who wrote the book of ecclesiastes in the bible

The Book of Ecclesiastes does not name its author directly in the way modern books do, but tradition and modern scholarship give two main answers: traditionally King Solomon, and in modern critical scholarship an anonymous later writer often called “Qoheleth.”

Quick Scoop Answer

Most Jewish and Christian traditions say King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, based on the opening description “the son of David, king in Jerusalem” and the picture of a wise, wealthy king reflecting near the end of his life. Many modern Bible scholars, however, think the book was written much later by an unnamed wisdom teacher who writes in the persona of a Solomon‑like king, and they usually just call him “Qoheleth” (often translated “Teacher” or “Preacher”). So, if you want the simplest faith-tradition answer:

• “Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes.”

If you want the historically cautious answer:

• “Ecclesiastes is attributed to Solomon in tradition, but the actual human author is unknown; the text presents itself as the words of ‘Qoheleth’.”

Mini Sections

1. Why people say “Solomon wrote it”

Many readers connect Ecclesiastes with Solomon because:

• The book opens with “the words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem,” which fits Solomon better than any other Israelite king.
• The author describes vast wealth, building projects, and unmatched wisdom, all themes strongly associated with Solomon in Kings and Chronicles.
• Jewish and early Christian tradition consistently treated Ecclesiastes as part of a trio by Solomon:
  • Song of Songs (youth),
  • Proverbs (middle years),
  • Ecclesiastes (old age).

For traditional religious communities, this long-standing attribution carries considerable weight, so sermons and devotional materials often speak straightforwardly of “Solomon” as the writer.

2. Why many scholars say “We don’t know”

Over the last couple of centuries, scholars have noticed features that suggest a later, unknown author:

• The Hebrew contains later linguistic features and foreign loanwords that seem more at home in the post‑exilic period than in Solomon’s time.
• The book’s philosophical style and mood sound closer to later wisdom and near‑Eastern reflection than to the earlier royal narratives about Solomon.
• The name actually used in the text is “Qoheleth,” not “Solomon,” which hints that the book is presenting a wisdom teacher who speaks in a royal, Solomon‑like voice.

Because of this, many modern commentaries will say something like: “Ecclesiastes is anonymous; it is framed as the reflections of ‘Qoheleth,’ a figure modeled on Solomon.”

3. Who is “Qoheleth”?

“Qoheleth” is a title, not a personal name.

• It probably means something like “assembler” or “one who gathers (a group),” which is why many English Bibles translate it as “Teacher” or “Preacher.”
• The Greek title Ecclesiastes comes from the word for an assembly, reinforcing the idea of someone speaking before a gathered crowd.
• In practice, when scholars don’t want to assume a specific historical identity, they simply say, “Qoheleth wrote Ecclesiastes,” recognizing that this may be a literary persona.

4. Putting it together in one view

Here’s a compact way to hold both perspectives:

• If you’re speaking within traditional Jewish or Christian belief, it is normal to say: “Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.”
• If you’re speaking historically and academically, it is more precise to say: “Ecclesiastes is an anonymous work of Hebrew wisdom literature, written in the voice of ‘Qoheleth,’ a Solomon‑like teacher, and its exact human author is unknown.”

5. TL;DR

• Traditional answer: King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes.
• Scholarly answer: The real author is unknown; the book presents itself as the words of “Qoheleth,” a wisdom teacher speaking in a Solomon‑like royal voice.