Ecclesiastes 2:20Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. Solomon alone in his chambers after reviewing his life's work - the temple, palace, trade empire, wisdom literature. Everything feels hollow.
The emotion here: complete exhaustion and existential despair at life's peak
The original word
ya'ash (יָאַשׁ) — to despair utterly, to give up hope completely, stronger than simple discouragement
Why it matters
Archaeological evidence shows Solomon's building projects employed 180,000 workers for decades
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 2:20
This is the emotional turning point where even the wisest, richest man hits rock bottom
Common misconceptionPeople think Solomon is just complaining. This is actually his dark night of the soul - the necessary breakdown before wisdom.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 2:20
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 2:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 2:20 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the United Kingdom period. The setting is a royal palace. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include despair, labor, futility. Notable phrases: cause my heart to despair.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 2:20 mean to you, today?
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