"In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease …" — Ecclesiastes 12:3

Ecclesiastes 12:3 · KJV

“In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, {the grinders...: or, the grinders fail, because they grind little}”

— Ecclesiastes 12:3

Verse 2

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

Verse 4

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

Ecclesiastes 12 — Context

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, {the grinders...: or, the grinders fail, because they grind little}

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

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:

Cross References

Psalms 90:9-10

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale {that is told}. {passed...: Heb. turned away} {as a...: or, as a meditation}

Psalms 102:23

He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. {weakened: Heb. afflicted}

Genesis 27:1

And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, {here am} I.

Genesis 48:10

Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, {so that} he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. {dim: Heb. heavy}

1 Samuel 3:2

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli {was} laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, {that} he could not see;

Zechariah 8:4

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. {very...: Heb. multitude of days}

2 Samuel 21:15-17

Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.