What does it mean in Ecclesiastes 9:5 that 'the dead know nothing'?

from the old testament

• In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon explores life on earth without God, concluding that all endeavors are "vanity" or emptiness (i.e., Ecclesiastes 1:2). Yes, apart from God, life is truly vanity or empty.
• In Ecclesiastes 4:2–3 Solomon delineates three different states of consciousness. He compares the suffering of those who are alive with those who are dead and with those who are not yet in existence.
• "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). This verse is found in a section writing from a worldly perspective as seen by the phrase “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:3). In this section, Solomon writes about life as temporary and emphasizes the inevitability of death for both the righteous and unrighteous. In the surrounding verses, Solomon writes that this life is all we have because we will all end up with the same fate anyway. This kind of thinking makes perfect sense from an “under the sun” perspective, but it does not make sense when God is included in the equation.
• In an earthly perspective without God, when someone dies they no longer exist—they have no knowledge or consciousness. Eventually even their identity disappears (Ecclesiastes 9:5). But, God tells us that there is more to life than just the present, and even with that, the present is formed by eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11; 12:13–14).
• If all existence and consciousness end with death, and the dead truly do know nothing, then the only thing that matters is this present life. Later in Ecclesiastes, Solomon shifts his focus to a God-centered perspective, concluding that the ultimate purpose of life is to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Life under the sun is incomplete without acknowledging God, who gives eternal meaning and hope beyond the inevitability of death.

from the new testament

• Matthew 25:46 says: "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Here, Jesus says that there are two options for eternity for everyone, either eternal punishment or eternal life with Him. Both are eternal.
• In contrast to Solomon’s perspective that the dead know nothing, Jesus spoke of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19–31 where the rich man in Hades does indeed know something and feels pain. In part it says, “The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’”

implications for today

Some argue that Ecclesiastes 9:5 supports conditional annihilationism, which contends that those who are not saved through Jesus simply cease to exist after death instead of going to hell. However, other passages from the Bible refute this thinking. In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus tells of a rich man who goes to hell, or Hades. There, he has feelings, can communicate, think, reason, and remember life on earth. So if this phrase that the dead know nothing does not describe annihilationism, what does it mean? The theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is a view of life from an earthly perspective as referenced by the phrase "under the sun," repeated about thirty times.

This verse, Ecclesiastes 9:5, is chiastic, formulated in an ABBA style.

A: "For the living know that they will die,

B "but the dead know nothing,

B "and they have no more reward,

A "for the memory of them is forgotten."

The two A lines are parallel, as are the two B lines. The two A lines contemplate the emptiness of life without God; the B lines describe the finality of emptiness of death without God.

Of course, God does exist and life on earth makes sense only with His involvement. Solomon concludes that the life of consequence is one that honors God (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

When we reflect on Ecclesiastes 9:5, we are reminded of the stark reality of a life lived "under the sun"—a perspective that excludes God. Without acknowledging Him, death appears as the ultimate void, stripping away meaning and reward, leaving only futility behind. However, when we center our lives on God, we find purpose, eternal hope, and the assurance that our existence transcends the grave. As a result, we are called to live intentionally, to fear God, and to obey His commandments. How we live this life and the choices we make have eternal significance (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14). In light of this, we are called to seek a God-centered life, finding meaning and fulfillment in Him and His purposes for us.