Ecclesiastes 7:1

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

טוֹב שֵׁם מִשֶּׁמֶן טוֹב וְיוֹם הַמָּוֶת מִיּוֹם הִוָּלְדוֹ

Transliteration

Ṭôḇ šēm from-šemen ṭôḇ wə-yôm the-māweṯ from-yôm hiwwālḏô

Grammar Details

• *Ṭôḇ*: adjective, masculine singular - good/better
• *šēm*: noun, masculine singular - name/reputation
• *šemen*: noun, masculine singular - oil/ointment
• *ṭôḇ*: adjective, masculine singular - good/precious
• *wə-yôm*: conjunction + noun, masculine singular - and day
• *māweṯ*: noun, masculine singular with definite article - the death
• *yôm*: noun, masculine singular - day
• *hiwwālḏô*: Niphal infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - of his being born

Word Meanings

• *Ṭôḇ*: good/better/more valuable
• *šēm*: name/reputation/renown
• *šemen ṭôḇ*: precious oil/fine perfume/costly ointment
• *māweṯ*: death/dying
• *hiwwālḏô*: one's birth/being born

Referenced Verses

• Prov 22:1 : 1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
• Eccl 4:2 : 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
• Song 1:3 : 3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
• 2 Cor 5:8 : 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
• Phil 1:21-23 : 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
• Rev 14:13 : 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
• Prov 15:30 : 30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.
• Heb 11:2 : 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
• Heb 11:39 : 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
• Isa 56:5 : 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
• Isa 57:1-2 : 1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
• Luke 10:20 : 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
• John 13:2 : 2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
• 2 Cor 5:1 : 1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
• Eccl 10:1 : 1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
• Prov 27:9 : 9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
• Job 3:17 : 17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
• Ps 133:2 : 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
• Song 4:10 : 10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!