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Ecclesiastes
Chapter Five
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 5
This
chapter contains some rules and directions concerning the worship of God; how
persons should behave when they go into the house of God; concerning hearing
the word, to which there should be a readiness, and which should be preferred
to the sacrifices of fools, Ecclesiastes 5:1.
Concerning prayer to God; which should not be uttered rashly and hastily, and
should be expressed in few words; which is urged from the consideration of the
majesty of God, and vileness of men; and the folly of much speaking is exposed
by the simile of a dream, Ecclesiastes 5:2.
Concerning vows, which should not be rashly made; when made, should be kept;
nor should excuses be afterwards framed for not performing them, since this
might bring the anger of God upon men, to the destruction of the works of their
hands, Ecclesiastes 5:4;
and, as an antidote against those vanities, which appear in the prayers and
vows of some, and dreams of others, the fear of God is proposed, Ecclesiastes 5:7;
and, against any surprise at the oppression of the poor, the majesty, power,
and providence of God, and his special regard to his people, are observed, Ecclesiastes 5:8.
And then the wise man enters into a discourse concerning riches; and observes,
that the fruits of the earth, and the culture of it, are necessary to all men,
and even to the king, Ecclesiastes 5:9;
but dissuades from covetousness, or an over love of riches; because they are
unsatisfying, are attended with much trouble, often injurious to the owners of
them; at length perish, and their possessors; who, at death, are stripped quite
naked of all, after they have spent their days in darkness and distress, Ecclesiastes 5:10;
and concludes, therefore, that it is best for a man to enjoy, in a free manner,
the good things of this life he is possessed of, and consider them as the gifts
of God, and be thankful for them; by which means he will pass through the world
more comfortably, and escape the troubles that attend others, Ecclesiastes 5:18.
Ecclesiastes 5:1 Walk prudently
when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the
sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
YLT 1Keep thy feet when thou
goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools
the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil.
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God,.... The house
of the sanctuary of the Lord, the temple built by Solomon; and so any place of
divine worship, where the word of God is preached, and his ordinances
administered. The wise man, having observed many vanities under the sun,
directs men to the house of God, where they might learn the nature of them, and
how to avoid them; though if care was not taken, they would find or introduce
vanity there; which, of all vanities, is the worst, and ought to be guarded
against. Wherefore, when men go to any place of divine worship, which to do is
their duty and interest, and for their honour, pleasure, and profit, they
should take care to "keep their feet", for the singular is
here put for the plural, not from going into it; nor does it signify a slow
motion towards it, which should be quick, in haste, showing earnestness,
fervency, and zeal; but they should keep their feet in proper case, in a
suitable condition. The allusion is either to the pulling off of the shoes off
the feet, ordered to Moses and Joshua, when on holy ground, Exodus 3:5; and
which the Jews observed, when they entered the temple on their festivals and
sabbaths, even their kings, as JuvenalF11"Observant ubi festa
mero pede sabbata reges", Satyr. 6. v. 158. jeers them: not that such a
rite should be literally used now, or what is analogous to it; putting off of
the hat, in a superstitious veneration of a place; but what was signified by
it, as the putting off of the old man, with his deeds, laying aside depraved
affections and sordid lusts; two apostles, James and Peter, have taught us
this, when we come to the house of God to hear his word, James 1:21; or the
allusion is to the custom of persons in those eastern countries dressing or
washing their feet when they visited, especially those of any note; and entered
into their houses on any business, as Mephibosheth, when he waited on David, 2 Samuel 19:24; or
to the practice of the priests, who washed their feet when they went into the
tabernacle of the Lord, Exodus 30:19.
SchindlerF12Lexic. Pentaglott. col. 1692. says that hence (because
of this text) the Jews had before their synagogues an iron fixed in the wall
(which we call a "scraper"), on which they cleaned their shoes before
they went into the synagogue. All which may denote the purity and cleanness of
the conversation of the true worshippers of God; for, as the feet are the
instruments of the action of walking, they may intend the conduct and behaviour
of the saints in the house of God, where they should take care to do all things
according to his word, which is a lamp to the feet, and a light unto the path:
moreover, what the feet are to the body, that the affections are to the soul;
and these, when a man enters into the house of God for worship, should be set
on divine and spiritual things, and not on the world, and the things of it,
which will choke the word heard, and make it unprofitable; the thoughts should
be composed, sedate, and quiet, and the mind attentive to what is spoken or
done; or otherwise, if diverted by other objects, the service will be useless;
and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools; there are
sacrifices to be offered unto God in his house, which are acceptable to him;
the sacrifices of beneficence and alms deeds to the poor, with which he is well
pleased; and the presentation of the bodies of men, as a holy, living, and
acceptable sacrifice unto him; and especially their hearts, and those as broken
and contrite, which are the sacrifices of God; as also the sacrifices of praise
and thanksgiving, which are acceptable to him through Jesus Christ: and under
the former dispensation, while sacrifices were in use by divine appointment,
when they were offered up in the faith of the sacrifice of Christ, they were
well pleasing to God; but when they were not done in faith, and were without
repentance for sin and reformation of life; when men retained their sins with
them, and made these a cover for them, and thought by them to make atonement
for their crimes, they were no other than the sacrifices of fools, and
abominable unto God; see Isaiah 1:11; when
these sacrifices were performed in the best manner, moral duties, as hearing
and obeying the word of the Lord, and showing mercy to men, and offering up the
spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, were preferred unto them, 1 Samuel 15:22; and
much more to the sacrifices of fools. To be ready, or nearF13קרוב "propinquus", Montanus;
"propinquior", Mercerus, Schmidt. , is to hear the word of the Lord,
as Jarchi interprets it; though Aben Ezra understands it of God being near to
hear his people, when they call upon him in truth. The word of the Lord was not
only read publicly in the temple and synagogues, but was explained by the
priests and prophets, the ecclesiastical rulers of the people; see Malachi 2:7; so the
Targum,
"draw
near thine ear to receive the doctrine of the law, from the priests and wise
men:'
and
so the people of God should draw near to hear the word; be swift to hear it,
attentive to it, and receive it with all reverence, humility, love, and affection;
and should not take up with mere outward forms, which is but the sacrifice of
fools;
for they consider not that they do evil; or "know
not"F14אינם יודעים
"non ipsi scientes", Montanus; "nesciunt", Pagninus,
Mercerus, Cocceius; "scire nolunt", Schmidt. ; they think they are
doing well, and doing God good service, when they are doing ill; they know not
truly the object of worship, nor the spiritual nature of it, nor the right end
and true use of it: or, "they know not, only to do evil", so
Aben Ezra supplies it: to do good they have no knowledge: or, "they know
not to do the will", or "good pleasure"F15לעשות רע "facere veluntatem
ejus", Pagninus, Mercerus. ; that is, of God; this sense of the word Aben
Ezra mentions.
Ecclesiastes 5:2 2 Do
not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily
before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your
words be few.
YLT 2Cause not thy mouth to
hasten, and let not thy heart hasten to bring out a word before God, for God is
in the heavens, and thou on the earth, therefore let thy words be few.
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to
utter any thing before God,.... In private
conversation care should be taken that no rash and unadvised words be spoken in
haste, as were by Moses and David; and that no evil, nor even any idle word he
uttered, since from, the abundance of the heart the mouth is apt to speak, and
all is before, the Lord; not a word in the tongue but is altogether known by
him, and must be accounted for to him, Psalm 106:33. Jerom
interprets this of words spoken concerning God; and careful men should be of
what they say of him, of his nature and perfections, of his persons, and of his
works; and it may be applied to a public profession of his name, and of faith
in him; though this should be done with the heart, yet the heart and tongue
should not be rash and hasty in making it; men should consider what they
profess and confess, and upon what foot they take up and make a profession of
religion; whether they have the true grace of God or no: and it will hold true
of the public ministry of the word, in which everything that comes uppermost in
the mind, or what is crude and undigested, should not be, uttered; but what
ministers have thought of, meditated on, well weighed in their minds, and
properly digested. Some understand this of rash vows, such as Jephthah's, is
supposed to be, which are later repented of; but rather speaking unto God in
prayer is intended. So the Targum,
"thy,
heart shall not hasten to bring out speech at the time thou prayest before the
Lord;'
anything
and everything that comes up into the mind should not be, uttered before God;
not anything rashly and hastily; men should consider before they speak to the
King of kings; for though set precomposed forms of prayer are not to be used,
yet the matter of prayer should be thought of beforehand; what our wants are,
and what we should ask for; whether for ourselves or others; this rule I fear
we often offend against: the reasons follow;
for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; his throne is
in the heavens, he dwells in the highest heavens, though they cannot contain
him; this is expressive of his majesty, sovereignty, and supremacy, and of his
omniscience and omnipotence; he is the high and lofty One, that dwells in the
high and holy place; he is above all, and sees and knows all persons and
things; and he sits in the heavens, and does whatever he pleases; and therefore
all should stand in awe of him, and consider what they say unto him. Our Lord
seems to have respect to this passage when he directed his disciples to pray,
saying, "Our Father, which art in heaven", Matthew 6:9; and
when we pray to him we should think what we ourselves are, that we are on the
earth, the footstool of God; that we are of the earth, earthly; dwell in houses
of clay, which have their foundation in the dust; crawling worms on earth,
unworthy of his notice; are but dust and ashes, who take upon us to speak unto
him;
therefore let, by words be few; of which prayer
consists; such was the prayer of the publican, "God, be merciful to me, a
sinner", Luke 18:13; and
such the prayer which Christ has given as a pattern and directory to his
people; who has forbid vain repetitions and much speaking in prayer, Matthew 6:7; not
that all lengthy prayers are to be condemned, or all repetitions in them; our
Lord was all night in prayer himself; and Nehemiah, Daniel, and others, have
used repetitions in prayer, which may be done with fresh affection, zeal, and
fervency; but such are forbidden as are done for the sake of being heard for
much speaking, as the Heathens; and who thought they were not understood unless
they said a thing a hundred times overF16"Ohe jam desine deos
obtundere----Ut nihil credas intelligere, nisi idem dictum eat centies."
Terent. Heautont. Act. 5. Sc. 1. v. 6, 8. ; or when done to gain a character of
being more holy and religious than others, as the Pharisees.
Ecclesiastes 5:3 3 For
a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his
many words.
YLT 3For the dream hath come by
abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words.
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business,.... Or,
"for as a dream"F17כי בא "ut prodit somnium", Junius & Tremellius;
"nam ut venit", Piscator; "quia sicut venit", Mercerus,
Ramabachius, so Broughton. , so Aben Ezra; as that comes through a multiplicity
of business in the daytime, in which the mind has been busied, and the body
employed; and this brings on dreams in the night season, which are confused and
incoherent; sometimes the fancy is employed about one thing, and sometimes
another, and all unprofitable and useless, as well as vain and foolish;
and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words; either his
voice in conversation, for a fool is full of words, and pours out his
foolishness in a large profusion of them; or his voice in prayer, being like a
man's dream, confused, incoherent, and rambling. The supplement, "is
known", may be left out.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 4 When
you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in
fools. Pay what you have vowed—
YLT 4When thou vowest a vow to
God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which
thou vowest -- complete.
When thou vowest a vow unto God,.... Or "if thou
vowest"F18כאשר תדר
"si quid vovisti", V. L. , as the Vulgate Latin version; for vows are
free and indifferent things, which persons may make or not; there is no precept
for them in the word of God; instances and examples there are, and they may be
lawfully made, when they are in the power of man to perform, and are not
inconsistent with the will and word of God; they have been made by good men,
and were frequent in former times; but they seem not so agreeable to the Gospel
dispensation, having a tendency to ensnare the mind, to entangle men, and bring
on them a spirit of bondage, contrary to that liberty wherewith Christ has made
them free; and therefore it is better to abstain from them: holy resolutions to
do the will and work of God should be taken up in the strength of divine grace;
but to vow this, or that, or the other thing, which a man previous to his vow
is not obliged unto, had better be let alone: but however, when a vow is made
that is lawful to be done,
defer not to pay it; that is, to God, to whom
it is made, who expects it, and that speedily, as Hannah paid hers; no excuses
nor delays should be made;
for he hath no pleasure in fools; that is, the
Lord hath no pleasure in them, he will not be mocked by them; he will resent
such treatment of him, as to vow and not pay, or defer payment and daily, with
him. So the Targum,
"for
the Lord hath no pleasure in fools, because, they defer their vows, and do not
pay;'
pay that which thou hast vowed; precisely and
punctually; both as to the matter, manner, and time of it.
Ecclesiastes 5:5 5 Better
not to vow than to vow and not pay.
YLT 5Better that thou do not
vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow,.... For a vow
is an arbitrary thing; a man is not bound to make it, and while he vows not, it
is in his own power, and at his option, whether he will do this or that, or
not; but when he has once vowed, he is then brought under an obligation, and
must perform; see Acts 5:4; and
therefore it is better not to vow; it is more acceptable to God, and, it is
better for a man;
than that thou shouldest vow and not pay; for this
shows great weakness and folly, levity and inconstancy, and is resented by the
Lord.
Ecclesiastes 5:6 6 Do
not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of
God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse[a] and
destroy the work of your hands?
YLT 6Suffer not thy mouth to
cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that `it [is] an error,'
why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy
hands?
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin,.... That is,
himself, who is corrupt and depraved; either by making a rash vow, which it is
not in his power to keep; or such is the corruption of his nature, and the
weakness of the flesh, that he cannot keep it; or by making sinful excuses
after he has made the vow, and so is guilty of lying, or false swearing, or
other sins of the flesh. Jarchi by "flesh" understands his children,
on whom his iniquity may be visited and punished; and the Targum interprets
this punishment of the judgment or condemnation of hell; see Proverbs 20:25;
neither say thou before the angel that it was an error; that it was
done ignorantly and through mistake: that it was not intended, and that this
was not the meaning of the vow; and therefore desires to be excused performing
it, or to offer a sacrifice in lieu of it. Interpreters are divided about the
angel before whom such an excuse should not be made. Some think angel is put
for angels in general, in whose presence, and before whom, as witnesses, vows
are made; and who were signified by the cherubim in the sanctuary, where they
were to be performed, and who are present in the worshipping assemblies of
saints, where these things are done, 1 Timothy 5:21;
others think the guardian angel is meant, which they suppose every man has; and
others that Christ, the Angel of the covenant, is designed, who is in the midst
of his people, sees and knows all that is done by them, and will not admit of their
excuses; but it is most probable the priest is intended, called the angel, or
messenger, of the Lord of hosts, Malachi 2:7; to
whom such who had made vows applied to be loosed from them, acknowledging their
error in making them; or to offer sacrifice for their sin of ignorance, Leviticus 5:4;
wherefore should God be angry at thy voice; either in
making a rash and sinful vow, or in excusing that which was made;
and destroy the work of thine hands? wrought with success,
for which the vow was made; and so, instead of its succeeding, is destroyed,
and comes to nothing. Vows made by the Jews were chiefly about their houses, or
fields, or cattle; see Leviticus 27:28;
and so the destruction suggested may signify the curse that God would bring
upon any of these, for excusing or not performing the vow made.
Ecclesiastes 5:7 7 For
in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear
God.
YLT 7For, in the abundance of
dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear thou God.
For in the multitude of dreams, and many words, there are
also divers vanities,.... Or as, "in a multitude of dreams, there
are many vanities, so also in a multitude of words"F19So
Luther, Broughton, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus. ; as dreams are
vain things, or there are abundance of vain things that come into the mind in
dreams; so vain and idle are the many excuses which are made for the
non-performance of vows; or there are many vain things which are uttered in
making of them, or in long prayers to God; or in discourses concerning him; to
all which is opposed the fear of God;
but fear thou God; give no heed to dreams, nor to the many
words of men, which are vain and foolish; but keep close to the word of God,
and worship him internally and externally, in spirit and in truth; for herein
lies the sum and substance of religion; see Ecclesiastes 12:13;
The Targum is,
"for
in the multitude of the dreams of the false prophets believe not, nor in the
vanities of the authors of enchantments, and the many speeches of ungodly men;
but serve the wise and just, and of them seek doctrine, and fear before the
Lord;'
see
Jeremiah 23:28;
Ecclesiastes 5:8 8 If
you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and
righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official
watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
YLT 8If oppression of the poor,
and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness thou seest in a province,
do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high
ones [are] over them.
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting
of justice in a province,.... Which is a very disagreeable sight, but often seen; the poor
are oppressed, and judgment and justice perverted, and that in a very violent
and flagrant manner, in open courts of judicature, in the several provinces and
kingdoms of the world;
marvel not at the matter; as though it was some
strange and uncommon thing, when nothing is more common: or "marvel not at
the will" or "pleasure"F20על
החפץ "super voluntate", Montanus, Cocceius;
"de divina volantate", Pagninus, Mercerus; "divinam
voluntatem", Tigurine version; "de ista voluntate", Junius &
Tremellius, Gejerus. ; that is, of God, who suffers such things to be. So the
Targum, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra, interpret it; stumble not at it, nor arraign the
wisdom and justice of God; let not that temptation prevail in thee as it has
done in some good men, who have been tempted from hence to think there was
nothing in religion, nor no providence attending the affairs of this world; do
not be frightened and astonished, and hurried into such a thought; nor be
distressed at the calamities and oppressions of poor and innocent men;
for he that is higher than the highest regardeth: that is, God,
who is the most high in all the earth; higher, than the kings of the earth, and
all high and haughty oppressors; higher indeed than the heavens, and the angels
there: he "regards" all his people, his eyes are on them, and he
never withdraws them from them; he regards their cries, and hears and answers
them; he regards their oppressors, and their oppressions; and will, in his own
time, deliver them; or he "keeps"F21שמר
"custodiens", Montanus; "custodit", Pagninus;
"custos", Tigurine version. his people as the apple of his eye, in
the hollow of his hand, night and day, lest any hurt them; he keeps them by his
power through faith unto salvation. It may be rendered, "the high One from
on high observes"F23"Observat", Junius &
Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus; "observans, observator est",
Rambachius. ; God, who is the high and lofty One, looks down from the high
heavens where he dwells, and takes notice of all the sons of men, and considers
all their works; see Psalm 33:13;
and there be higher than they; either the
holy angels, who are higher than tyrannical oppressors, higher in nature, and
excel in strength and power; and these are on the side of the oppressed, have
the charge of saints, and encamp about them; and, whenever they have an order,
can destroy their enemies in a moment: or rather the three divine Persons are meant,
by the plural expression used, Father, Son, and Spirit; Jehovah the Father is
above men, the greatest of men, in the things in which they deal proudly; be is
greater than all, and none can pluck his sheep out of his hands, and worry
them: Christ, the Son of the Highest, is higher than the kings, of the earth;
he is King of kings, and Lord of lords, and able to deliver and save his
people; and the Holy Spirit is the power of the Highest, and is greater than he
or they that are in the world, the avowed enemies of the saints. Aben Ezra
interprets it of the secret of the name of God, which he says is inexplicable.
So the Midrash understands it of the holy blessed God; and in another tract it
is said, on mention of this passage, there are three superiors above them in
the way of emanation, and of them it is saidF24Tikkune Zohar
Correct. 69. fol. 114. 1. , "there be higher than they."
Ecclesiastes 5:9 9 Moreover
the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the
field.
YLT 9And the abundance of a land
is for all. A king for a field is served.
Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all,.... Or,
"the excellency of the earth in" or "above all things is
this"F25ויתרון ארץ
בכל היא "et
praestantia terrae in omnibus ipsa", Montanus; "porro excellentia
terrae prae omnibus est", Vatablus; "et praecellentia terrae in
omnibus est", Gejerus. ; that God most high rules over all the earth, and
is higher than the kings of it, and all oppressors in it; or in all respects
there is a preference, a superior excellency in the country as opposed to the
city, especially in this, that there are not so many tumults, riots, and
oppressions there; though this is mostly understood of the preference and
superior excellency of agriculture, or tillage of the earth. So the Targum,
"the
excellency of the praise of tilling the earth is above all things:'
and
to the same purpose Jarchi and Aben Ezra; and the profit arising from it is
enjoyed by all; it is for all, even the beasts of the field have grass from
hence, as well as man has bread corn, and all other necessaries;
the king himself is served by the field; his table is
served with bread corn, and flesh, and wine, and fruits of various sorts, the
produce of the earth, which spring from it, or are nourished by it; were it not
for husbandry the king himself and his family could not subsist; and therefore
it becomes kings to encourage it, and not oppress those who are employed in it:
or "the king is a servant to the field"F26מלך לשדה נעבד
"rex agro sit servus", Montanus, Piscator, Gejerus; "rex agro
servit", Mercerus, so some in Drusius. ; some kings have addicted
themselves to husbandry, and been great lovers of it, as Uzziah was, 2 Chronicles 26:10;
and some of the Chinese emperors, as their historiesF1Vid. Martin.
Sinic. Histor. l. 2. p. 36. & l. 4. p. 92. & l. 3. p. 287. show; and
the kings of PersiaF2Xenophon. Oeconom. p. 482. : Vulcan, in the
shield of Achilles, represented the reapers, gatherers, and binders of sheaves
at work in the field, and a king standing among the sheaves with a sceptre in
his hand, looking on with great pleasure, while a dinner is prepared by his
orders for the workmenF3Homer. Iliad. 18. v. 550-558. ; many of the
Roman generals, and high officers, were called from the plough, particularly
CincinnatusF4Flor. Hist. Roman. l. 1. c. 11. ; and these encouraged
husbandry in their subjects, as well as took care of their own farms. There is
another sense of the words given, besides many more;
"and
the most excellent Lord of the earth (that is, the most high God) is the King
of every field that is tilled; (that is, the King of the whole habitable
world;) or the King Messiah, Lord of his field, the church, and who is the most
eminent in all the earthF5So Schmidt Rambachius. .'
The
Midrash interprets it of the holy blessed God.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 10 He
who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance,
with increase. This also is vanity.
YLT 10Whoso is loving silver is
not satisfied [with] silver, nor he who is in love with stores [with] increase.
Even this [is] vanity.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver,.... The
tillage of the earth is necessary, a very laudable and useful employment, and
men do well to busy themselves in it; without this, neither the common people
nor the greatest personages can be supplied with the necessaries of life; but
then an immoderate love of money is criminal, which is here meant by loving
silver, one kind of money, which when loved beyond measure is the root of all
evil; and besides, when a man has got ever so much of it, he is not satisfied, he
still wants more, like the horse leech at the vein cries Give, give; or he
cannot eat silver, so Jarchi; or be "fed with money", as Mr.
Broughton renders it; and herein the fruits of the earth, for which the
husbandman labours, have the preference to silver; for these he can eat, and be
filled and satisfied with them, but he cannot eat his bags of gold and silver;
nor he that loveth abundance with increase; that is, he
that coveteth a great deal of this world's things shall not be satisfied with
the increase of them, let that be what it will; or, he shall have "no
increase"F6לא תבואה
"non erit proventus illi", Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "nullum
fructum percipit", Tigurine version. , be ever the better for his
abundance, or enjoy the comfort and benefit of it: or, "he that loveth
abundance from whence there is no increase"F7"Qui
amat copiam, sc. multitudinem ex qua non est sperandus profectus",
Schmidt, so Gussetius. ; that loves to have a multitude of people about him, as
manservants and maidservants; a large equipage, as Aben Ezra suggests, which
are of very little use and service, or none at all;
this is also vanity: the immoderate love of
money, coveting large estates and possessions, and to have a train of servants.
Jarchi allegorically interprets silver and abundance, of the commands, and the
multitude of them.
Ecclesiastes 5:11 11 When
goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except
to see them with their eyes?
YLT 11In the multiplying of good
have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit [is] to its possessor
except the sight of his eyes?
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them,.... When a
man's substance increases by trade, or otherwise, very often so it is that his
family increases, and he has more mouths to feed, and backs to clothe; or his
estate growing larger, if he lives suitably to it, he must keep more servants;
and these, as they have but little work to do, are described by their eating,
rather than by their working; and besides, such a growing man in the world has
more friends and visitors that come about him, and eat with him, as well as the
poor, which wait upon him to receive his alms: and if his farms, and his
fields, and his flocks, are enlarged, he must have more husbandmen, and
labourers, and shepherds to look after them, who all must be maintained. So
Pheraulas in XenophonF8Cyropaedia, l. 8. c. 26. observes,
"that
now he was possessed of much, that he neither ate, nor drank, nor slept the
sweeter for it; what he got by his plenty was, that he had more committed to
his keeping, and more to distribute to others; he had more care and more
business, with trouble; for now, says he, many servants require food of me,
many drink, many clothing, some need physicians, &c. it must needs be, adds
he, that they that possess much must spend much on the gods, on friends, and on
guests;'
and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the
beholding of them with their eyes? he can go into his
grounds, his fields, and his meadows to behold his flocks and his herds, and
can say, all these are mine; he can go into his chambers and open his
treasures, and feed his eyes with looking upon his bags of gold and silver, his
jewels, and other riches; he can behold a multitude of people at his table,
eating at his expense, and more maintained at his cost: and, if a liberal man,
it may be a pleasure to him; if otherwise, it will give him pain: and,
excepting these, he enjoys no more than food and raiment; and often so it is,
that even his very servants have in some things the advantage of him, as
follows. The Targum is,
"what
profit is there to the owner thereof who gathers it, unless he does good with
it, that he may see the gift of the reward with his eyes in the world to come?'
Jarchi
interprets it after this manner,
"when
men bring many freewill offerings, the priests are increased that eat them; and
what good is to the owner of them, the Lord, but the sight of his eyes, who
says, and his will is done?'
Ecclesiastes 5:12 12 The
sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But
the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
YLT 12Sweet [is] the sleep of the
labourer whether he eat little or much; and the sufficiency of the wealthy is
not suffering him to sleep.
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat
little or much,.... Or "of a servant"F9העבד
του δουλου, Sept. "servi",
Arab. "i.e. agricolae", Drusius, Rambachius; "qui par regi
famuloque venis", Senec. Hercul. Fur. v. 1073. , who enjoys sleep equally
as a king; a tiller of the ground, as Jarchi; who also interprets it of one
that serves the Lord, as likewise the Targum; a beloved one of his, to whom he
gives sleep, Psalm 127:2. A
refreshing sleep is always reckoned a great mercy and blessing, and which
labouring men enjoy with sweetnessF11"Somnus agrestium
lenis", &c. Horat. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 1. v. 21, 22. ; for if they have
but little to eat at supper, yet coming weary from their work, sleep is easily
brought on when they lie down, and sound sleep they have, and rise in the
morning lively and active, and fit for business; or, if they eat more
plentifully, yet through their labour they have a good digestion, and their
sleep is not hindered: so that should it be answered to the above question,
what has the master more than the servant, though he eats and drinks more
freely, and of the best, and lives voluptuously? yet it may be replied, that,
in the business of sleep, the labouring man has the preference to him; which
must be owned to be a great blessing of life, and is often interrupted by
excessive eating and drinking;
but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep; either the
abundance of food which he eats, which loads his stomach, and fills his head
with vapours, and makes him restless, so that he can get no sleep, or what he
does get is very uncomfortable: or the abundance of his riches fills him with
cares, what he shall do with them, and how to keep and increase them; and with
fears, lest thieves should break in and take them away from him, so that he
cannot sleep quietlyF12"Ne noctu, nec diu quietus unquam
eam", Plauti Aulularia, Act. 1. Sc. 1. v. 23. "Aurea rumpunt tecta
quietem", Senec. Hercul. Oet. v. 646. . The Targum is,
"sweet
is the sleep of a man that serves the Lord of the world with a perfect heart;
and he shall have rest in the house of his grave, whether he lives a few years
or more, &c;'
and
much to the same purpose Jarchi; and who says, it is thus interpreted in an
ancient book of theirs, called Tanchuma.
Ecclesiastes 5:13 13 There
is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their
owner to his hurt.
YLT 13There is a painful evil I
have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil.
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun,.... Or
"an evil sickness"F13רעה חולה "morbus malus", Tigurine version, Vatablus.
. A sinful disease in the person with whom it is found, and very disagreeable
to others to behold; it is enough to make one sick to see it; and what he is
about to relate he himself was an eyewitness of:
namely, riches kept
for the owners thereof to their hurt; laid up in barns and
granaries, as the fruits of the earth; or in chests and coffers, as gold and
silver, for the use and service of the owners of them; and which yet have been
to their real injury; being either used by them in a luxurious and intemperate
way, so have brought diseases on their bodies, and damnation to their souls; or
not used at all for their own good, or the good of others, which brings the
curse of God upon them, to their ruin and destruction, both here and hereafter:
and oftentimes so it is, and which no doubt had fallen under the observation of
Solomon, that some who have been great misers, and have hoarded up their
substance, without using them themselves, or sharing them with others, have not
only been plundered of them, but, for the sake of them, their lives have been
taken away in a most barbarous manner, by cutthroats and villains; sometimes by
their own servants, nay, even by their own children. Riches ill gotten and ill used
are very prejudicial to the owners; and if they are well got, but ill used, or
not used at all, greatly hurt the spiritual and eternal state of men; it is a
difficult thing for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and a
covetous man cannot; if a professor, the word he hears is choked and made
unprofitable; he errs from the faith, and pierces himself through with many
sorrows now, and is liable to eternal damnation hereafter. The Targum
interprets it of a man that gathers riches, and does no good with them; but
keeps them to himself, to do himself evil in the world to come.
Ecclesiastes 5:14 14 But
those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is
nothing in his hand.
YLT 14And that wealth hath been
lost in an evil business, and he hath begotten a son and there is nothing in
his hand!
But those riches perish by evil travail,.... Or,
"by an evil business or affair"F14בענין
רע "occupatione, negotio, vel casu malo",
Gejerus. . That is, such riches as are not well got, or are not used as they
should be, these waste away and come to nothing; either by the owner's bad
management, and misconduct in trade and business; or by fire, tempest, thieves,
and robbers, and many other ways and means: these are very certain things; and
there are various ways by which they make themselves wings and flee away, under
the direction of a divine providence;
and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand; the riches he
had hoarded up, he designed for his son; but being stripped of them by one
means or another, when he comes to die, has nothing to leave his son: or if his
riches do not perish in his own lifetime, yet they are quickly consumed by his
son, who, in a short time, has nothing to live upon; and so being brought up a
gentleman, and in no business, is in a worse condition than such who have been
brought up to work for their living, and in no expectation of an estate after
the decease of their friends. The Targum understands it in this latter sense,
paraphrasing the words thus,
"and
those riches, which he shall leave his son after his death, shall perish,
because he hath gotten them in an evil way; and they shall not remain in the
hand of the son whom he hath begotten; neither shall anything remain in his
hand.'
Ecclesiastes 5:15 15 As
he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he
shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand.
YLT 15As he came out from the
belly of his mother, naked he turneth back to go as he came, and he taketh not
away anything of his labour, that doth go in his hand.
As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go
as he came,.... This may be understood either of the covetous rich man, or
of his son; and that supposing what is before said should not be the case of
either of them, but they should possess their substance as long as they live;
yet, when they come to die, they will be stripped of them all; of their gold
and silver, their plate and jewels, and rich household furniture; of their
cattle and possessions, farms and estates, which are no longer theirs; and even
of their very clothes, and be as naked as they were when they came into the
world; and which is indeed the case of every man, Job 1:21; and is
used as an argument, and a very forcible one, against covetousness;
and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in
his hand; nothing of his substance, which he has got by his labour, and
hoarded up with great care; not the least portion of it can he carry away with
him when he dies; not any of his jewels, nor bags of gold and silver; and if
any of these should be put into his grave, which has been sometimes done at the
interment of great personages, these are of no manner of use and service to
him, either to comfort and refresh his body, or to save his soul from hell, and
procure it an entrance into the heavenly glory; see 1 Timothy 6:7. The
Targum allegorizes this in a very orthodox way, not very usual, in favour of
original sin, and against the doctrine of merit;
"as
he goes out of his mother's womb naked, without a covering, and without any
good; so he shall return to go to the house of his grave, indigent of merit, as
he came into this world; and no good reward shall he receive by his labour, to
take with him into the world to which he goes, that it may be for merit in his
hand.'
Ecclesiastes 5:16 16 And
this also is a severe evil— Just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And
what profit has he who has labored for the wind?
YLT 16And this also [is] a
painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage [is] to him who
laboureth for wind?
And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as
he came,
so shall he go,.... This seems not to be an evil or vanity,
distinct from the former; but the same repeated and confirmed, and expressed,
if possible, in stronger terms, that a man is in all respects alike, when he
goes out of the world, as when he came in. A man's birth is signified by
"coming", that is, out of his mother's womb, and into the world; and
which is a description of every man born into it, John 1:9; he is of
the earth, earthly; comes forth like a flower, and springs up as grass; he
comes not of himself, nor casually, but by means of his parents; and according
to the determinate will of God, and to answer some end or other: and his death
is signified by "going": a going the way of all flesh; a going out of
the world; a going to the grave, the house of all living, a man's long home; it
is like going from one house to another; for death is not an annihilation of
man, but a remove of him from hence elsewhere; and a man's birth and death are
in all points alike. This is to be understood of natural and civil things; of
riches and honours, which men cannot carry with them; and with respect to them,
they are as they were born, naked and stripped of them; and with respect to the
body, the parts of it then are the same, though more grown; it is as naked as
it was born; and a man is as much beholden to his friends for his grave as for
his swaddling clothes; it becomes what it was at first, earth and dust; and as
a man comes not into the world at his own will and pleasure, so neither does he
go out of it at his will, but the Lord's. The Midrash interprets it thus,
"as
a man comes into the world, with crying, weeping, and sighing, and without
knowledge, so he goes out.'
Likewise
this is only true of natural and unregenerate men as to moral things; as they
are born in sin, they die in sin; with only this difference, an addition of
more sin; as they come into the world without the image of God, without a
righteousness, without holiness, and without the grace of God, so they go out of
it without these things: but this is not true of saints and truly gracious
persons; they come into the world with sin, but go out of it without it; being
washed in the blood of Christ, justified by his righteousness, and all their
sins expiated and pardoned through his sacrifice: they are born without a
righteousness, but do not die without one; Christ has wrought out an
everlasting righteousness for them; this is imputed to them; is received by
faith; given them; they are found in it, living and dying; and this introduces
them into heaven and happiness: they are born without holiness, but do not live
and die without it; they are regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit of God,
and at the moment of death made perfectly holy. This only therefore is true of men,
as natural, and with respect to natural and civil things: the Targum interprets
it,
"as
he comes into this world void of merit, so he shall go into that;'
and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? for riches,
which are as unsatisfying as the wind; which are as shifting, and as swift to
flee away, as that; and can no more be held, when it is the will of God they
should go, and especially at death, than the wind is to be held in the fist of
men; and which are as unprofitable as that in the hour of death. Particularly,
what profit has a man of all his riches, which he has got by labour, when he
neither makes use of them in life for his own good, nor the good of others; and
when he comes to die, they leave him and stand him in no stead; and especially
having been unconcerned about his immortal soul; and having been wholly taken
up in the pursuit of such vain and transitory things? see Matthew 16:26.
Ecclesiastes 5:17 17 All
his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness
and anger.
YLT 17Also all his days in
darkness he consumeth, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.
All his days also he eateth in darkness,.... To all
that has been said is added another evil, that attends such whose hearts are
inordinately set on riches; that all their days, throughout the whole of their
lives, they live a most uncomfortable life; for eating is here put for their
whole manner of living: such not only eat coarse bread, and very mean food of
any sort, but wear sordid apparel, and live in a poor cottage, in a very
obscure and miserable manner. Aben Ezra understands it literally of the night,
to which time such a man defers eating, that he might lose no time in his
labour; and that it might not be seen what sort of food he eats, and how
sparingly, and that others might not eat with him; and what he does eat is not
eaten freely, but grudgingly, and with anguish and distress of mind, without
any real pleasure and joy; and much less with the light of God's countenance,
the discoveries of his love, and communion with him: the Targum is,
"all
his days he dwelleth in darkness, that he may taste his bread alone;'
and he hath, much sorrow and wrath with his sickness; either the
sickness of his mind, his covetousness; or the sickness of his body, emaciated
by withholding from himself the necessaries of life: or when he comes upon a
sick bed, he is filled with sorrow and indignation, that he must live no
longer, to accumulate more wealth, and accomplish his projects and designs; and
that he must leave his wealth, he has been at so much pains to gather together.
Or, "and he is much angry"F15וכעס
הרבה "et irascitur multum", Vatablus,
Drusius; "et indignatus fuit, vel indignatur multum", Piscator,
Rambachius. ; when things do not answer in trade according to his wishes; when
his substance diminishes, or, however, does not increase as he desires; when he
is cheated by fraudulent men, or robbed by thieves: "and he hath
sickness"F16וחליו "et agritudo
ei fuit, vel est", Piscator, Drusius; "vel fuerit", Gejerus. ;
either of body or mind, or both, because matters do not succeed as he would
have them; and through fretfulness at losses and crosses, and disappointments;
and through cares in getting and keeping what he has: "and wrath"; at
all about him, whom he is ready to charge with slothfulness or unfaithfulness
to him; and even at the providence of God, that does not give him the desired
success; so that he has no manner of pleasure and comfort in life.
Ecclesiastes 5:18 18 Here
is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and
drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun
all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.
YLT 18Lo, that which I have seen:
[It is] good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all
one's labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his
life that God hath given to him, for it [is] his portion.
Behold that which I have seen,.... Observed, considered
and approved of, and which he recommended and excited attention to, and is as
follows;
it is good and
comely for one to eat and to drink; to make use of the
creatures God has given for service in a free and liberal manner, without
excess, and with moderation; and not deprive a man's self of those things he
may lawfully partake of, and are necessary for him: to do this is good for
himself, and for the health of his body; and is right in the sight of God, and
is comely before men; it is not only lawful, but laudable. There is another
version and sense of the words, "it is good to eat and drink him that is
fair"F17"Bonum est, cum qui pulcher est, edere et bibere,
h. e. Christo per fidem frui; nova et singularis expositio", Rambachius. ,
or comely; Christ, who is fairer than the children of men; to live by faith on
him, to eat his flesh, and drink his blood; but this, however true, spiritual,
and evangelical, it seems foreign to the text. It follows,
and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the
sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him; this last
clause, "which God giveth him", is not to be connected with "the
good of all his labour"; though it is true, that whatever good is got by
labour is the gift of God; but with "all the days of his life"; for
the life of man, and all the days of it, be they more or fewer, are the gift of
God, and according to his determinate will and pleasure; and throughout this
time a man should enjoy, in a comfortable way, with thankfulness to God, the
good things he has gotten by his labour and industry, through the blessing of
God along with them. This Solomon frequently inculcates; Aben Ezra says, this
is the third time, but it seems to be the fourth; see Ecclesiastes 2:24;
for it is his portion; that is, in this life;
for otherwise, if a good man, he has a better portion in another: this is the
part which God has allotted to him here; and it is his duty, and for his good
and comfort, to make use of it.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 19 As
for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to
eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the
gift of God.
YLT 19Every man also to whom God
hath given wealth and riches, and hath given him power to eat of it, and to
accept his portion, and to rejoice in his labour, this is a gift of God.
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth,.... Which
include the whole of a man's substance; all his estate, personal and real; and
all his goods and possessions, movable and immovable, as gold, silver, cattle,
fields, and farms; which are all the gift of God, by whatsoever means they may
be acquired or possessed;
and hath given him power; or, "caused him to
have dominion"F18השליטו "eumque
dominari eum fecerit", Tigurine version; "imperare fecit eum",
Gejerus; "dominari eum fecerit", Rambachius. , over his wealth and
riches, and not be a slave to them, as many are: but to have so much command of
them and of himself, as
to eat thereof; comfortably enjoy them; and dispose of them
to his own good, the good of others, and the glory of God. It follows,
and to take his portion; which God hath allotted
him; to take it thankfully, and use it freely and comfortably;
and to rejoice in his labour; in the things he has
been labouring for, in a cheerful use of them; blessing God for them, and
taking the comfort of them;
this is the gift of God; to have such power over
his substance, and not be a slave to it, and to enjoy the fruits of his labour,
in a cheerful and comfortable manner; this is as much the gift of God as riches
themselvesF19"Di tibi divitias dederunt, artemque
fruendi", Horat. Ep. l. 1. Ep. 4. v. 7. .
Ecclesiastes 5:20 20 For
he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him
busy with the joy of his heart.
YLT 20For he doth not much
remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his
heart.
For he shall not much remember the days of his life,.... Be they
more or fewer, as Jarchi: he will not think life long and tedious; nor dwell
upon, and distress himself with, the troubles he has met with, or is likely to
meet with; but, being content with the good things God has given him, and
freely and cheerfully enjoying them, he passes away his time delightfully and
pleasantly. Some, as Aben Ezra observes, and which he approves of, and is
agreeably to the accents, render the words, "if he has not much, he
remembers the days of his life"F20כי לא הרבה יזכר
"quod si non multum recordabitur dierum vitae suae", Junius &
Tremellius. ; if he has but little of the good things of this life, he
remembers how few his days are he has to live; and doubts not he shall have
enough to carry him to the end of his days, and therefore is quite easy and
content; he calls to mind how he has been supplied all his days hitherto, and
is persuaded that that God, who has provided for him, will continue his
goodness to him, and that he shall not want any good thing; and therefore does
not distress himself with what is to come;
because God answereth him in the joy of his heart; he calls upon
God for a blessing on his labours, asks of him his daily food, and desires what
may be proper and sufficient for him, or what he judges is necessary and
convenient; and God answers his prayers and petitions, and good wishes, by
filling his heart with food and gladness; and giving him that cheerfulness of
spirit, and thankfulness of heart, in the enjoyment of every blessing; and
especially if along with it he lifts up the light of his countenance, and
grants him joy in the Holy Ghost; he will go on so pleasantly and comfortably
as to forget all his former troubles; and it will dissipate his doubts and
fears about how he shall live for the future.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)