Ecclesiastes 5:13

Hoarding Wealth Can Backfire

¹² The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep. ¹³ There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. ¹⁴ That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.

In the World

On Earth

Under the Sun

Ecclesiastes 6:1-2

Here is a tragedy I have observed under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity:

Genesis 13:5-11

Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents.

Genesis 14:16

He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.

Genesis 19:14

So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were going to marry his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

Genesis 19:26

But his wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:31-38

Then the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to sleep with us as is the custom of all the land.

Proverbs 1:11-13

If they say—“Come with us!
Let’s set an ambush and kill someone.
Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun!

Proverbs 1:19

Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;
it takes the lives of those who receive it.

Proverbs 1:32

For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

Proverbs 11:4

Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath,
but righteousness rescues from death.

Proverbs 11:24-25

One person gives freely,
yet gains more;
another withholds what is right,
only to become poor.

Ecclesiastes 4:8

There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. “So who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself from good?” This too is futile and a miserable task.

Ecclesiastes 8:9

All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm.

Isaiah 32:6-8

For a fool speaks foolishness
and his mind plots iniquity.
He lives in a godless way
and speaks falsely about the Lord.
He leaves the hungry empty
and deprives the thirsty of drink.

Zephaniah 1:18

Their silver and their gold
will not be able to rescue them
on the day of the Lord’s wrath.
The whole earth will be consumed
by the fire of His jealousy.
For He will make a complete,
yes, a horrifying end
of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Luke 12:16-21

Then He told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive.

Luke 16:1-13

He also said to the disciples: “There was a rich man who received an accusation that his manager was squandering his possessions.

Luke 16:19

“There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day.

Luke 16:22-23

One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.

Luke 18:22-23

When Jesus heard this, He told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

Isaiah 2:20

On that day people will throw
their silver and gold idols,
which they made to worship,
to the moles and the bats.

Luke 19:8

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord! And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much!”

1 Timothy 6:9-10

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.

James 2:5-7

Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?

James 5:1-4

Come now, you rich people! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you.