Ecclesiastes 11:2 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Share what you have with seven people, and even with eight; because you don't know what disasters might come upon the earth.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

The writer is advising us to be generous and spread our resources among many people, since we can't predict what troubles lie ahead.

📚 Historical Context

This verse comes from Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon (or a writer in his tradition) during Israel's period of prosperity. In ancient times, people relied heavily on community networks for survival during famines, wars, or economic downturns. The numbers 'seven and eight' were Hebrew expressions meaning 'several' or 'many' - emphasizing the wisdom of diversifying one's generosity and investments.

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