Ecclesiastes 12:2

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

עַ֠ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־תֶחְשַׁ֤ךְ הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וְהָא֔וֹר וְהַיָּרֵ֖חַ וְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים וְשָׁ֥בוּ הֶעָבִ֖ים אַחַ֥ר הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃

Transliteration

ʿad ʾăšer lō-teḥšaḵ ha-šemeš wə-hā-ʾôr wə-ha-yārēaḥ wə-ha-kôḵāḇîm wə-šāḇû he-ʿāḇîm ʾaḥar ha-gāšem

Grammar Details

• *ʿad*: preposition - until/before
• *ʾăšer*: relative particle - which/when
• *teḥšaḵ*: qal imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular - will be darkened
• *šemeš*: noun, feminine singular - sun
• *ʾôr*: noun, masculine singular - light
• *yārēaḥ*: noun, masculine singular - moon
• *kôḵāḇîm*: noun, masculine plural - stars
• *šāḇû*: qal perfect, 3rd person plural - they have returned
• *ʿāḇîm*: noun, masculine plural - clouds
• *ʾaḥar*: preposition - after
• *gāšem*: noun, masculine singular - rain

Word Meanings

• *teḥšaḵ*: becomes dark/is darkened/grows dim
• *šāḇû*: return/come back/recur

Referenced Verses

• Gen 27:1 : 1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Here am I.
• Gen 48:10 : 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
• 1 Sam 3:2 : 2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),
• 1 Sam 4:15 : 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he could not see.
• 1 Sam 4:18 : 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that [Eli] fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
• Ps 42:7 : 7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
• Ps 71:20 : 20 Thou, who hast showed us many and sore troubles, Wilt quicken us again, And wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth.
• Ps 77:16 : 16 The waters saw thee, O God; The waters saw thee, they were afraid: The depths also trembled.
• Eccl 11:7-8 : 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. 8 Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
• Isa 5:30 : 30 And they shall roar against them in that day like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold, darkness and distress; and the light is darkened in the clouds thereof.
• Ezek 32:7-8 : 7 And when I shall extinguish thee, I will cover the heavens, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light. 8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord Jehovah.