The phrase "Cast your bread upon the waters" from Ecclesiastes 11:1 is one of the Bible's intriguing expressions. On the surface, it may sound odd or mysterious, but when we dig deeper, it holds significant wisdom about generosity, faith, and patience.
This phrase was a somewhat popular idiom in prior days. Most take it to mean giving generously without expecting something in return. There is also some history of this phrase being used to encourage someone to take a financial risk. But how do we get those meanings from that statement?
What Does the Phrase ‘Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters’ Mean?
First, we need to establish what is meant by bread. When Jesus says, “Give us this day our daily bread,” he isn’t only saying to pray that God provides a loaf of Wonder Bread.
No, “bread” is short for provisions. So, we could modernize the phrase a little and say, “Cast your money upon the waters.” But that still doesn’t quite make sense.
Secondly, what does it mean to “cast” something? It means to throw it forcefully in another direction. Our modern fishing pole mechanisms might make it difficult for us to fully understand the thrust of this passage.
When we cast a fishing line into the water, it’s still connected to our pole via a line, and we can easily reel it back in. We have more control. But for Solomon’s phrase, we should think of something a bit more out of control. It might be more accurate, then, to modernize it to something like “Risk your money upon the waters.” But what are the waters?
Next, what do “the waters” mean? Even though water is a source of life, and we receive great benefits by settling near a source of water, it is also a symbol of chaos and uncertainty. If you send a merchant ship off into the water, you have no certainty of its return. So, we might say the phrase is something like, “Risk your money upon an uncertain future.”
Lastly, think about the combination of bread and water. They don’t mix so well. Once you throw the bread upon the water, it’s going to be changed, and you’re going to lose control of it. But notice how this little proverb ends, “for you will find it after many days.”
At its core, "casting your bread upon the waters" is often interpreted as a metaphor for giving freely and generously, even when the outcome is uncertain. Just as a farmer plants seeds not knowing exactly how much harvest will come, God encourages us to do good without worrying about immediate returns. When you give, whether through helping others, donating, or acts of kindness, it might feel like you're "throwing" something away, much like casting bread into water. However, this act of faith and trust in God’s provision will eventually lead to blessings.
That’s what the idiom means, but how do we connect this to the biblical story? How are these words of Solomon connected to his overall point in Ecclesiastes?
What Is the Context of This Verse?
Ecclesiastes can be a somewhat depressing book, especially if you don’t read the whole thing. The point is that everything on this side of the sun (not in the redeemed Eden) has a bottom. Solomon comes to the conclusion at the beginning of this book that everything is all meaningless; it’s all just a vapor.
Chapters 11 and 12 are Solomon’s conclusion to the matter. Everything isn’t entirely meaningless. Even though death is going to strike, we should still work hard and enjoy life in light of our Creator. There is purpose.
This section in Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 is all about work. Casting, giving, sowing, and not withholding your hand are all about the importance of labor. Verse 6 is the summary statement of the whole. Both Eaton and Garrett are helpful here. Eaton: “If we are never sure which endeavors will prove fruitful, the right approach to life is to give ourselves to the responsibilities at hand, and await the course of events. The life of faith which leads to joy and contentment does not give infallible knowledge of the future” (Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary).
And Garrett: “In context this means that since you cannot know that all will go well, do not demand assurance of success before you begin any enterprise. Just as in pregnancy a couple can only trust God that all will turn out well, even so in business enterprises one can only leave the outcome to God” (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs).
What is interesting is that these two theologians differ on their understanding of the meaning of Solomon’s words. Eaton believes the statement means to be generous with our resources, trusting in God to care for us. Garrett believes this statement is a reference to international commerce. This is also reflected in different translations of the verse.
Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days (ESV).
Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return (NIV).
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days (KJV).
Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns (MSG).
While the specific commandments might be different, the main point is still the same. Our endeavors (whether giving charitably or international commerce) are never certain.
We do not know what return we will get. Therefore, we must trust God. Casting your bread upon the water is an act of trust.
The verse continues with a promise: “For after many days, you will find it again.” This speaks to the idea that what you give will return to you, though it may take time. This encourages us to trust in God’s timing, knowing that He sees and rewards our efforts, even when we don’t immediately see results.
Ecclesiastes 11:1 is also a reminder that life is uncertain, but we shouldn’t let fear stop us from doing good. Just like casting bread upon the water feels uncertain, many of our actions require faith, knowing that the good we do today will bear fruit later, in ways we may not expect.
How Do We Apply This Today?
Ecclesiastes is wisdom literature. As such, we must have some measure of caution in how we apply its principles. We are often meant to consider the whole and not dissect individual verses. We’re to take Solomon’s words and wisdom here as an entire message.
And what is the overarching point of this passage? It is that life is uncertain, and we shouldn’t wait upon certainty before doing the right thing or even a thing that could potentially pay dividends. At the end of the day, we make the best decisions that we can, and we trust God with the result.
"Casting your bread upon the waters" teaches us to be generous, act in faith, and trust that God will bring blessings in His time. By doing good without expecting instant rewards, we demonstrate our trust in God's provision and embrace the wisdom of sowing seeds that will flourish in the future.
This might call us to give generously to charity with loose hands — meaning that we do not know how it will return to us. It may also call us to a bit of financial risk-taking, but one where we are trusting God with our results.
Cast your bread upon the water means to do something. Life is short. Love God, trust His direction in your life and act.
For further reading:
What Did Jesus Mean by 'Man Shall Not Live on Bread Alone'?
Why Is Ecclesiastes Included in the Bible?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Andrey Zhuravlev
Mike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. He is also the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike is the author of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Need. His writing home is http://mikeleake.net and you can connect with him on Twitter @mikeleake. Mike has a new writing project at Proverbs4Today.
