Ecclesiastes 5:20 (KJV)

What does Ecclesiastes 5:20 mean?

Ecclesiastes 5:20 says that a person who enjoys the good things God gives will not be preoccupied with the hardships or length of their life, because God fills their heart with joy. The verse highlights how God’s gift of joy can overshadow worries about the passing of time or life’s difficulties.

Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon, reflecting on the meaning of life. In this section, the speaker observes that when someone receives blessings and enjoys them, it is a gift from God that brings contentment. The verse suggests that this God-given joy helps people focus less on life’s troubles and more on the present good.

The Hebrew behind Ecclesiastes 5:20

• "Much" (רָבָה, rabah): This word often means "to be many" or "to increase." Here, it suggests that the person will not "greatly" or "often" remember the days of their life, emphasizing a lessened focus on past hardships or the passage of time.
• "Answereth" (עָנָה, anah): While usually meaning "to answer" or "to respond," in this context it carries the sense of God "occupying" or "engaging" the person’s heart with joy, so that their attention is turned away from troubles.
• "Joy" (שִׂמְחָה, simchah): This word means "joy" or "gladness." The verse points out that this joy is not self-generated, but is something God places in the heart, making it a divine gift rather than a human achievement.

Why Ecclesiastes 5:20 matters

• Ecclesiastes 5:20 clarifies that true joy is portrayed as a gift from God, not something people can manufacture by their own efforts or possessions.
• The verse helps correct the idea that remembering or dwelling on life’s hardships is inevitable; it suggests that God’s joy can actually shift a person’s focus away from such concerns.
• This verse ties into the larger theme of Ecclesiastes, which explores the limits of human striving and the importance of receiving life’s good things as gifts from God.