GRASSHOPPER TALK

Explanation of the Grasshopper Talk

The book of Ecclesiastes is referred to by the writers of the Bible as the Preacher, and the story of man under the sun. It is reasoning about life and the very best that man can do with the knowledge that there is a Holy God and that he will bring everything into judgment. It summarizes mans life here on earth. It is to be born, to toil, to suffer, and to experience some joy, which is nothing in view of eternity, to leave it all and to die. Chapter 12, which we refer to as the Grasshopper talk is what Ecclesiastes labels "the best thing possible to the natural man apart from God."

The favorite interpretation of Biblical researchers of the 12th chapter of Ecclesiastes, which we refer to as the Grasshopper talk, is the description of "Old age and Senile decay". An equally favorite explanation is the reference to the "seldom experienced and much feared thunderstorm" that occurred in Palestine.

Verses 1&2. "While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not darkened, or the clouds return after the rain." (The darkening of light and luminaries refer to the coming blindness or extreme near sightedness. The clouds which return after the rain, to a continuation of poor sight after much weeping.)

Verse 3. "The keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves." (The keepers of the house are the hands which tremble with palsy in old age. The strong men are the legs which become bowed with the years.) "And the grinders cease because they are few." (The grinders are the teeth that are disappearing and which make it difficult to chew.) “And those that look out of the windows be darkened.” (Are the eyes referring again to growing blindness.)

Verse 4. "And the doors shall be shut in the streets.” (The doors are the ears which grow deaf in age and no longer hear the grinding of grain the women use to do with stones in the street.) “And they shall rise up at the voice of the bird.” (The nervousness which is so extreme in most old men, that they start and the slightest noise.) “And all the daughters of music shall be brought low.” (These are the vocal cords which lose their volume in age, bringing forth the cracked voice of senility.)

Verse 5 . "Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and fear shall be in the way.” (The old man fears any height, knowing his brittle bones will stand no fall. He is timid because he has no strength to defend himself.) “And the Almond tree shall flourish.” (An Almond tree blossoms white like an old mans hair.) “And the Grasshopper shall be a burden.” (Signifies that any little weight even a Grasshopper, is too much of a burden for extreme age to carry.) “And desire shall fail.” (The old having no desire for activity.) “For man goeth to his long home.” (This being the grave, in anticipation of which.) “The mourners go about the streets."

Verse 6. "Or ever the silver cord be loosed.” (This refers to the spinal cord.) “Or the golden bowl be broken.” (Refers to the brain.) “Or the pitcher broken at the fountain.” (Is a failing heart.) “Or the wheel broken at the cistern.” (Are the kidneys, bladder and the prostrate gland, all of which give trouble in old age.) The rest about the dust returning and so forth is self explanatory.

Whether or not the writers possessed sufficient knowledge of anatomy in the early days to symbolize parts of the body to these objects is so doubtful that there is a lot of skepticism to this interpretation.

The STORM interpretation however is not open to this objection and certainly is far more in keeping not only with the poetry of words; but to the known fact of the severe thunderstorms that did occur in and around Palestine.

"Think of a windy day, with clouds and rain; towards evening it begins to clear, but the heavens turn black again as the "clouds return after the rain." This was a signal for caution if not for terror in Palestine. Men, women, and children feared the thunderstorm, probably because it came so seldom. "Doors were shut in the streets." The strong guards that stood before the houses of the wealthy were afraid, and tremb1ed for they could not leave their places. The little mills by which the women ground their grain, ceased; few would remain at their tasks in the face of the storm. Women in the upper rooms drew back into the dark. Those out-doors became nervous; no one sang; the black thunderheads flourished their white tops like the Almond tree; everyone feared the lightning and the thunder on high; even a little weight which kept a man from running to shelter was a burden.

Here the theme is to remember the Creator before the terror of death, which is worse than the terror of the storm. The rich man with his golden water bowl hung from a silver chain must fear it. The poor man with his earthen pitcher who must send his women to the well for water was in terror. Even the man strong and rough as the crude wooden wheel which drew the skin bucket to the top of the well shook with fear. Death is the same for all, and is feared alike by all.

So whichever interpretation you care to believe, they both bring us to the same inevitable end, when the dust returns to the earth as it was and the spirit returns unto GOD who gave it.