Ecclesiastes 2:6
New International Version
I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.

New Living Translation
I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves.

English Standard Version
I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.

Berean Standard Bible
I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.

King James Bible
I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

New King James Version
I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove.

New American Standard Bible
I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

NASB 1995
I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

NASB 1977
I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

Legacy Standard Bible
I made for myself pools of water from which to water a forest of growing trees.

Amplified Bible
I made pools of water for myself from which to water the forest and make the trees bud.

Christian Standard Bible
I constructed reservoirs for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I constructed reservoirs of water for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees.

American Standard Version
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I made for myself pools of waters to water the woods of fruit trees by them

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I made me pools of water, to water from them the timber-bearing wood.

Contemporary English Version
And I had pools where I could get water for the trees.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees,

English Revised Version
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I made pools to water the forest of growing trees.

Good News Translation
I dug ponds to irrigate them.

International Standard Version
I built for myself water reservoirs to irrigate forests that produce trees.

JPS Tanakh 1917
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood springing up with trees;

Literal Standard Version
I made for myself pools of water, to water from them a forest shooting forth trees.

Majority Standard Bible
I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.

New American Bible
And I constructed for myself reservoirs to water a flourishing woodland.

NET Bible
I constructed pools of water for myself, to irrigate my grove of flourishing trees.

New Revised Standard Version
I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.

New Heart English Bible
I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared.

Webster's Bible Translation
I made me pools of water, to water with them the wood that bringeth forth trees:

World English Bible
I made myself pools of water, to water the forest where trees were grown.

Young's Literal Translation
I made for me pools of water, to water from them a forest shooting forth trees.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Futility of Pleasure
5I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees. 6I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees. 7I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,…

Cross References
Nehemiah 2:8
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I will occupy." And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.

Nehemiah 2:14
Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal under me to get through;

Nehemiah 3:15
The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofed it, and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah near the king's garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the City of David.

Nehemiah 3:16
Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth-zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Mighty.


Treasury of Scripture

I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that brings forth trees:

pools

Nehemiah 2:14
Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.

Song of Solomon 7:4
Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.

to water

Psalm 1:3
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Jeremiah 17:8
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

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Flourishing Forest Forth Groves Growing Ponds Pools Reared Shooting Springing Therefrom Therewith Trees Water Wood Woods Young
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Flourishing Forest Forth Groves Growing Ponds Pools Reared Shooting Springing Therefrom Therewith Trees Water Wood Woods Young
Ecclesiastes 2
1. the vanity of human courses is the work of pleasure
12. Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event
18. The vanity of human labor, in leaving it they know not to whom
24. Nothing better than joy in our labor but that is God's gift














(6) Pools.--In a place south of Bethlehem are still pointed out three gigantic reservoirs, known as the Pools of Solomon (Stanley's Jewish Church, 2:197). The place is probably the same as that called Etham by Josephus in his description of Solomon's luxury (Ant. viii. 7. 3). Josephus speaks of another Pool of Solomon (Bell. Jud. v. 4. 2). Tanks are necessary for irrigation in a land where natural streams are few and are dried up in summer. The king's pool is mentioned in Nehemiah 2:14.

Verse 6. - Pools of water. Great care was exercised by Solomon to provide his capital with water, and vast operations were undertaken for this purpose. "The king's pool," mentioned in Nehemiah 2:14, may have been constructed by him (Josephus, 'Bell. Jud.,' 5:04. 2); but the most celebrated work ascribed to him is the water-supply at Etham, southwest of Bethlehem, and the aqueduct leading from thence to Jerusalem. Most modern travelers have described these pools. They are three in number, and, according to Robinson's measurement, are of immense size. The first, to the east, is 582 feet long, 207 wide, and 50 deep; the second, 432 by 250, and 39 feet deep; the third, 380 by 236, and 25 feet deep. They are all, however, narrower at the upper end, and widen out gradually, flowing one into the other. There is a copious spring led into the uppermost pool from the north-east, but this supply is augmented by other sources now choked and ruined. The water from the pools was conveyed round the ridge on which Bethlehem stands in earthen pipes to Jerusalem. Dr. Thomson ('The Land and the Book,' p. 326) says, "Near that city it was carried along the west side of the Valley of Gihon to the north-western end of the lower Pool of Gihon, where it crossed to the east side, and, winding round the southern declivity of Zion below Neby Daud, finally entered the south-eastern corner of the temple area, where the water was employed in the various services of the sanctuary." Etham is, with good reason, identified with the beautiful valley of Urtas, which lies southwest of Bethlehem, in the immediate neighborhood of the pools of Solomon. The fountain near the present village watered the gardens and orchards which were planted here, the terraced hills around were covered with vines, figs, and olives, and the prospect must have been delightful and refreshing in that thirsty land. To water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees; Revised Version, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared; literally, in order to irrigate a wood sprouting forth trees; i.e. a nursery of saplings. So we read how the Garden of Eden was watered (Genesis 2:10; Genesis 13:10) - a most necessary feature in Eastern countries, where streams and pools are not constructed for picturesque reasons, but for material uses.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I built
עָשִׂ֥יתִי (‘ā·śî·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

reservoirs
בְּרֵכ֣וֹת (bə·rê·ḵō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 1295: A pool, pond

to water
לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת (lə·haš·qō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8248: To quaff, to irrigate, furnish a, potion to

my groves
יַ֖עַר (ya·‘ar)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3293: A copse of bushes, a forest, honey in the comb

of flourishing
צוֹמֵ֥חַ (ṣō·w·mê·aḥ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6779: To sprout, spring up

trees.
עֵצִֽים׃ (‘ê·ṣîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2:6 I made myself pools of water (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 2:5
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