Ecclesiastes 7:12

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּי בְּצֵל הַחָכְמָה בְּצֵל הַכָּסֶף וְיִתְרוֹן דַּעַת הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ

Transliteration

Kî in-ṣēl the-ḥoḵmāh in-ṣēl the-kāsep̄ wə-yiṯrôn daʿaṯ the-ḥoḵmāh təḥayyeh ḇəʿāleyhā

Grammar Details

• *Kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *ṣēl*: noun, masculine singular construct - shadow of
• *ḥoḵmāh*: noun, feminine singular with definite article - the wisdom
• *kāsep̄*: noun, masculine singular with definite article - the silver/money
• *wə-yiṯrôn*: conjunction + noun, masculine singular construct - and advantage of
• *daʿaṯ*: noun, feminine singular - knowledge
• *təḥayyeh*: Piel imperfect 3rd feminine singular - preserves alive
• *ḇəʿāleyhā*: noun, masculine plural with 3rd feminine singular suffix - its possessors

Word Meanings

• *ṣēl*: shadow/protection/shelter
• *ḥoḵmāh*: wisdom/understanding/insight
• *kāsep̄*: silver/money/wealth
• *yiṯrôn*: advantage/profit/excellence
• *daʿaṯ*: knowledge/understanding/insight
• *təḥayyeh*: gives life/preserves alive/sustains
• *ḇəʿāleyhā*: its possessors/its owners/those who have it

Referenced Verses

• Prov 3:18 : 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: And happy is every one that retaineth her.
• Prov 8:35 : 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.
• Prov 9:11 : 11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased.
• Prov 11:4 : 4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath; But righteousness delivereth from death.
• Prov 14:20 : 20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbor; But the rich hath many friends.
• Prov 18:10-11 : 10 The name of Jehovah is a strong tower; The righteous runneth into it, and is safe. 11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, And as a high wall in his own imagination.
• Isa 30:2 : 2 that set out to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!
• Isa 32:2 : 2 And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
• Isa 33:6 : 6 And there shall be stability in thy times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge: the fear of Jehovah is thy treasure.
• John 12:50 : 50 And I know that his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak.
• John 17:3 : 3 And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, [even] Jesus Christ.
• Phil 3:8 : 8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ,
• Deut 30:19-20 : 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed; 20 to love Jehovah thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
• Deut 32:47 : 47 For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.
• Judg 9:15 : 15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
• Job 1:10 : 10 Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
• Job 22:21-25 : 21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thereby good shall come unto thee. 22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart. 23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents. 24 And lay thou [thy] treasure in the dust, And [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the brooks; 25 And the Almighty will be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee.
• Ps 57:1 : 1 For the Chief Musician; [set to] Al-tashheth. [A Psalm] of David. Michtam; when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; For my soul taketh refuge in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge, Until [these] calamities be overpast.
• Prov 2:7 : 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; [He is] a shield to them that walk in integrity;
• Prov 2:11 : 11 Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee: