Ecclesiastes 2:24

There was nothing more blessed for Man [than] that he should eat and drink, and see his desireth for blessedness in his toil,—even this, saw, I myself, that, from the hand of God, it was.

The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham

In The King James Version

There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

In Context

23For, all his days, are pains, and, vexatious, is his employment, even in the night, his heart lieth not down,—even this, was, vanity.

25For who could eat and who could enjoy, so well as I?

Read all of Ecclesiastes 2

Cross References

Deuteronomy 12:18but before Yahweh thy God, shalt thou eat it in the place which Yahweh thy God shall choose, thou and thy son and thy daughter, and thy servant and thy handmaid, and the Levite who is within thy gates,—so shalt thou rejoice before Yahweh thy God, in all whereunto thou puttest thy hand.

Nehemiah 8:10So he said unto them—Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared, for holy is the day, unto our Lord,—and be not grieved, for, the joy of Yahweh, is your strength.

Ecclesiastes 3:12I know that there is no blessedness in them,—save to be glad, and to do well with one’s life.

Ecclesiastes 3:22So I saw, that there was nothing better than that a man should be glad in his works, for, that, is his portion,—for who can bring him in, to look upon that which shall be after him?

Ecclesiastes 5:18Lo! what, I myself, have seen—Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one’s toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:

Ecclesiastes 8:15Then extolled I, gladness, in that there was nothing better for a man, under the sun, than to eat and to drink, and to be glad,—since, that, should tarry with him in his toil, for the days of his life which God had given him under the sun.

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

Sources of Dissatisfaction; The Cheerful Use of Abundance. 17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 2:24