Ecclesiastes 12:11 (GNV)

Passage

The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 12:9 And the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many parables.

Ecclesiastes 12:10 The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.

Ecclesiastes 12:11 The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 And of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines of the flesh.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wordes", "wise", "like", "goads", "nailes", "fastened", and "masters". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wordes" and "wise", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 10's "The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant..." into verse 12's "And of other things beside these my...", so "wordes" and "wise" belong inside that flow. In Ecclesiastes context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

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