Ecclesiastes 2:22For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. Solomon sits in his palace, surrounded by wealth beyond measure, questioning if any of his achievements matter. Modern-day Israel.
The emotion here: exhausted by the futility of endless striving
The original word
yitron (יִתְרוֹן) — profit, advantage, what remains after all costs
Why it matters
Solomon controlled trade routes worth billions in today's currency, yet felt empty
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 2:22
This isn't theoretical philosophy - Solomon had literally tried everything wealth could buy
Common misconceptionPeople think Solomon is being pessimistic about work. He's actually asking the right question - what kind of work has lasting value?
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 2:22
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 2:22 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 2:22 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include futility, work. Notable phrases: what has a man; striving of his heart.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 2:22 mean to you, today?
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