Ecclesiastes 7:14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. Solomon observing the cycles of fortune and misfortune among his subjects from his throne room. Modern-day Israel, where ancient wisdom still resonates.
The emotion here: resigned acceptance mixed with newfound peace about life's unpredictability
The original word
gam (גַּם) — also, even, yea - emphasizing the intentional pairing of opposites
Why it matters
Solomon had experienced both unprecedented prosperity and devastating spiritual decline by this point
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 7:14
God deliberately arranges both seasons so we can't predict or control what comes next
Common misconceptionPeople think this means God causes bad things. Solomon is saying God allows both seasons to keep us from becoming too self-reliant.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 7:14
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 7:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 7:14 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 deciding, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include seasons, divine sovereignty. Notable phrases: day of prosperity be joyful; day of adversity consider; God made both. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 7:14 mean to you, today?
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