Ecclesiastes 12:5
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The verse uses the "almond tree" as a poignant symbol for aging, not just for its white blossoms resembling white hair, but because the Hebrew word for almond, "shaked," also carries the sense of "to hasten." This highlights how quickly old age and its accompanying frailties can arrive, catching people by surprise.
they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a vivid, extended metaphor describing the frailties and approaching death of old age, following the call to remember God in youth. The preceding verses speak of the body's weakening, and this verse continues that imagery with sensory and physical challenges, culminating in the inevitability of death and the signs of mourning that accompany it. It all serves to illustrate the urgency of seeking God before these "evil days" arrive.
Life's vibrant colors fade, and familiar comforts become distant memories. What happens when the world loses its savor and even the simplest things feel overwhelming?
This verse paints a poignant picture of aging, not just as a physical decline, but as a profound shift in how one experiences life.
Diminished Capacity and Dread
This isn't a picture of sudden collapse, but a slow, gentle, yet inevitable unraveling, where the world that once offered delight now presents challenges and a fading of sensory experience.
As the body weakens and the world recedes, there’s a powerful pull toward a final destination. What does this journey signify?
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The final clauses of Ecclesiastes 12:5 bring a profound theological reality into sharp focus: the transition from this life to the next.
The 'Long Home'
This imagery underscores that old age, as described in the preceding verses, is not just about physical decay but about the soul preparing for its ultimate homecoming.
Understand the original words
chathath · Hebrew Verb
A state of intense spiritual, physical, or existential dread; in Scripture, it often results from a lack of trust in God or the awareness of impending judgment.
chathchathim · Hebrew Noun
A state of intense fear or dread; used in Scripture to describe both the reaction to divine manifestation and the frailty of humanity when facing mortality.
bayit 'olam · Hebrew Noun phrase
Literally a "long-term home" or "house of eternity"; a poetic and euphemistic Hebrew way of describing death and the transition into the afterlife or the grave.
saphad · Hebrew Noun
Those who weep or lament, especially in the context of funeral rites; their presence signifies the finality of death in human experience.
This Psalm echoes the fear and plea for God's presence in old age, similar to the imagery of distress and failing strength in Ecclesiastes 12:5.
Jeremiah 1:11-12The almond tree, symbolizing hastening and watchfulness, is mentioned here in relation to Jeremiah's calling, paralleling its symbolic use in Ecclesiastes 12:5 for the swift approach of old age and finality.
Luke 12:16-21While not directly about old age, this parable about a rich man's focus on his possessions and future plans highlights the suddenness of death and the futility of earthly security, a contrast to the grim reality of approaching the 'eternal home' described in Ecclesiastes.
Job 14:1-2Job's lament about the brevity and trouble of human life, his birth being like a fleeting flower and his life ending quickly, resonates with the sense of finitude and decay presented in Ecclesiastes 12:5.
2 Samuel 19:35Barzillai's eloquent refusal of David's offer of a place in the palace, stating he is too old to enjoy 'what I eat or what I drink,' directly illustrates the 'desire fails' aspect of old age described poetically in Ecclesiastes 12:5.
ellicottEcclesiastes 12:5: "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:"
(5) The old man is beset with terrors; terrors from on high, terrors on the way: all in which he had taken delight before, has charms for him no longer; the almond causes loathing (for so may be translated the word rende…
henryEcclesiastes 12:1-7: "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;"
12:1-7 We should remember our sins against our Creator, repent, and seek forgiveness. We should remember our duties, and set about them, looking to him for grace and strength. This should be done early, while the body is strong, and the spirits active. When a man has the pain of reviewing a misspent life, his not having…
The verse uses the "almond tree" as a poignant symbol for aging, not just for its white blossoms resembling white hair, but because the Hebrew word for almond, "shaked," also carries the sense of "to hasten." This highlights how quickly old age and its accompanying frailties can arrive, catching people by surprise.
This passage is part of a vivid, extended metaphor describing the frailties and approaching death of old age, following the call to remember God in youth. The preceding verses speak of the body's weakening, and this verse continues that imagery with sensory and physical challenges, culminating in the inevitability of death and the signs of mourning that accompany it. It all serves to illustrate the urgency of seeking God before these "evil days" arrive.
This passage is part of a vivid, extended metaphor describing the frailties and approaching death of old age, following the call to remember God in youth. The preceding verses speak of the body's weakening, and this verse continues that imagery with sensory and physical challenges, culminating in the inevitability of death and the signs of mourning that accompany it. It all serves to illustrate the urgency of seeking God before these "evil days" arrive.
"they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets—" — The verse uses the "almond tree" as a poignant symbol for aging, not just for its white blossoms resembling white hair, but because the Hebrew word for almond, "shaked," also carries the sense of "to…
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Last reviewed October 2026
