Ecclesiastes 7:29 (ASV)

Passage

Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 7:27 Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;

Ecclesiastes 7:28 which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

Ecclesiastes 7:29 Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "only", "found", "upright", "sought", and "inventions". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "behold" and "only", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "which my soul still seeketh but I...", giving immediate footing for "behold" and "only". In Ecclesiastes context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "behold" and "only" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.