Ecclesiastes 12:5 - Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Bible Comments

afraid: i.e. of ascending heights.

high. lofty, elevated.

fears shall be in the way: i.e. apprehensions of danger in journeying.

almond tree shall flourish: i.e. grey hairs shall grow scanty, or drop off, not "almond nuts be rejected"; for the teeth and eating have already been dealt with in Ecclesiastes 12:3.

grasshopper, or locust.

shall be. burden. shall become burdensome: i.e. as to weight.

desire shall fail. "Desire". Hebrew. the caperberry. Here the Authorized Version beautifully renders the figure of speech (as. version should do), while the Revised Version renders it literally (as. translation too often does). The Figure of speech is Metalepsis: i.e.. double Metonymy (App-6), by which (1) the "caperberry" is put for the condiment made from it, and then (2) thecondiment is put for the appetite produced by it. And further, since, because of its shape, as well as from the notion that it was supposed to create sexual desire, all that is intended by the figure is included in the rendering "desire shall fail".

man. Hebrew. 'ddam (with Art). App-14. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:13.

Ecclesiastes 12:5

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: