Ecclesiastes 2:4
Futility of Materialism I increased my possessions: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
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Referenced Verses
- 1 Kgs 7:1-9 : 1 The Building of the Royal Palace Solomon took thirteen years to build his palace. 2 He named it“The Palace of the Lebanon Forest”; it was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. It had four rows of cedar pillars and cedar beams above the pillars. 3 The roof above the beams supported by the pillars was also made of cedar; there were forty-five beams, fifteen per row. 4 There were three rows of windows arranged in sets of three. 5 All of the entrances were rectangular in shape and they were arranged in sets of three. 6 He made a colonnade 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. There was a porch in front of this and pillars and a roof in front of the porch. 7 He also made a throne room, called“The Hall of Judgment,” where he made judicial decisions. It was paneled with cedar from the floor to the rafters. 8 The palace where he lived was constructed in a similar way. He also constructed a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married. 9 All of these were built with the best stones, chiseled to the right size and cut with a saw on all sides, from the foundation to the edge of the roof and from the outside to the great courtyard. 10 The foundation was made of large valuable stones, measuring either 15 feet or 12 feet. 11 Above the foundation the best stones, chiseled to the right size, were used along with cedar. 12 Around the great courtyard were three rows of chiseled stones and one row of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of the LORD’s temple and the hall of the palace.
- 1 Kgs 9:1 : 1 The Lord Gives Solomon a Promise and a Warning After Solomon finished building the LORD’s temple, the royal palace, and all the other construction projects he had planned,
- 1 Kgs 10:19-20 : 19 There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side. 20 There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom.
- 1 Kgs 15:19 : 19 “I want to make a treaty with you, like the one our fathers made. See, I have sent you silver and gold as a present. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel, so he will retreat from my land.”
- 1 Chr 27:27 : 27 Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards;Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of the wine stored in the vineyards.
- 2 Chr 8:1-6 : 1 Building Projects and Commercial Efforts After twenty years, during which Solomon built the LORD’s temple and his royal palace, 2 Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given him and settled Israelites there. 3 Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and seized it. 4 He built up Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities he had built in Hamath. 5 He made upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon fortified cities with walls and barred gates, 6 and built up Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to him, and all the cities where chariots and horses were kept. He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom.
- 2 Chr 8:11 : 11 Solomon moved Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said,“My wife must not live in the palace of King David of Israel, for the places where the ark of the LORD has entered are holy.”
- 2 Chr 26:10 : 10 He built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, for he owned many herds in the foothills and on the plain. He had workers in the fields and vineyards in the hills and in Carmel, for he loved agriculture.
- Ps 49:11 : 11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence, their eternal dwelling place. They name their lands after themselves,
- Song 1:14 : 14 My beloved is like a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En Gedi.
- Song 7:12 : 12 Let us rise early to go to the vineyards, to see if the vines have budded, to see if their blossoms have opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom– there I will give you my love.
- Song 8:11-12 : 11 Solomon’s Vineyard and the Beloved’s VineyardThe Beloved to Her Lover: Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon; he leased out the vineyard to those who maintained it. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit. 12 My vineyard, which belongs to me, is at my disposal alone. The thousand shekels belong to you, O Solomon, and two hundred shekels belong to those who maintain it for its fruit.
- Isa 5:1 : 1 A Love Song Gone Sour I will sing to my love– a song to my lover about his vineyard. My love had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
- Dan 4:30 : 30 The king uttered these words:“Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?”
- Gen 11:4 : 4 Then they said,“Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”
- Deut 8:12-14 : 12 When you eat your fill, when you build and occupy good houses, 13 when your cattle and flocks increase, when you have plenty of silver and gold, and when you have abundance of everything, 14 be sure you do not feel self-important and forget the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery,
- 2 Sam 18:18 : 18 Prior to this Absalom had set up a monument and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning“I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Eccl 2:5-128 verses89%
5 I designed royal gardens and parks for myself, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 I constructed pools of water for myself, to irrigate my grove of flourishing trees.
7 I purchased male and female slaves, and I owned slaves who were born in my house; I also possessed more livestock– both herds and flocks– than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem.
8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures taken from kingdoms and provinces. I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight– a harem of beautiful concubines!
9 So I was far wealthier than all my predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I maintained my objectivity:
10 I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. So all my accomplishments gave me joy; this was my reward for all my effort.
11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”
12 Wisdom is Better than Folly Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king has already done?
- Eccl 2:1-33 verses81%
1 Futility of Self-Indulgent Pleasure I thought to myself,“Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile.” But I found that it also is futile.
2 I said of partying,“It is folly,” and of self-indulgent pleasure,“It accomplishes nothing!”
3 I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine(all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives.
- Eccl 1:16-172 verses78%
16 Futility of Secular Wisdom I thought to myself,“I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”
17 So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
- Eccl 2:17-226 verses76%
17 So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile– like chasing the wind.
18 Futility of Being a Workaholic So I loathed all the fruit of my effort, for which I worked so hard on earth, because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor.
19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile!
20 So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth.
21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!
22 Painful Days and Restless Nights What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?
- Eccl 2:24-263 verses76%
24 Enjoy Work and its Benefits There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.
25 For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.
26 For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth– only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile– like chasing the wind!
- 76%
14 He says,“I will build myself a large palace with spacious upper rooms.” He cuts windows in its walls, panels it with cedar, and paints its rooms red.
- Eccl 1:12-143 verses76%
12 Futility of Secular Accomplishment I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.
14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile– like chasing the wind!
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15 So I thought to myself,“The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?” So I lamented to myself,“The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!”
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9 to supply me with large quantities of timber, for I am building a great, magnificent temple.
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22 So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?
- Eccl 4:7-82 verses73%
7 Labor Motivated by Greed So I again considered another futile thing on earth:
8 A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments,“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is futile and a burdensome task!
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4 Labor Motivated by Envy Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.
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25 if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth, or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,
- Isa 5:1-22 verses72%
1 A Love Song Gone Sour I will sing to my love– a song to my lover about his vineyard. My love had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
2 He built a hedge around it, removed its stones, and planted a vine. He built a tower in the middle of it, and constructed a winepress. He waited for it to produce edible grapes, but it produced sour ones instead.
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25 True Righteousness and Wisdom Are Virtually Nonexistent I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.
- Eccl 1:2-32 verses72%
2 Introduction: Utter Futility“Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher,“Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”
3 Futility Illustrated from Nature What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?
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14 with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate,
- Eccl 8:15-173 verses71%
15 Enjoy Life In Spite of Its Injustices So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.
16 Limitations of Human Wisdom When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth– even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night–
17 then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.
- 71%
12 My vineyard, which belongs to me, is at my disposal alone. The thousand shekels belong to you, O Solomon, and two hundred shekels belong to those who maintain it for its fruit.
- Luke 12:18-192 verses71%
18 Then he said,‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 And I will say to myself,“You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’
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13 Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:
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5 ‘Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.
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12 Enjoy Life in the Present I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,
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8 Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis“Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher,“All of these things are futile!”
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9 While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.