Ecclesiastes 12

Ecclesiastes 12 is the twelfth chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book contains philosophical speeches by a character called 'Qoheleth', composed probably between the 5th and 2nd centuries BCE. Peshitta, Targum, and Talmud attribute the authorship of the book to King Solomon. This chapter continues the previous one in the sustained encouragement to make decision and the need to act speedily.

Text

The original text was written in Hebrew. This chapter is divided into 14 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes Codex Leningradensis.
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, and Codex Alexandrinus. The Greek text is probably derived from the work of Aquila of Sinope or his followers.

Structure

The New King James Version divides this chapter into two parts:

= Seek God in early life
= The whole duty of man

Weeks and Eaton see verses 1–8 as a continuation of chapter 11. Verses 9–14 constitute an epilogue to the whole book.

The urgency of decision (12:1–8)

This part reminds the people to look not only to the life of joy but also to its Creator. Verses 2–7 are considered to contain metaphorical and picturesque descriptions of the physical degeneration accompanying old age, until the end of life, depicted as the end of the world, all in one Hebrew sentence. There is a Sumerian poem applying the same style to the same topic.

Verse 1

"Creator": provides a link to the creation in verse 7. The "evil" days are rendered as the "difficult" days by the New King James Version.

Verse 6

''before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern''

Verse 7

This verse certainly depicts death, echoing ;.

Verse 8

This verse and Ecclesiastes 1:2 with the same words form an inclusio, together framing the body of the book.

Epilogue (12:9–14)

This section provides an assessment and apology for Qoheleth and the book. The final admonition:points to the conclusion in a formula establishing authority of the text, that one should fear God and obey God's commandments, as there will be judgment.