Ecclesiastes 7:26I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
The setting
Ancient Jerusalem, ~950 BC. Solomon reflecting on his 700 wives and 300 concubines, many of whom led him away from God...
The emotion here: bitter regret from personal experience
The original word
maqosh (מָקוֹשׁ) — snare or trap, specifically a hunter's device that captures by deception
Why it matters
Solomon's foreign wives ultimately led him to worship their gods, fulfilling this very warning
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 7:26
This isn't about women in general - it's about anyone who uses charm to manipulate and destroy
Common misconceptionThis is often read as misogynistic, but Solomon is describing manipulative people of any gender who use seduction as a weapon.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 7:26
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 7:26 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 7:26 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 grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include relationships, wisdom. Notable phrases: more bitter than death; snares and traps.
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 7:26 mean to you, today?
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