Ecclesiastes 12:2

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor 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 eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, 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, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
• 1 Sam 4:15 : 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, 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 he fell from off the 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{H8802)} unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone{H8804)} over me.
• Ps 71:20 : 20 Thou, which hast shewed{H8689)} me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken{H8762)} me again{H8799)}, and shalt bring me up{H8686)} again{H8799)} from the depths of the earth.
• Ps 77:16 : 16 The waters saw{H8804)} thee, O God, the waters saw{H8804)} thee; they were afraid{H8799)}: the depths also were troubled{H8799)}.
• Eccl 11:7-8 : 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: 8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
• Isa 5:30 : 30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.
• Ezek 32:7-8 : 7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. 8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.