait sous le soleil, pendant le nombre des jours de vie que Dieu lui a donnés; car c’ est là sa part.
Sein Leben lang hat er im Finstern gegessen und in großem Grämen und Krankheit und Verdruß.
Dat hij ook al zijn dagen in duisternis gegeten heeft; en dat hij veel verdriets gehad heeft, ook zijn krankheid, en onstuimigen toorn?
E per di più, durante tutta la vita egli mangia nelle tenebre, e ha molti fastidi, malanni e crucci.
Toć jest, com ja obaczył, że dobra i osobliwa rzecz jest, jeść i pić, i używać dobrego ze wszystkiej pracy swej, którą człowiek podejmuje pod słońcem po wszystkie dni żywota swego, które mu dał Bóg; albowiem to jest dział jego.
Вот еще, что я нашел доброго и приятного: есть и пить и наслаждаться добром во всех трудах своих, какими кто трудится под солнцем во все дни жизни своей, которые дал ему Бог; потому что это его доля.
並且 他終身 在黑暗中 吃喝，多有 煩惱，又有病患 嘔氣。
All his days are in the dark, and he has much sorrow, pain, disease, and trouble.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Ecclesiastes 5:17 paints a bleak portrait of the miser's existence. The phrase 'eats in darkness' is almost universally read as a metaphor for a joyless life, devoid of the light of God's favor and inner contentment (Cambridge Bible; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). Even the literal interpretation, that the miser eats in darkness to save candlelight, underscores the same misery (Gill). The verse piles up terms: darkness, frustration, sickness, wrath. Keil and Delitzsch note that 'eating' is a figure for the whole course of life; the miser 'consumes' his days in gloom. The Hebrew text permits a textual variant, 'walks in darkness' (Clarke), which only strengthens the image. The consensus is clear: hoarding riches does not bring happiness but a life of deep unhappiness, bodily affliction, and smoldering anger.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal miserly practice: Several Hebrew manuscripts read 'walks in darkness'; rabbinic tradition (Aben Ezra) understood it as eating in the dark to save light.
- Metaphorical spiritual condition: Context of the book, parallel with 'walking in darkness' as a figure for degeneracy, and contrast with joy and light in surrounding verses.
What is clear: The verse unambiguously describes a life of misery and lack of joy resulting from greed.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Literal vs metaphorical interpretation | Both agree the verse depicts a miserable existence devoid of joy. | Some ancient Jewish and literal interpreters (Aben Ezra, some MSS tradition) read it as eating in actual darkness to save resources; most Christian commentators read it metaphorically as a life without spiritual light or joy. |
| The meaning of 'wrath' (Hebrew ka'as) | The word indicates strong emotion, often anger or vexation. | Some see it as the miser's anger at his circumstances, competitors, or God; others see it as a sense of divine judgment or wrath that accompanies the miser, though most take it as human anger (Gill, Keil). |
| The source of the sickness | The miser suffers from sickness of some kind. | Gill suggests it could be sickness from covetousness (mental anguish) or physical sickness from depriving himself; others see it as general illness from stress. Wesley sees it as sickness that comes when the miser falls ill and fears death. |
| Textual variant 'walks' vs 'eats' | Both readings produce a similar picture of a dark and joyless existence. | The Masoretic Text has 'eats,' but several manuscripts and the Midrash read 'walks' (Clarke, Keil & Delitzsch). The Targum and Syriac support 'eats.' This affects whether the image is about consumption or movement, but the overall meaning remains consistent. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse sits within Qoheleth's extended meditation on the vanity of wealth (Ecclesiastes 5:10-20). In the ancient Near East, wealth was widely regarded as a sign of divine blessing; the prosperous man was thought to be favored by God. Qoheleth subverts that assumption by laying bare the internal suffering of the miser. The opening phrase, 'All his days he also eats in darkness,' draws on the language of the curse in Genesis 3:17, 'You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life.' Darkness here carries layers of meaning: it is the opposite of the 'light of the countenance' that brings joy (Proverbs 16:15; Ecclesiastes 8:1). In Israelite culture, meals were typically shared with family in the light, a time of fellowship and celebration. To eat alone and in darkness signifies social isolation, fear, and a lack of festivity.
The terms that follow, frustration, sickness, wrath, describe the miser's entire state of being. He is 'sore vexed' (ASV), perpetually anxious about his wealth, afraid of loss, and unable to enjoy what he has. The word for wrath (Hebrew ka'as) suggests heated anger, often directed at circumstances or even God (cf. II Chronicles 16:10). This is not merely emotional; it manifests physically as 'sickness' (literally 'illness' or 'infirmity'). The passage thus serves as a powerful counter-testimony to the belief that riches guarantee happiness. Qoheleth's observations align with later apostolic teaching: 'the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil' (1 Timothy 6:10). The cultural emphasis on the public enjoyment of God's gifts makes the miser's private darkness all the more tragic.
Textual Notes
Several Hebrew manuscripts read ילך 'walks' instead of יאכל 'eats,' yielding 'he walks in darkness' (Clarke; Keil & Delitzsch). The manuscript tradition is divided: the Targum and Syriac side with the Masoretic reading 'eats,' while the Midrash and some Masoretic codices note the variant. The change does not substantially alter the sense, both depict a life lived in gloom. The traditional punctuation of 'wrath' is also debated: some read it as a separate noun, others as part of a verb phrase.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Ecclesiastes 5:17 has been a key text in warnings against covetousness. Matthew Henry (Reformed/Presbyterian) cited it to show that even the wealth of the miser cannot prevent his mental and physical anguish. Puritan writers often used the verse to expose the spiritual darkness of those who trust in riches. In the Wesleyan tradition, Adam Clarke emphasized the lack of 'evidence of salvation' in such a life. The verse has also been employed in pastoral care to help those struggling with anxiety over money to see its spiritual roots. In modern evangelical preaching, it is frequently paired with 1 Timothy 6:6-10 to teach contentment. The literal interpretation, though marginalized, persisted in some Jewish exegetical traditions (Aben Ezra). Overall, the verse has served as a sobering mirror for the human heart's tendency to find security in wealth rather than in God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Darkness: The miser lives without joy or the light of God's presence. He 'eats', lives, in a self-imposed gloom, unable to enjoy either his wealth or God's gifts.
- Frustration: Constant anxiety and disappointment mark his days. Losses, slow gains, and the fear of losing everything keep him in perpetual agitation.
- Sickness and wrath: The emotional toll becomes physical: stress-related illness, bitterness, and anger toward others, circumstances, and even God.
Five-point outline
- The miser's practice, whether literal (eating in the dark to save) or figurative, it reveals a life of deprivation.
- The emotional cost, sorrow, vexation, and chronic unhappiness.
- The relational isolation, eating alone, distrusting others, cutting off community.
- The physical damage, sickness that comes from worry, poor nutrition, and lack of care.
- The spiritual emptiness, the absence of God's light, no eternal perspective, only the dread of death.
Illustration hooks
- A person who works overtime every night, skips vacations, and lives in a cramped apartment even though they have a large savings account, always planning but never enjoying.
- An elderly man who hoards canned goods and wears patched clothes because he's terrified of running out, while his children plead with him to use his money for comfort.
- A business owner who constantly complains about taxes, employees, and competitors, never sleeping well, and snapping at family members over small expenses.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it wrong to be careful with money or to save for the future? Where is the line between prudence and the misery described here?
- How can I enjoy the gifts God has given me without feeling guilty or wasteful?
- What if I'm struggling financially and this verse feels like a judgment on my lack of abundance?
Leading a Discussion
This verse gives us a stark look at the inner life of someone who trusts in riches. The language is vivid and unsettling. As you discuss it, keep in mind that Qoheleth isn't condemning wealth itself, but the miserable condition of the heart that clings to it without gratitude or enjoyment. Let this passage search our own attitudes toward money and contentment.
Discussion questions
- What picture comes to mind as you read the phrase 'eats in darkness'? What kind of person do you imagine?
- Read the surrounding passage (Ecclesiastes 5:10-20). Why do you think Qoheleth includes this specific description right after talking about the vanity of hoarding wealth?
- The word 'wrath' (or 'anger') is strong. What might make a miser angry? Have you ever seen someone's anxiety about money turn into resentment?
- Compare this verse with Genesis 3:17-19. How does the curse of labor connect to the miser's experience?
- In verse 18-20, Qoheleth presents an alternative: to eat and drink and enjoy labor as God's gift. What is the key difference between the two ways of living?
- Is there a 'darkness' in your own life around finances, a sense of anxiety, secrecy, or lack of joy? How might you invite God's light into that area?
- What practical steps could you take this week to receive and enjoy what God has given you, rather than just holding it?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 3:17 | To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life. |
| I Kings 17:12 | She said, “As Yahweh your God lives, I don’t have anything baked, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jar. Behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” |
| II Kings 1:2 | Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper room that was in Samaria, and was sick. So he sent messengers, and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.” |
| II Kings 1:6 | They said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you, and tell him, “Yahweh says, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you send to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you will surely die.’”’” |
| II Kings 5:27 | Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow. |
| II Chronicles 16:10 | Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time. |
| II Chronicles 16:12 | In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceedingly great; yet in his disease he didn’t seek Yahweh, but just the physicians. |
| II Chronicles 24:24 | For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that some ancient manuscripts say the man will walk rather than eat when he dies. He believes this means the person has no proof of salvation and lives in total darkness with no hope beyond death. His conscience filled with God’s wrath adds even greater horror.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes corrects a common reading: the phrase is not merely "much sorrow" but describes a state of deep sadness combined with pain and vexation. He emphasises that the writer's condition involves both emotional anguish and physical distress, a heavier burden than simple grief.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges sees eating in darkness as a picture of a life lacking joy. It also views sickness and wrath as connected things.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes sees eating drinking and enjoying work as part of God given life’s proper portion. This view holds that such things are right to have within the days God gives a person to live.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that the miser lives a miserable, joyless life, eating in secret darkness to avoid sharing or losing time. Such a person is consumed by sorrow, anger, and indignation over financial losses, disappointments, and the eventual prospect of leaving his wealth behind.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that the word for eat means live in general. He also says darkness is opposite to the light of a joyful countenance. His view holds that wrath means great sorrow along with physical weakness.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch see eating in darkness as a figurative way of describing a life filled with sorrow and anger. This view holds that the person does not literally eat in dark places but lives in a gloomy and troubled state.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees this verse as the climax of the section on avarice, painting a grim picture of the miser's life. The darkness is not just physical but spiritual gloom, and the sorrow and wrath accompany even his sickness, showing that greed destroys all capacity for enjoyment.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry argues that money is not a true source of happiness because it brings no lasting joy even when owned in great amounts. He shows that wealth leads to suffering and ends with nothing taken away.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley describes the inner torment of a person whose entire hope rests in wealth and worldly success. Even eating brings no comfort, only anxiety and discontent. Facing death, he is filled with rage at being cut off before his plans are complete and forced to leave the world he loves.