Ecclesiastes 5:19 · Bible study
Ecclesiastes 5:19 Commentary: Power to Enjoy
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Ecclesiastes 5:19 teaches that the ability to enjoy wealth is itself a gift from God, distinct from the mere possession of riches.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The ability to enjoy wealth is a distinct gift from God, separate from the mere possession of riches.
- Key words: “Power to eat” (self-control and freedom to use), “portion” (the limited but real enjoyment God gives), “gift” (grace underlying all good things).
- Main debate: Whether the ability to enjoy is a common grace available to all or a special gift for those who fear God.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty extends not only over provision but also over the capacity for contentment.
- Best use: Teaching on contentment, stewardship, and the purpose of work.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
KJV King James Version 1769
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Every man also to whom God hath given wealth and riches, and hath given him power to eat of it, and to accept his portion, and to rejoice in his labour, this is a gift of God.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labour: that is a gift of God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God entertaineth his heart with delight.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Asimismo, á todo hombre á quien Dios dió riquezas y hacienda, y le dió también facultad para que coma de ellas, y tome su parte, y goce su trabajo; esto es don de Dios.
E todo homem a quem Deus deu riquezas e bens, e lhe deu poder para comer delas, e tomar sua parte, e se alegrar de seu trabalho; isto é presente de Deus.
Car il ne se souviendra pas beaucoup des jours de sa vie, parce que Dieu répand la joie dans son cœur.
Denn welchem Menschen Gott Reichtum und Güter gibt und die Gewalt, daß er davon ißt und trinkt für sein Teil und fröhlich ist in seiner Arbeit, das ist eine Gottesgabe.
Ook een iegelijk mens, aan denwelken God rijkdom en goederen gegeven heeft, en Hij geeft hem de macht, om daarvan te eten, en om zijn deel te nemen, en om zich te verheugen van zijn arbeid, datzelve is een gave van God.
E ancora se Dio ha dato a un uomo delle ricchezze e dei tesori, e gli ha dato potere di goderne, di prenderne la sua parte e di gioire della sua fatica, è questo un dono di Dio;
Bo nie będzie wiele pamiętał na dni żywota swego; przeto, że mu Bóg życzy wesela serca jego.
Недолго будут у него в памяти дни жизни его; потому Бог и вознаграждает его радостью сердца его.
神 賜 人 資財 豐富，使他能 以 吃用，能取 自己的分，在他勞碌中 喜樂，這 乃是 神 的恩賜。
Every man to whom God has given money and wealth and the power to have pleasure in it and to do his part and have joy in his work: this is given by God.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators consistently emphasize the distinction this verse draws between receiving wealth and receiving the ability to enjoy it. Gill notes that “power to eat” means God “caused him to have dominion over his wealth and riches, and not be a slave to them.” Jamieson-Fausset-Brown highlight the contrast with Ecclesiastes 6:2, where God gives riches but withholds the power to enjoy them. The Cambridge Bible places the verse within the book’s recurring theme that life’s goods and the capacity to enjoy them alike come from God’s hand. Keil and Delitzsch identify the grammatical structure as an anacoluthon, emphasizing that the whole sentence points to one conclusion: cheerful enjoyment is not automatic but a special gift added to possession. Recognizing this gift frees us to enjoy what God gives without grasping or guilt.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The ability to enjoy the fruits of one's labor is a distinct gift from God, not automatically linked to possession of wealth.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Source of joy | All traditions agree that both riches and the ability to enjoy them come from God. | Some see this as common grace available to all people; others see it as special grace for those in covenant relationship with God. |
| Condition for enjoyment | The 'power to eat' is necessary for enjoyment and is given by God. | Christians differ on whether this power is given directly through a changed heart or through acquired wisdom and self-discipline. |
| Meaning of 'portion' | The portion refers to the good things one can receive in this life. | Some traditions interpret 'portion' as entirely earthly; others include a foretaste of eternal joy. |
| Relationship to Ecclesiastes 6:2 | The contrast shows God's sovereignty over human enjoyment. | Why God gives power to one and withholds from another is seen as either a mystery of providence or a consequence of unfaithfulness. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ecclesiastes as a whole wrestles with the apparent futility of human labor “under the sun.” The Teacher (Qoheleth) sees that wealth often disappoints: it is lost, hoarded, or left to others. In chapter 5, he warns against the oppression that can accompany wealth (v.8) and the emptiness of loving money (v.10). The middle section (vv.18, 20) provides a counterpoint: the good life consists not in accumulation but in receiving each day’s food and work with gratitude.
Verse 19 specifically addresses the wealthy person. In the ancient Near East, riches were commonly seen as a sign of divine favor. Yet the Teacher observes that not all who have wealth enjoy it. The phrase “power to eat thereof” goes beyond physical ability. It signals self-control, contentment, and the freedom to use possessions well. The word “portion” appears throughout Ecclesiastes (2:10, 3:22, 5:18) to describe the limited but real satisfaction God gives in this life.
The cross-reference to Ecclesiastes 6:2 sharpens the point. There a man has riches, wealth, and honor but “God gives him no power to eat of it.” The gift of enjoyment, therefore, is not automatic. It is a distinct act of God’s grace, as much a gift as the wealth itself. Deuteronomy 8:18 teaches that God gives the power to get wealth; here Ecclesiastes adds that God also gives the power to delight in it. This reframes the purpose of labor: not to accumulate more, but to receive what God provides and to find joy in that receiving.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse.
Reception History
This verse has been a touchstone for Christian reflection on wealth and contentment. Early church fathers such as Ambrose and Augustine used it to teach that enjoying possessions requires a right relationship with God. Medieval monastic writers warned that wealth without the gift of contentment leads to spiritual danger. The Reformers saw in it a warrant for receiving God’s earthly gifts with gratitude, not ascetic denial. Matthew Henry, representing the Puritan tradition, emphasizes that we must “serve God with it, do good with it, and take the comfort of it.” In modern preaching, the verse is often paired with Ecclesiastes 6:2 to explore the mystery of why some can enjoy and others cannot. Across traditions, it remains a key text for teaching that true contentment is a grace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God gives both the gift and the grace to enjoy it. Riches and wealth are from God. But without the power to eat, they become a burden. The ability to take a portion and rejoice is a second, distinct gift.
- Enjoyment is not sinful indulgence. The verse speaks of taking one’s portion and rejoicing in labor. This is not greed or gluttony. It is receiving with gratitude what God has provided, and being freed from slavery to possessions.
- Labor gains its meaning when it ends in joy. The Teacher does not call us to abandon work, but to see it as the context in which God gives joy. Rejoicing in labor means seeing God’s hand in the task and in the fruit it yields.
Five-point outline
- Riches and wealth are a gift. Whatever we have, we did not ultimately earn it; God gave it.
- Power to eat is a separate gift. Having money does not guarantee enjoyment. The ability to use wealth freely and with contentment must also come from God.
- Taking one’s portion is an act of wisdom. Accepting the limits of what God gives, without envy or greed, is part of the good life.
- Rejoicing in labor transforms work. Work becomes not a drudgery for future gain but a present arena for gratitude.
- This whole package is God’s gift. The verse ends by calling the entire experience, wealth, enjoyment, portion, joy, “the gift of God.”
Illustration hooks
- A person who inherits a large sum but becomes paralyzed by fear of losing it, unable to spend or share any of it.
- A retiree who saved for decades but now has no hobbies, no friends, no ability to rest and enjoy the fruit of his labor.
- A family living modestly who finds deep satisfaction in shared meals, simple hobbies, and the work they do together.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it wrong to enjoy material things, or is that God’s intention for us?
- Why do some wealthy people seem miserable, while others with less are content?
- How can I tell if I have the “power to eat” or if I am being enslaved by what I own?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits in a book that honestly faces the frustrations of life. But here the Teacher pauses to say something good: the ability to enjoy what God gives is itself a gift from God. In your group, explore how you experience this truth, and where it is hard to believe.
Discussion questions
- Read Ecclesiastes 5:19 aloud. What stands out to you about the way God gives both wealth and the power to enjoy it?
- How does this verse differ from the common idea that wealth automatically brings happiness?
- What does “power to eat” look like in everyday life? Give a concrete example.
- Compare this verse with Ecclesiastes 6:2. What do these two verses together teach about God’s sovereignty over our enjoyment?
- When have you experienced the “gift of God” described here? When has it been hard to receive?
- How does the promise that enjoyment is “a gift” change the way you approach work or money this week?
- What is one small way you could “take your portion” with gratitude today, even if circumstances feel incomplete?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 8:18 | But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is today. |
| I Kings 3:13 | I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you for all your days. |
| II Chronicles 1:12 | therefore wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. I will give you riches, wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before you, and none after you will have.” |
| Ecclesiastes 2:24 | There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. |
| Ecclesiastes 2:26 | For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind. |
| Ecclesiastes 3:13 | Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God. |
| Ecclesiastes 6:2 | a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that enjoyment and possessions are both gifts from God. This holds true whether there is little or much of such things.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note observes that a person will not dwell on the sorrows of life because God personally matches or answers the joy in their heart. The focus is on divine correspondence: God gives a joy that directly corresponds to the heart's capacity, overwhelming any memory of life's difficult days.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws a sharp distinction between having wealth and having power over it. Many people are slaves to their riches, but the true gift of God is also the ability to enjoy them freely and cheerfully. Both the substance and the freedom to use it come from the same hand.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes the rich man in Ecclesiastes 5:19 receives wealth and power to enjoy it as a gift from God. This person differs from the rich man in Ecclesiastes 6:2 because he may keep all his share without withholding any for God.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch note that the word meaning to enable appears often in Koheleth indicating God makes such enjoyment possible. This joy is a gift from God even though wealth alone does not create it.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats verse 18 as the start of a distinct concluding section on thankful contentment, separate from the preceding warnings against avarice. For him, the ability to enjoy wealth and labor without anxiety is itself a divine gift that keeps a person from dwelling on life's difficulties.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Solomon teaches we should enjoy the food and possessions God gives us as his portion all the days of life. He says this enjoyment comes from using those things to serve God and brings joy in our hearts.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
To take - To use what God hath given him.