Ecclesiastes 4:12
4:11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
KJV
If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. ¶
What does Ecclesiastes 4:12 mean?
Ecclesiastes 4:12 is a verse in the book of Ecclesiastes, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אֶחָד (ʼechâd), תָּקַף (tâqaph), שְׁנַיִם (shᵉnayim). It connects to 6 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.
Hebrew interlinear
Full chapter interlinear →Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4:12
HENRY_FULL · Ecclesiastes 4:12
Cross-references
Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Genesis 22:17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; shore: Heb. lip
Genesis 22:18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Proverbs 20:7The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
Jeremiah 32:39And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: for ever: Heb. all days
Acts 2:39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Topics
Verses like this
Other verses that share key original-language words with Ecclesiastes 4:12.
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. Peleg: that is Division
Genesis 27:45Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?
Genesis 4:19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
Judges 16:12Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
Frequently asked questions
What does Ecclesiastes 4:12 say?
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (King James Version) reads: "And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
Is Ecclesiastes 4:12 in the Old or New Testament?
Ecclesiastes 4:12 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Reflect
As you read Ecclesiastes 4:12, what is one truth here you can carry into today?
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