Lexical Summary holelah: madness, insanity Original Word: הוֹלֵלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance madness Feminine active participle of halal; folly -- madness. see HEBREW halal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom halal Definition madness NASB Translation insanity (1), madness (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs [הוֺלֵלָה] noun feminine madness (on text see below), only plural הֹלֵלוֺת, הוֺלֵלוֺת, and only Ecclesiastes: Ecclesiastes 1:17 and I set my heart (וָאֶתְּנָה לִבִּי) to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly (הֹלֵלוֺת וְשִׂכְלוּת), compare הוֺלֵלוֺת Ecclesiastes 2:12 ("" id.); ׳וְלָדַעַת רֶשַׁע כֶּסֶל וְהַסִּכְלוּת ה Ecclesiastes 7:25; i.e. to know folly to be madness; possibly read חוֺלֵלוּת, compare סִכְלוּת & following; the moral evil of it is specifically recognized in Ecclesiastes 9:3 ("" רָע). Topical Lexicon Summary of the TermThe Hebrew noun הוֹלֵלָה occurs four times in Ecclesiastes and is commonly rendered “madness” or “folly” in English translations. The word gathers together ideas of irrational behavior, moral perversity, and spiritual blindness. It speaks less of clinical insanity and more of a willful departure from the fear of the LORD, resulting in attitudes and actions that mock divine wisdom. Occurrences in Ecclesiastes “Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.” Here הוֹלֵלָה stands in deliberate contrast to chokmah (wisdom). Solomon’s experiment shows that chasing irrational self-indulgence offers no lasting gain and leaves the heart empty. In comparing wisdom, madness, and folly, Solomon discovers that both the wise man and the fool meet the same earthly end. הוֹלֵלָה therefore underscores the tragic futility of living without reference to eternity. Solomon seeks “the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly— even of foolishness and madness.” The pairing of “folly” and הוֹלֵלָה intensifies the moral dimension: sin’s irrationality is exposed as madness against God. “The hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.” The term broadens from isolated behavior to a universal human condition apart from divine grace. Theological Significance • Moral Insanity: Scripture presents sin as a form of insanity—an irrational rebellion against the Creator. הוֹלֵלָה captures this concept by portraying sin as mentally and spiritually disordered. Historical and Cultural Background In Ancient Near Eastern literature, “madness” often referred to frenzied or antisocial behavior believed to be caused by spirits or gods. Ecclesiastes reframes the concept: the root cause is moral choice rather than capricious deities. Israel’s wisdom tradition insists that departing from the LORD is the true source of irrationality (Proverbs 1:7). Canonical Harmony • Proverbs and הוֹלֵלָה: Proverbs contrasts wisdom with folly more than a hundred times, laying a foundation that Ecclesiastes develops by pushing folly to its extreme—madness. Christological Outlook Jesus Christ embodies “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). At the cross, worldly wisdom labeled Him mad (John 10:20), yet His resurrection exposes human judgment as הוֹלֵלָה. Trust in Christ restores the mind (Romans 12:2) and replaces madness with the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). Practical Application for Ministry • Preaching: Use Ecclesiastes to confront the congregation with the irrationality of sin and the bankruptcy of self-reliance. Conclusion הוֹלֵלָה functions in Ecclesiastes as a mirror reflecting the insanity of a life estranged from God. Its stark portrayal of moral madness invites every reader to seek true wisdom—the fear of the LORD—and to find ultimate restoration in Jesus Christ, the wisdom that overcomes all folly. Forms and Transliterations הוֹלֵל֖וֹת הוֹלֵלֽוֹת׃ הוללות הוללות׃ וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְהוֹלֵל֤וֹת והוללות hō·w·lê·lō·wṯ holeLot hōwlêlōwṯ veholeLot wə·hō·w·lê·lō·wṯ wəhōwlêlōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ecclesiastes 1:17 HEB: חָכְמָ֔ה וְדַ֥עַת הוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְשִׂכְל֑וּת יָדַ֕עְתִּי NAS: and to know madness and folly; KJV: and to know madness and folly: INT: wisdom know madness and folly realized Ecclesiastes 2:12 Ecclesiastes 7:25 Ecclesiastes 9:3 4 Occurrences |
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