Ecclesiastes 1:16

“I spoke with my heart, saying, “I, look, have become great and have increased wisdom beyond all who were before me over Jerusalem; and my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.””

Ecclesiastes 1:16 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

16

Ecclesiastes 1:16, word by word

spokeדִּבַּרְתִּיdibarti

speak

To speak, say something; above all God to his people.

Where else “dibarti” appears
with my heartלִבִּlibi

heart

The deepest part of a person: where they think, feel and decide.

Where else “libi” appears
sayingאמֹרmor

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “mor” appears
have become greatהִגְדַּלְתִּיhigdalti

make great

To give someone importance; do wonderful deeds.

Where else “higdalti” appears
and have increasedהוֹסַפְתִּיhosafti

add

To put more on top of what is already there, to make it grow.

Where else “hosafti” appears
wisdomחָכְמָהchachma

wisdom

Knowing how to live well; it begins with revering YHWH.

Where else “chachma” appears
wereהָיָהhaya

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “haya” appears
before meפָנַfana

before

Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.

Where else “fana” appears
over Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָםyerushalaim

Jerusalem

See it on the mapWhere else “yerushalaim” appears
has seenרָאָהraa

see

To see with one's eyes.

Where else “raa” appears
muchהַרְבֵּהharbe

greatly

Used to say 'in great quantity' or 'very much'.

Where else “harbe” appears
and knowledgeדָעַתdaat

knowledge

What one has learned; or a close bond with God.

Where else “daat” appears

Places in this verse

Jerusalem
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • Jerusalem

    Today: Old City of Jerusalem

    A city in the hills of Judea, about 22 miles (35 km) west of the Dead Sea and 35 miles (55 km) east of the Mediterranean.

    David took it and made it his city (2 Sam 5:7); Solomon built the temple there (1 Kgs 8:1). Jesus was presented there, and the apostles' witness began from it (Luke 2:22; Acts 1:8).

    2 Samuel 5:61 Kings 8:1Luke 2:22Acts 1:8

The context

15What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

16 · This verse (above)

17And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and witlessness; I knew that this also is striving after wind.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 1

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