Ecclesiastes 12:3

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

בַּיּ֗וֹם שֶׁיָּזֻ֙עוּ֙ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַבַּ֔יִת וְהִֽתְעַוְּת֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הֶחָ֑יִל וּבָטְל֤וּ הַטֹּֽחֲנוֹת֙ כִּ֣י מִעֵ֔טוּ וְחָשְׁכ֥וּ הָרֹא֖וֹת בָּאֲרֻבּֽוֹת׃

Transliteration

Ba-yôm še-yāzuʿû šōmrê ha-bayit wə-hitʿawwətû ʾanšê he-ḥāyil u-ḇāṭlû ha-ṭōḥănôt kî miʿēṭû wə-ḥāšḵû hā-rōʾôt bā-ʾărubbôt

Grammar Details

• *yôm*: noun, masculine singular - day
• *yāzuʿû*: qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural - they will tremble
• *šōmrê*: qal participle, masculine plural construct - keepers of
• *bayit*: noun, masculine singular - house
• *hitʿawwətû*: hithpael perfect, 3rd person masculine plural - they have bent themselves
• *ʾanšê*: noun, masculine plural construct - men of
• *ḥāyil*: noun, masculine singular - strength/might/valor
• *ḇāṭlû*: qal perfect, 3rd person feminine plural - they have ceased
• *ṭōḥănôt*: qal participle, feminine plural - grinders/grinding women
• *kî*: conjunction - because/for
• *miʿēṭû*: qal perfect, 3rd person plural - they have become few
• *ḥāšḵû*: qal perfect, 3rd person plural - they have darkened
• *rōʾôt*: qal participle, feminine plural - those seeing/lookers
• *ʾărubbôt*: noun, feminine plural - windows/lattices

Word Meanings

• *šōmrê* ha-*bayit*: keepers of the house (may refer to arms/hands metaphorically)
• *ʾanšê* he-*ḥāyil*: men of strength/mighty men (may refer to legs metaphorically)
• *ṭōḥănôt*: female grinders/grinding women (may refer to teeth metaphorically)
• *rōʾôt* bā-*ʾărubbôt*: lookers through the windows (may refer to eyes metaphorically)

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),
• 2 Sam 21:15-17 : 15 And the Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. And David waxed faint; 16 and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred [shekels] of brass in weight, he being girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.
• Ps 90:9-9 : 9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: We bring our years to an end as a sigh. 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten, Or even by reason of strength fourscore years; Yet is their pride but labor and sorrow; For it is soon gone, and we fly away.
• Ps 102:23 : 23 He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.
• Zech 8:4 : 4 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.