Ecclesiastes 10:19A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
The setting
Solomon's palace, ~950 BC. The king reflects on royal banquets and treasury records, observing how money solves practical problems in ancient Israel's economy...
The emotion here: cynically observing life's pragmatic realities
The original word
keseph (כֶּסֶף) — silver, the primary currency that 'answers' or responds to needs
Why it matters
Ancient Israel used silver by weight, not coins — money was literally weighed for transactions
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 10:19
Solomon isn't endorsing materialism — he's stating money's practical power while questioning its ultimate value
Common misconceptionPeople either use this to justify greed or condemn it as worldly, but Solomon is making a practical observation about money's power while questioning whether it brings meaning.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 10:19
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 10:19 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 10:19 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is joyful, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include enjoyment, materialism. Notable phrases: feast for laughter; wine makes glad; money answers all.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same joyful
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, …”
— Isaiah 9:6
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
“"Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?"”
— 1 Corinthians 15:55
“Rejoice always.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 10:19 mean to you, today?
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