Ecclesiastes 7:24 — Word Study
WLCרָח֖וֹק מַה־ שֶּׁהָיָ֑ה וְעָמֹ֥ק׀ עָמֹ֖ק מִ֥י יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃
BSAWhatmâh [that which is, true existence] existshâyâh■ is out of reachrâchôwq [far off, beyond our grasp] and very deepʻâmôq [exceedingly, profoundly, profound, mysterious] Whomîy [what person, no one] can fathom itmâtsâʼ▸ [find out, comprehend]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| רָח֖וֹק | [is] far away | Adj |
| מַה־ | whatever | Pronoun |
| שֶּׁהָיָ֑ה | [that] which has been | Particle, verb qal perfect third person masculine singular |
| וְעָמֹ֥ק׀ | and deep | Conjunction |
| עָמֹ֖ק | deep | |
| מִ֥י | who? | Pronoun |
| יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃ | will he find out it | Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it? |
| KJV | That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? |
| ASV | That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out? |
| YLT | Far off [is] that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it? |
| WEB | That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out? |
| BBE | Far off is true existence, and very deep; who may have knowledge of it? |
Where they part company is רָחֹוק — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a rhetorical question, emphasizing the depth and complexity of existence.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמִי
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ecclesiastes 7:24
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Reflections on Wisdomgenerated
Ecclesiastes 7:24 presents a meditation on the nature of existence and the limits of human understanding. The Preacher acknowledges that what truly exists is often beyond our grasp, emphasizing the depth and complexity of reality. This verse invites readers to consider the profound mysteries of life, as the Preacher grapples with wisdom and its challenges in the broader context of Ecclesiastes.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 30:11–14 | For this commandment I give you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. |
| 2 | Job 11:7–8 | Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? |
| 3 | Job 28:12–23 | But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell? |
| 4 | Psalm 36:6 | Your righteousness is like the highest mountains; Your judgments are like the deepest sea. O LORD, You preserve man and beast. |
| 5 | Psalm 139:6 | Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רָחֹוק, ra.Chokgenerated
The adjective רָחֹוק (ra.Chok) means distant or far away, indicating something that is physically or temporally removed. It suggests a sense of remoteness, often used to describe lands or events that are not immediately accessible.
In this verse, it underscores the idea that true existence is not just far off in a physical sense but also elusive in understanding. The parsing as an adjective highlights its role in describing the state of existence as being out of reach.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB has out of reach for רָחֹוק, which is mirrored by the KJV and ASV.
Where others part company with the BSB they part company over רָחֹוק — beyond our grasp (FBV) emphasizes the inaccessibility of understanding, while the BSB and others focus on the physical distance.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse comprises two main clauses: the first describes the nature of existence, while the second poses a rhetorical question about the ability to comprehend it. The finite verb יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ (yim.tza.'E.nu) governs the second clause, indicating the action of finding out.
The structure highlights a contrast between the deep, profound nature of existence and the question of human capability to understand it, emphasizing the limitations of wisdom.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates רָחֹוק as μακραν, which carries a similar meaning of distance, indicating that the Greek translators understood the Hebrew word in a comparable context of remoteness.
This choice reflects a consistent interpretation of the elusive nature of existence, aligning with the overall theme of the passage.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ecclesiastes 7:24 reflects on the nature of existence, stating that what exists is far away and very deep, questioning who can truly understand it. This highlights the limits of human wisdom in grasping profound truths.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It suggests that true understanding of life and existence is elusive and not easily comprehensible.
This rhetorical question emphasizes the complexity and depth of existence, suggesting that no one can fully grasp its mysteries.
It illustrates the limitations of human wisdom, showing that despite our efforts, some truths remain beyond our understanding.
References include Job 11:7 and Psalm 36:6, which also explore the themes of wisdom and understanding.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some areas in my life where I feel understanding is out of reach?
- How can I approach the mysteries of life with humility and curiosity?
- In what ways can I seek wisdom while acknowledging its limitations?
- What does it mean for me to accept that some truths may remain unfathomable?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of wisdom and understanding, highlighting its profound mysteries.
Consider therefore how it is written in the book of Ecclesiastes, “I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me. That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who shall find it out?” [Consider] what is said in the Psalms,Early Church Fathers on Ecclesiastes 7 →
Who is it, who made all things by his Word, and formed man by his Wisdom, and gathered into one things scattered abroad, and mingled dust with spirit, and compounded an animal visible and invisible, temporal and immortal,Early Church Fathers on Ecclesiastes 7 →
Even if all minds, in fact, should combine their researches and all tongues would concur in their utterance, never, as I have said, could anyone achieve a worthy result in this matter.Early Church Fathers on Ecclesiastes 7 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ecclesiastes 7:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThat which is far off,.... Or, "far off [is] that which has been" (g).
Read John Gill on Ecclesiastes 7 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThat which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? That which is far off ... Hengstenberg translates, 'Far off is that which is;' i:e., wisdom's aim, absolute being.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ecclesiastes 7 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleNo human wit can attain to perfect wisdom, or to the exact knowledge of God’ s counsels and-works, and the reasons of them, because they are unsearchably deep, and far above our sight; some of them being long since past, and therefore, utterly unknown to us, and others yet to come, which we cannot foreknow.
Read Matthew Poole on Ecclesiastes 7 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEcclesiastes 7:24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?Ver. 24. That which is far of and exceeding deep.] Not the minions of the muses, Mentemque habere queis bonam, et esse corculis datum est. For though they should eviscerate themselves, like spiders, crack their sconces, or study themselves to death, yet can they not "understand all mysteries and all knowledge" in natural things, how much less in supernatural! whereas weak sighted and sand blind persons, the more they strain their eyes to discern a thing perfectly, the less they see of it, as Vives hath observed. It is utterly impossible for a mere naturalist, that cannot tell the form, the quintessence, that…
Read John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 7 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(24) Rather translate, “That which is, is far off.” The phrase, “that which is,” or “hath been,” to denote the existing constitution of the universe, occurs in Ecclesiastes 1:9, Ecclesiastes 3:15. (See Ecclesiastes 8:17.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ecclesiastes 7 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 24. That which is far off] Though the wisdom that is essential to our salvation may be soon learned, through the teaching of the Spirit of wisdom, yet in wisdom itself there are extents and depths which none can reach or fathom.
Read AdamClarke on Ecclesiastes 7 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges24. That which is far off and exceeding deep] The English of the latter clause scarcely expresses the Hebrew more emphatic iteration and deep deep. By some interpreters a like iteration is supplied in the first clause, far off is that which is far, but there does not seem adequate ground for thus altering the text. Rather are the first words to be taken of substantial being, far off from us is that which is (the τὰὄντα of Greek thought, the sum total of things past and present). So in another and later Jewish book impregnated, like this, with Greek thought, wisdom is described as a τῶνὄντωνγνῶσιςἀψευδής (“a true knowledge of the things that are” Wis 7:17). Comp. Job 11:7-8; Romans 11:33…
Read Cambridge on Ecclesiastes 7 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bibleliterally, Far off is that which hath been i. e., events as they have occurred in the order of Divine Providence), and deep, deep, who can find it out?
Read Albert Barnes on Ecclesiastes 7 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
Whatever has happened is beyond human understanding; it is far deeper than anyone can fathom.
Tyndale line
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?
For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.
Strictly literal
Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?
Far off [is] that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?
Far off [is] that which has been, and deep, deep, who finds it?
Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
Wisdom is far off and very deep. Who can find it?
From the Latin
I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
Simplified
Everything that exists is beyond our grasp—too deep for our understanding. Who can comprehend it?
Far off is true existence, and very deep; who may have knowledge of it?
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording for this verse, with five of the seven words matching. This shows a strong consistency in the understanding of the text across these traditions.
רָח֖וֹק מַה־ שֶּׁהָיָ֑ה וְעָמֹ֥ק׀ עָמֹ֖ק מִ֥י יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃
5 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ecclesiastes 7:24
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רָחֹק (rachowq) means distant or far, and can refer to both physical distance and time. It can also denote a sense of remoteness or preciousness. The word can be used adverbially and is associated with the concept of distance in various contexts, including distant lands or times.
רָחֹק, רָחוֹק adj. distant, far, et n.m. distance
base
H7350 רָחֹק, רָחוֹק distant, far, distance
7350 rachowq raw-khoke'
or rachoq {raw-khoke'}; from 7368; remote, literally or
figuratively, of place or time; specifically, precious; often
used adverbially (with preposition):--(a-)far (abroad, off),
long ago, of old, space, great while to come.
see HEBREW for 07368
רָחֹק (ra.choq) — distant.
adj
1) remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones
1a) of distance, time
n m
2) distance
2a) from a distance (with prep)
Aramaic equivalent: ra.chiq (רְחִיק "far" H7352)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
מָה (mah) is a Hebrew word primarily used as an interrogative particle meaning 'what?' or 'how?'. It can also function as an indefinite pronoun, encompassing meanings like 'anything' or 'whatever'. The word is versatile, appearing in various adverbial forms and often used with prefixes to express different nuances, such as reason or manner.
מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַהּ, מֶה, מַּ, מָ—pron.interrog. and indef. what? how? aught
interrog. what?
Used adverbially
Indef. pron.
With preps.
base
H4100 מָה, rarely מָה־, מַה־, מַהּ, מֶה, מַּ, מָ—pron. interrog. and indef. what? how? aught . interrog. what?
. Used adverbially
. Indef. pron.
. With preps.
4100 mah maw
or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a
primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including
how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including
how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even
relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various
adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (-
soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing),
whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.
מָה (mah) — what?.
interr pron
1) what, how, of what kind
1a) (interrogative)
1a1) what?
1a2) of what kind
1a3) what? (rhetorical)
1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what
1b) (adverb)
1b1) how, how now
1b2) why
1b3) how! (exclamation)
1c) (with prep)
1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means?
1c2) because of what?
1c3) the like of what?
1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often?
1c3b) for how long?
1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose?
1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore?
indef pron
2) anything, aught, what may
Part — PronounHPi
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Rel | V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Particle · verb qal perfect third person masculine singularHTr/Vqp3ms
עָמֹק (amoq) means 'deep' in both a literal and figurative sense, often implying something that is unsearchable or mysterious. It is derived from another Hebrew word, עָמַק (amaq), and is used in contexts that emphasize depth.
עָמֹק 17 adj. deep
lit.
= unsearchable
base
H6013 עָמֹק
6013 `amoq aw-moke'
from 6009; deep (literally or figuratively):--(X exceeding)
deep (thing).
see HEBREW for 06009
עָמֹק (a.moq) — deep.
1) deep, mysterious, depths
1a) deep
1b) unsearchable
Conj | Adj — ConjunctionHC/Aamsa
עָמֹק (amoq) means 'deep' in both a literal and figurative sense, often implying something that is unsearchable or mysterious. It is derived from another Hebrew word, עָמַק (amaq), and is used in contexts that emphasize depth.
עָמֹק 17 adj. deep
lit.
= unsearchable
base
H6013 עָמֹק
6013 `amoq aw-moke'
from 6009; deep (literally or figuratively):--(X exceeding)
deep (thing).
see HEBREW for 06009
עָמֹק (a.moq) — deep.
1) deep, mysterious, depths
1a) deep
1b) unsearchable
HAamsa — HAamsa
מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.
מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons
מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
in the gen. whose
in an indirect qu.
מִי ב׳ who among … ?
strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
various rhetorical uses whose
מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
once, following a verb, any one
base
H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
. in the gen. whose
. in an indirect qu.
. מִי ב׳ who among … ?
. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
. various rhetorical uses whose
. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
. once, following a verb, any one
4310 miy me
an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also
(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction
with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!
what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.
see HEBREW for 04100
מִי (mi) — who?.
who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever
Part — PronounHPi
מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.
מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find
Qal
find
find out
= come upon, light upon
noteworthy phrases
Niph. pass. of Qal, be found
Hiph.
cause to find, attain
cause to light upon, come upon, come
cause to encounter
present unto
base
H4672 מָצָא attain to, find
4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'
a primitive root; 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:--+ 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.
מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.
1) to find, attain to
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to find
1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)
1a1b) to find (what is lost)
1a1c) to meet, encounter
1a1d) to find (a condition)
1a1e) to learn, devise
1a2) to find out
1a2a) to find out
1a2b) to detect
1a2c) to guess
1a3) to come upon, light upon
1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with
1a3b) to hit
1a3c) to befall
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be found
1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered
1b1b) to appear, be recognised
1b1c) to be discovered, be detected
1b1d) to be gained, be secured
1b2) to be, be found
1b2a) to be found in
1b2b) to be in the possession of
1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be
1b2d) to be left (after war)
1b2e) to be present
1b2f) to prove to be
1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to find, attain
1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come
1c3) to cause to encounter
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVqi3ms/Sp3ms