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Ecclesiastes 11

Eccl. 11:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

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Cast
shalach (Hebrew #7971)
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
KJV usage: X any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).
Pronounce: shaw-lakh'
Origin: a primitive root
s thy bread
lechem (Hebrew #3899)
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
KJV usage: ((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.
Pronounce: lekh'-em
Origin: from 3898
λupon
paniym (Hebrew #6440)
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
KJV usage: + accept, a-(be- )fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with(- in, + -stand), X ye, X you.
Pronounce: paw-neem'
Origin: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh'}; from 6437)
the waters
mayim (Hebrew #4325)
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
KJV usage: + piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
Pronounce: mah'-yim
Origin: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense)
t: for thou shalt find
matsa' (Hebrew #4672)
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
KJV usage: + be able, befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
Pronounce: maw-tsaw'
Origin: a primitive root
it after many
rob (Hebrew #7230)
abundance (in any respect)
KJV usage: abundance(- antly), all, X common (sort), excellent, great(-ly, -ness, number), huge, be increased, long, many, more in number, most, much, multitude, plenty(-ifully), X very (age).
Pronounce: robe
Origin: from 7231
days
yowm (Hebrew #3117)
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
KJV usage: age, + always, + chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
Pronounce: yome
Origin: from an unused root meaning to be hot
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λ
upon the face of.
t
Deut. 15:10• 10Thou shalt bountifully give unto him, and thy heart shall not be evil-disposed when thou givest unto him; because for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all the business of thy hand. (Deut. 15:10)
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Psa. 41:1‑2• 1To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that understandeth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.
2Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive; he shall be made happy in the land; and thou wilt not deliver him to the will of his enemies.
(Psa. 41:1‑2)
;
Prov. 11:25• 25The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. (Prov. 11:25)
;
Prov. 19:17• 17He that is gracious to the poor lendeth unto Jehovah; and what he hath bestowed will he repay unto him. (Prov. 19:17)
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Isa. 32:8• 8But the noble deviseth noble things; and to noble things doth he stand. (Isa. 32:8)
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Matt. 10:42• 42And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matt. 10:42)
;
2 Cor. 9:8• 8But God is able to make every gracious gift abound towards you, that, having in every way always all-sufficiency, ye may abound to every good work: (2 Cor. 9:8)
;
Heb. 6:10‑11• 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the love which ye have shewn to his name, having ministered to the saints, and still ministering.
11But we desire earnestly that each one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end;
(Heb. 6:10‑11)

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Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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1-6:  Directions for charity.
7-8:  Death in life,
9-10:  and the day ofjudgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on.
Cast.That is, says Bp. Lowth, "Sow thy seed or corn on the face of the waters;" in plain terms, sow without any hope of a harvest:
do good even to them on whom your benefactions seem thrown away.
Dr. Jebb has well illustrated it by the following passages:"Vain are the favours done to vicious men; Not vainer 'tis to sow the foaming deep. The deep no pleasant harvest shall afford, Nor will the wicked ever make return.""To befriend the wicked is like sowing in the sea."
These, indeed, invert this precept; nor is it extraordinary that they should;"The one, frail human power alone produced, The other, God."thy bread.
Deut. 15:7‑11• 7If there be amongst you a poor man, any one of thy brethren in one of thy gates, in thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy brother in need;
8but thou shalt open thy hand bountifully unto him, and shalt certainly lend him on pledge what is sufficient for his need, in that which he lacketh.
9Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thy heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry against thee to Jehovah, and it be sin in thee.
10Thou shalt bountifully give unto him, and thy heart shall not be evil-disposed when thou givest unto him; because for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all the business of thy hand.
11For the needy shall never cease from within the land; therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thy hand bountifully unto thy brother, to thy poor and to thy needy, in thy land.
(Deut. 15:7‑11)
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Prov. 11:24‑25• 24There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is right, but it tendeth only to want.
25The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
(Prov. 11:24‑25)
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Prov. 22:9• 9He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor. (Prov. 22:9)
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Isa. 32:8• 8But the noble deviseth noble things; and to noble things doth he stand. (Isa. 32:8)
waters.
Heb. face of the waters.
for.
Eccl. 11:6• 6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. (Eccl. 11:6)
;
Deut. 15:10• 10Thou shalt bountifully give unto him, and thy heart shall not be evil-disposed when thou givest unto him; because for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all the business of thy hand. (Deut. 15:10)
;
Psa. 41:1‑2• 1To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that understandeth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.
2Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive; he shall be made happy in the land; and thou wilt not deliver him to the will of his enemies.
(Psa. 41:1‑2)
;
Psa. 126:5‑6• 5They that sow in tears shall reap with rejoicing:
6He goeth forth and weepeth, bearing seed for scattering; he cometh again with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves.
(Psa. 126:5‑6)
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Prov. 11:18• 18The wicked worketh a deceitful work; but he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward. (Prov. 11:18)
;
Prov. 19:17• 17He that is gracious to the poor lendeth unto Jehovah; and what he hath bestowed will he repay unto him. (Prov. 19:17)
;
Matt. 10:13,42• 13And if the house indeed be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
42And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
(Matt. 10:13,42)
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Matt. 25:40• 40And the King answering shall say to them, Verily, I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me. (Matt. 25:40)
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Luke 14:14• 14and thou shalt be blessed; for they have not the means to recompense thee; for it shall be recompensed thee in the resurrection of the just. (Luke 14:14)
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2 Cor. 9:6• 6But this is true, he that sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sows in the spirit of blessing shall reap also in blessing: (2 Cor. 9:6)
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Gal. 6:8‑10• 8For he that sows to his own flesh, shall reap corruption from the flesh; but he that sows to the Spirit, from the Spirit shall reap eternal life:
9but let us not lose heart in doing good; for in due time, if we do not faint, we shall reap.
10So then, as we have occasion, let us do good towards all, and specially towards those of the household of faith.
(Gal. 6:8‑10)
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Heb. 6:10• 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the love which ye have shewn to his name, having ministered to the saints, and still ministering. (Heb. 6:10)
 In the first eight verses of Eccl. 11 we shall thus find man’s Reason running in a beautiful parallel with the divine, and yet in marked contrast with the narrow, selfish, short-sighted policy of the debased wisdom of this world. Their broad teaching is very clear; look forward―live not for the present. (Ecclesiastes 11 by F.C. Jennings)
 Instead of hoarding or laying up for the evil day, cast thy bread―that staff of life, thy living―boldly upon the waters, it shall not be lost. You have, in so doing, intrusted it to the care of Him who loseth nothing; and the future, though perhaps far off, shall give thee a full harvest for such sowing. (Ecclesiastes 11 by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.