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Ecclesiastes
Chapter Nine
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 9
Though
the wise man, with all his wisdom, search, and labour, could not find out the
causes and reasons of divine Providence, in the branches and methods of it; yet
some things he did find out, and observe, in making this inquiry, and which he
declares; as that good and wise men, more especially their persons and their
affairs, were in the hand of God, under his guidance, government, and
direction; and that an interest in his love and hatred was not to be known by
the outward estate of men, Ecclesiastes 9:1;
That the same events happen to good and bad men, who are variously described;
that the hearts of wicked men are full of sin and madness as long as they live,
and that they all must and do die, Ecclesiastes 9:2;
and then the state of such dead is described, as being without hope, knowledge,
reward, or memory; and without love, hatred, or envy, or any portion in the
things of this life, Ecclesiastes 9:4.
Wherefore good men are advised to live cheerfully, in a view of acceptance with
God, both of persons and services; and eat and drink, and clothe well,
according to their circumstances, and enjoy their friends and families; since
nothing of this kind can be done in the grave, Ecclesiastes 9:7.
Then the wise man observes another vanity; that success in undertakings is not
always to persons who bid fair, and might hope for it, but looks like the
effect of chance, Ecclesiastes 9:11;
which want of success is often owing to their ignorance of the proper time of
doing things, and to their want of foresight, thought, and care, to prevent
evils; for which reason they are compared to fishes and birds, taken in a net
or snare, Ecclesiastes 9:12.
And concludes with a commendation of wisdom, illustrated by an example of it,
in a certain person that delivered a city by it, Ecclesiastes 9:13;
and though the man's wisdom was despised, yet it is preferable to strength, or
weapons of war, or the noise of a foolish ruler, who destroys much good, Ecclesiastes 9:16.
Ecclesiastes 9:1 For I
considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the
righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People
know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.
YLT 1But all this I have laid
unto my heart, so as to clear up the whole of this, that the righteous and the
wise, and their works, [are] in the hand of God, neither love nor hatred doth
man know, the whole [is] before them.
For all this I considered in mine heart,.... What goes
before, in the latter end of the preceding chapter, concerning the various
providences of God, the difficulty of finding out the reasons of them, and the
fruitlessness of attempting it; and also what follows, the work of Providence: Solomon
gave his mind unto, attended it with great application, and strictly considered
and examined it, in order to find it out, but could not; and if he could not,
no other man could. And he had a good intention in all; his views were,
even to declare all this; for the end of search
and inquiry should be, to make known what is found for the good of others, Job 5:27; and as
the wise man had done before, Ecclesiastes 7:25;
or "to purge", or "purify", as the wordF16לבור "purgare", Gejerus, Gouge. signifies; to
make dark providences clear, and consistent with the perfections and promises
of God; to free and vindicate them from all charges of unrighteousness and
partiality, and to set them in a clear light to others: now though he failed in
his attempt, yet having made some discoveries, he imparted them, as follows:
and the observations he made were,
that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in
the hand of God; that those who are truly "righteous" in the sight of
God; are so, in an evangelical sense, made so by the obedience of Christ; and
who believe in him for righteousness, and live soberly, righteously, and godly:
and who are "wise", not for the things of this world but another, who
are wise unto salvation; and are concerned for the truth of grace, as well as
an outward profession, and walk wisely in the world; these, their persons, are
under the special care of divine Providence; they receive from the hand of God
what is needful and proper for them, and they are preserved and protected by
him, 1 Timothy 4:8; and
their "works", or affairs; all events relating to them, are all
appointed, ordered, and directed by the hand of God, and all for their good. In
a more evangelic sense, their persons are in the hands of God, Father, Son, and
Spirit; in the hands of the Father of Christ, being engraven there: he looks at
them, and upon them; with delight and pleasure, and never forgets them; he has
a high and honourable esteem of them, they are a crown of glory, and a royal
diadem in his hand; he directs and guides them, holds them, and upholds them
with his right hand; and keeps them, by his power, through faith unto salvation,
John 10:29. They
are in the hands of Christ; put there by his Father, as the effect of his love,
care, and wisdom; where they are in his possession, the objects of his delight;
and are under his guidance and direction, his care and protection, Deuteronomy 33:3.
And they are in the hands of the Spirit, who begins and carries on his own work
in them; leads them to Christ, and into all truth, and guides them safe to
glory, John 16:8. And so
their "works" also are in the hands of God; the work of grace upon
the soul is in the hand of the Spirit, to carry it on and finish it; good works
done by them are done by the assistance of divine grace, the strength of
Christ, and the aid of the blessed Spirit; are received and accepted with God
through Christ; and will not be forgotten, but are retained, and will be
remembered another day; see Ecclesiastes 9:7;
no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is
before them; no man knows his own love and hatred, his passions are so fickle
and inconstant; what he loves now, he presently hates, as may be seen in the
instances of Ammon, Ahasuerus, and others: or he knows not that what he loves
and hates shall befall him, all depending on divine Providence; or he does not
know the love and hatred of others, who are his friends or his foes, there is
such deceitfulness in men: or rather, he does not know the love and hatred of
God, with respect to himself or others, by the outward conduct of Providence;
since the same things happen to one as to another; as health and strength,
wealth and riches, honour and fame, wisdom and learning, long life, and the
like: good men may know that they are loved of God, by his love being shed
abroad in them, by the blessings of grace bestowed on them, and the witnessings
of the Spirit to them; and know that sin is abominable to God, and wicked men
are hated by him; and living and dying in sin, will be eternally damned; but
who is an elect person, and who a reprobate, is not to be known by the outward
estate of men, as to the things of life. Some render it, "even love and
hatred"F17גם אהבה
גם שנאה "etiam amor,
etiam odium", i.e. "in manu Dei", De Dieu, Gouge, Gussetius, p.
150, 873. , in connection with the preceding clause; that is, these are in the
hands of God also; his love to his people is purely sovereign, according to his
own will; not through any motives in them, as their love, loveliness, or good
works; and his hatred of others, or the punishment of them for sin, and
appointment of them to it; for the same is also as he pleases; see Romans 9:11; or the
love and hatred of men; for God has the hearts and passions of all men in his
hand, and at his command, and can raise or restrain them at his pleasure, Proverbs 21:1; the
love and hatred of good men; he works in them love to himself and all divine
things, and hatred of that which is evil; and also of bad men, he can make them
love his people, and he can restrain their wrath when he pleases, Proverbs 16:7; and
then the last clause is rendered, "no man knoweth all that is
before them"F18אין יודע האדם הכל
לפניהם "non norunt homines quicquam corum quaea
ante se sunt", De Dieu; "non est homo quisquam qui cognoscat omnes
qui sunt coram ipsi", Gussetius, p. 873. ; either before Elohim, the three
divine Persons, to whom all things are manifest, or that were before decreed,
as Aben Ezra; the purposes and decrees of God, which are the secret and deep
things of God, and cannot be known but by his promises or providences: or man
is so short sighted, that he cannot discern the things that are plain and
manifest before him; and much less things future, that are yet to come. But the
words, according to the accents, may be better rendered, as by Munster,
"neither love nor hatred man knows"; whether the love professed to
him is sincere, and what secret hatred is bore to him: "but all things are
before him"; Elohim, the three divine Persons.
Ecclesiastes 9:2 2 All
things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and
the wicked; To the good,[a] the clean,
and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is
the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears
an oath.
YLT 2The whole [is] as to the
whole; one event is to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the
clean, and to the unclean, and to him who is sacrificing, and to him who is not
sacrificing; as [is] the good, so [is] the sinner, he who is swearing as he who
is fearing an oath.
All things come alike to all,.... That is, all outward
things in this life, good and bad men share in alike; which proves that neither
love nor hatred can be known by them: so the emperor Mark Antonine, in speaking
of life and death, of honour and dishonour, of pain and pleasure, riches and
poverty, saysF19De scipso, l. 2. c. 11. , all these things happen
alike to good men and bad men;
there is one event to
the righteous and to the wicked; the same prosperous ones happen to one as
to another, as riches, honour, health, wisdom and learning, fame and
reputation: if Abraham was rich in cattle, gold, and silver, so was Nabal, and
the rich fool in the Gospel; if Joseph was advanced to great dignity in
Pharaoh's court, so was Haman in the court of Ahasuerus; if Caleb was as hearty
and strong at fourscore and five as ever, it is true of many wicked men, that
there are no bands in their death, and their strength is firm to the last; if
Moses, Solomon, and Daniel, were wise men, and of great learning, so were the
idolatrous Egyptians, and so are many God is not pleased to call by his grace;
if Demetrius had a good report of all men, so had the false prophets of old:
and the same adverse things happen to one as to another as the instances of Job,
Lazarus, and the good figs, the Jews carried into captivity, show; of whom the
Midrash, and Jarchi from that, interpret this and the following clauses:
"to the righteous and to the wicked": to Noah the righteous, and to
Pharaoh, not Necho, as Jarchi, but he whose daughter Solomon married, who, the
Jews say, were both lame;
to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean; who are
"good", not naturally, and in and of themselves, but by the grace of
God; and who are "clean", not by nature, nor by their own power, but
through the clean water of divine grace being sprinkled on them, and through
the blood and righteousness of Christ applied to them; and who are
"unclean", through the corruption of nature, and the pollution of
actual sins, they live in. Some understand this of a ceremonial cleanness and
uncleanness. The above Jews apply these characters to Moses, who was good; to
Aaron, who was clean; and to the spies, who were unclean; and the same thing
happened to them all, exclusion from the land of Canaan;
to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: that serves
and worships the Lord, and who does not, one branch of service and worship
being put for all; and whether they offer themselves, their contrite hearts and
spiritual sacrifices, or not. The Jews exemplify this Josiah, who sacrificed to
the Lord; and in Ahab, who made sacrifice to cease; and both were slain with
arrows;
as is the good, so is the sinner; alike in
their outward condition and circumstances, whether as to prosperity or adversity;
and he that sweareth, as he
that feareth an oath; the common swearer, or he that is perjured, and has no reverence
of God, nor regard to truth, nor any concern to make good his oath; and he that
is cautious about taking one does it with awe and reverence of the divine
Being, and is careful of keeping, it, even to his own hurt. The Jews stance in
Zedekiah and Samson; the former broke his oath with the king of Babylon, and
the latter was a religious observer of an oath; and yet both had their eyes put
out; but it does not appear that Samson ever took an oath: the opposition in
the text seems to be between one that is ready to take an oath on every
occasion, without considering the solemnity of one, and without due care of
what he swore to; and one that is cautious about taking an oath, and chooses to
be excused from taking one, on any account, could he be excused; preferring
such advice as is given, Matthew 5:34,
"swear not at all"; the counsel about swearing, which IsocratesF20Paraenes
Demonic. p. 10. gives, seems worthy of notice;
"take
an oath required on two accounts; either to purge thyself from a foul crime
charged with, or to save friends in danger, and deliver them out of it; but on
account of money (or goods) swear not by any deity, no, not even if thou canst
take an oath safely; for by some thou wilt be thought to be perjured, and by
others to be covetous.'
The
word in Hebrew for swearing is always passive, because a man should not swear,
unless obliged; and the same form of language is used by Latin writersF21"Juratus
sum", Plauti Corculio, Act. 3. v. 88. "Fui juratus", ib. Act 4.
Sc. 4. v. 10. "Non tu juratus mihi es? juratus sum", ib. Rudens, Act.
5. Sc. 3. v. 16, 17. ; and the Hebrew word for it comes from a root which
signifies "seven", in allusion, as some think, to seven witnesses
required to an oath; the Arabians, when they swore, anointed "seven"
stones with blood; and, while anointing them, called on their deitiesF23Herodot.
Thalia, sive l. 3. c. 8. ; see Genesis 21:30. It
may be observed, that all men are here divided into good and bad; this has been
the distinction from the beginning, and continues, and ever will.
Ecclesiastes 9:3 3 This
is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens
to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is
in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
YLT 3This [is] an evil among all
that hath been done under the sun, that one event [is] to all, and also the
heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness [is] in their heart
during their life, and after it -- unto the dead.
This is an evil among all things that are done under
the sun, that there is one event unto all,.... A very great evil, a
very sore one, the worst of evils. Not an evil, as the providence of God is
concerned with it, who does no evil; nor is there any unrighteousness in him;
he is righteous in all his ways: but this is an evil, and distressing thing, to
the minds of good men; see Psalm 73:2; and is
what bad men make an ill use of, to harden themselves in sin, and to despise
religion as an unprofitable thing, Job 21:14;
yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil: they are
naturally full of evil, of all unrighteousness and wickedness, what comes out
of them show it; and because the same things happen to good and bad men, and
the wicked pass with impunity, and are outwardly happy as others, or more so,
their hearts are fully set in them to do evil, Ecclesiastes 8:11;
and madness is in their heart while they live; or
"madnesses"F24הוללות
"insaniae", Montanus, Mercerus, Drusius, Amama, Gejerus, Rambachius;
"omnis insania", Junius & Tremellius. : every sin is madness; for
who but a madman would stretch out his hand against God, and strengthen himself
against the Almighty, and run upon him? who but a madman would rush into sin in
the manner he does, and expose himself to dangers and death, even eternal
death? Wicked men are mad upon their lusts, and mad against the saints, and all
that is good; this insanity is in their hearts, and shows itself in their
lives, and continues with them as long as they live, unless called by grace;
and after that they go to the dead; after all the
madness of their lives, they die and go into the state of the dead, and are
among which refers not so much to the interment of bodies in the grave, as the
company with which their separate spirits are; they go not to the righteous
dead, but to the wicked; see Proverbs 2:18; so
Alshech; they go to the dead; not to the righteous, who, in their death, or
when dead are called living, but, as Jarchi observes, at their end they go down
to hell. The Targum is,
"after
the end of a man, it is reserved for him that he be corrected with the dead,
according to the judgment (or desert) of sins.'
Ecclesiastes 9:4 4 But
for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is
better than a dead lion.
YLT 4But [to] him who is joined
unto all the living there is confidence, for to a living dog it [is] better
than to the dead lion.
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope,.... That is,
who is among the living, is one of them, and, as long as he is, there is hope,
if his circumstances are mean, and he is poor and afflicted, that it may be
better with him in time; see Job 14:7; or of his
being a good man, though now wicked; of his being called and converted, as some
are at the eleventh hour, even on a death bed; and especially there is a hope
of men, if they are under the means of grace, seeing persons have been made
partakers of the grace of God after long waiting. There is here a
"Keri" and a "Cetib", a marginal reading and a textual
writing; the former reads, "that is joined", the latter, "that
is chosen"; our version follows the marginal reading, as do the Targum,
Jarchi, Aben Ezra, the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions: some, following
the latter, render the words, "who is to be chosen"F25מי אשר יבחר
"quisquis eligatur", Montanus, so Gejerus. , or preferred, a living,
or a dead man? not a dead but a living man: "to all the living there is
hope"; of their being better; and, as Jarchi observes, there is hope,
while alive, even though he is a wicked man joined to the wicked; yea, there is
hope of the wicked, that he may be good before he dies;
for a living dog is better than a dead lion; a proverbial
speech, showing that life is to be preferred to death; and that a mean, abject,
and contemptible person, living, who for his despicable condition may be
compared to a dog, is to be preferred to the most generous man, or to the
greatest potentate, dead; since the one may possibly be useful in some respects
or another, the other cannot: though a living sinner, who is like to a dog for
his uncleanness and vileness, is not better than a dead saint or righteous man,
comparable to a lion, who has hope in his death, and dies in the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 5 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.
YLT 5For the living know that
they die, and the dead know not anything, and there is no more to them a
reward, for their remembrance hath been forgotten.
For the living know that they shall die,.... Death is
certain, it is the demerit of sin, the appointment of God and the time of it is
fixed; it may be known that it will be, from the word of God that assures it,
from all experience which confirms it, and from the decline of nature, and the
seeds of death in men. This "the living" know that live corporeally,
even the wicked themselves, though they put the evil day far from them; and so
good men, that live spiritually, being quickened by the Spirit and grace of
God, and live a life of faith and holiness; they know they shall die, though
Christ died for them, and has abolished death, as a punishment and a curse, and
took away its sting, and made it a blessing; wherefore it is desirable to them,
as being for their good: but there are some things about death they ordinarily
know not; they do not know the time of their death; nor the place where they
shall die; nor of what death they shall die; nor in what circumstances, both
outward and inward: of these the Targum understands the passage;
"for
the righteous know that if they sin, they shall be reckoned as dead men in the
world to come, therefore they keep their ways, and sin not; but if they sin,
they return by repentance;'
but the dead know not anything; this is not to be understood
of their separate spirits, and of the things of the other world; for the
righteous dead know much, their knowledge is greatly increased; they know, as
they are known; they know much of God in Christ, of his perfections, purposes,
covenant, grace, and love; they know much of Christ, of his person, offices,
and glory, and see him as he is; they know much of the Gospel, and the
mysteries of it; and of angels, and the spirits of just men, they now converse
with; and of the glories and happiness of the heavenly state; even they know
abundantly more than they did in this life: and the wicked dead, in their
separate spirits, know there is a God that judgeth; that their souls are
immortal; that there is a future state; indeed they know and feel the torments
of hell, the worm that never dies, and the fire that is not quenched: but this
is to be interpreted of their bodily senses now extinct, and of worldly things
they have now nothing to do with; they know not any thing that is done in this
world, nor how it fares with their children and friends they have left behind
them; see Job 14:21; nor
therefore are they to be prayed unto, and used as mediators with God. The Targum
is,
"and
sinners know not any good, so that they do not make their works good while they
live; and they know not any good in the world to come;'
neither have they any more a reward; not but that there will
be rewards in a future state, in which everyone shall have his own reward;
there will be a reward for the righteous; they will receive the reward of the
inheritance, though it will be, not of debt, but of grace; and particularly in
the millennium state, Psalm 58:11; and
every transgression of the wicked will receive a just recompence of reward; to
whom the reward of their hands will be given them, Hebrews 2:2; but
the sense is, that after death there will be no enjoyment of a man's labours;
he will not have the use, profit, and advantage of them, but his heirs that
succeed him, Ecclesiastes 4:9;
for the memory of them is forgotten; not the memory of the
righteous with God, for whom a book of remembrance is written, and whose names
are written in heaven; these are had in everlasting remembrance, and their
memory blessed: but the memory of wicked men; who, though they take pains to
perpetuate their names, which they give to their lands, yet the Lord causes
their memory to cease, and they are forgotten in the place where they lived;
not only among the righteous, as the Targum, but among others, Isaiah 26:14; even
among those that enjoy the fruit of their labour; they will scarce think of
them any more, or, however, in a little time they will be quite forgotten by
them.
Ecclesiastes 9:6 6 Also
their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished;
Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the
sun.
YLT 6Their love also, their
hatred also, their envy also, hath already perished, and they have no more a
portion to the age in all that hath been done under the sun.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished,.... Not that
the separate spirits of the dead are without their affections, or these
unexercised; the spirits of just men made perfect will love God and Christ, and
angels, and good men, and all that is good, more intensely; love will continue
after this life, and be in its height, and therefore said to be the greatest
grace, 1 Corinthians 13:13;
they will hate sin, Satan, and all the enemies of Christ, and be filled with
zeal for his glory; so the wordF26קנא־תאם
"aemulatio ipsorum", Cocceius, Gejerus; "aelus eorum",
Drusius, Amana, Rambachius. for envy may be rendered; see Revelation 6:9; and
the spirits of the wicked dead will still continue to love sin, and hate the
Lord, and envy the happiness of the saints; and will rise again with the same
spite and malice against them; see Ezekiel 32:27; but
this respects persons and things in this world; they no more love persons and
things here, nor are loved by any; death parts the best friends, and the most
endearing and loving relations, and puts an end to all their mutual friendship
and affection; they hate their enemies no more, nor are hated by them; they no
more envy the prosperity of others, nor are envied by others; all such kind of
love and hatred, enmity and envy, active or passive, cease at death; out of the
world, as the Targum adds;
neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing
that is under the sun: the worldly man's portion is only in this life, and when he
dies, he carries nothing of it with him; whose ever his possessions will be at
death, they are no more his, nor will he ever return to enjoy them any more;
his houses, his lands, his estates, his gold and silver, and whatever of worth
and value he had, he has no more lot and part in them: but the good man has a
portion above the sun; God is his portion, heaven is his inheritance for ever
and ever. The Targum understands it of the wicked;
"and
they have no good part with the righteous in the world to come; and they have
no profit of all that is done in this world under the sun.'
Ecclesiastes 9:7 7 Go,
eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has
already accepted your works.
YLT 7Go, eat with joy thy bread,
and drink with a glad heart thy wine, for already hath God been pleased with
thy works.
Go thy way,.... Thou righteous man, as Jarchi paraphrases it; and indeed
epicures and voluptuous persons have no need of the following exhortation, and
the reason annexed is not suitable to them; but the whole agrees better with
religious persons, who under distressing views of Providence, and from gloomy
and melancholy apprehensions of things, and mistaken notions of mortification,
deny themselves the free and lawful use of the good things of life; and seeing
there is no enjoyment of them in the grave, and after death, therefore let the
following advice be taken, than which of worldly things nothing is better for a
man to do;
eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; which
includes all things necessary and convenient, and which should be used and
enjoyed freely and cheerfully; not barely for refreshment, but recreation; not
for necessity only, but for pleasure; yet with moderation, not to excess; and
with thankfulness to God; and the rather joy and mirth should mix with these
things, since to a good man they are in love. It may be observed that it is
said "thy bread and thy wine", thine own and not another's;
what is got by labour, and in an honest way, and not by rapine and oppression,
as Alshech observes; what God in his providence gives, our daily food, what is
convenient for us, or is our portion and allotment. The Targum interprets it
figuratively of the joys of heaven;
"Solomon
said, by a spirit of prophecy from the Lord, the Lord of the world will say to
all the righteous, in the face of everyone, eat thy bread with joy, which is
laid up for thee, for thy bread which thou hast given to the poor and needy
that were hungry; and drink thy wine with a good heart, which is laid up for
thee in paradise, for the wine which thou hast mingled for the poor and needy
that were thirsty;'
see
Matthew 25:34;
for God now accepteth thy works; both the persons of
righteous and good men are accepted of God in Christ, and their works done in
faith and love, and with a view to his glory; and since they are acceptable in
his sight, as appears by his blessing on their labours, and bestowing the good
things of life upon them, so it is well pleasing in his sight to make a free and
cheerful use of them.
Ecclesiastes 9:8 8 Let
your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
YLT 8At all times let thy
garments be white, and let not perfume be lacking on thy head.
Let thy garments be always white,.... That is, neat and
clean, not vile and sordid; what is comely and decent, and suitable to a man's
circumstances; this colour is particularly mentioned because much used in the
eastern countries, and in Judea; hence we so often read of washing garments,
and of fullers that whitened them; and especially on festival days and days of
rejoicing, to which HoraceF1"Ille repotia natales aliosque
dierum, festos albatus celebret". Satyr. l. 2. Sat. 2. v. 60, 61.
"Cum ipse epuli Dominus albatus esset", Cicero in Vatin. c. 13.
refers; and here it signifies that every day should be like a festival or day
of rejoicing to a good man, to whom God has given the garment of praise for the
spirit of heaviness, Isaiah 61:3; and
though there may be times for mourning, and so of putting on other apparel,
yet, in common and ordinarily, this should be the habit, decent and comely
apparel. The ancient Jews in Aben Ezra, and so Jarchi, interpret it of an
unblemished conversation; and KimchiF2Comment. in lsa. lxv. 13. of
repentance and good works; and so the Targum,
"let
thy garments be white (or washed) from all filth of sin;'
or
be without any spot of sin, as Alshech; the conversation garments of the saints
are made white in the blood of Christ, and his righteousness is fine linen, and
white; and even eternal glory and happiness is signified by walking with him in
white, Revelation 7:14;
and let thy head lack no ointment: which used to be poured
plentifully on the heads of guests at feastsF3"Coronatus
nitentes malabathro Syrio capillos", Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 7. v. 7, 8.
"et paulo post: funde capacibus unguenta de conchis", v. 22, 23.
"Unguentum (fateor) bonum dedisti convivis", Martial. l. 3. Epigr.
11. , for the refreshment of them, which gave pleasure, and a sweet odour and
fragrancy, and was much in use in those hot countries; see Psalm 23:5; and is
opposed to a gloomy and melancholy carriage and deportment, Matthew 6:17; hence
we read of the oil of joy and gladness, Psalm 45:7. The
Jews before mentioned interpreted this of a good name better than ointment, Ecclesiastes 7:1.
So the Targum,
"and
a good name, which is like to anointing oil, get; that blessings may come upon
thy head, and thy goodness fail not.'
Ecclesiastes 9:9 9 Live
joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He
has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your
portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
YLT 9See life with the wife whom
thou hast loved, all the days of the life of thy vanity, that He hath given to
thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity, for it [is] thy portion in
life, even of thy labour that thou art labouring at under the sun.
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest,.... Or
"see", or "enjoy life"F4ראה
חיים "vide vitam", Pagninus, Vatablus,
Drusius, Mercerus, Cocceius; "vel vitas", Montanus; "perfruere
vita", V. L. "fracre vita", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator,
Gejerus, Rambachius; so Broughton. : this is one of the ways of enjoying life
comfortably, and one of the principal ones; that if a man has a wife whom he
ought to love as himself as his own flesh, to take delight in her company, be
pleasant with her, and rejoice in her, Proverbs 5:18; and
this here may be put for all that pleasure and satisfaction which may be
lawfully had in the enjoyment of all other relations and friends; which adds no
small part to the comfort of a man's life;
all the days of the life of thy vanity; a wife is for
life, and not after a while to be divorced; and to be lived joyfully with, not
for a short time only, but all the days of life;
which he hath given thee under the sun; that is,
either which wife God has given thee; for a wife is the gift of God, Genesis 3:12; and
which is a gift under the sun; for above it, or in heaven, and in a future
state, there is no marrying nor giving in marriage, Luke 20:35; or
which days he hath given thee, so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic
versions. It is added,
all the days of thy vanity; which is repeated, that
it might be observed that the life of man is but a vain life, a vapour that
soon vanishes away, and man in it, at his best estate, is vanity; and that
notwithstanding all the enjoyments of life in the most comfortable manner here
directed to, yet still the doctrine he set out with must be remembered, that
all is vanity, Ecclesiastes 1:2;
for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy
labour which thou takest under the sun; this is all the outward
happiness of a man in this life, and all the use, profit, and advantage of his
labours, to eat and drink cheerfully, to clothe decently, to debar himself of
nothing of lawful pleasure, particularly to live joyfully with his wife, and
enjoy his friends; this is the utmost of outward felicity he can partake of,
and this he should not deny himself. Ben Melech restrains this portion to a
wife, and joyful living with her; but it is best to include all that goes
before.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 10 Whatever
your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no
work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
YLT 10All that thy hand findeth
to do, with thy power do, for there is no work, and device, and knowledge, and
wisdom in Sheol whither thou art going.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,.... Not anything that is
evil, which is near at hand, and easy to be found, and is in the power of men's
hands to do, Romans 7:21; for
this is forbidden of God, abominable to him, and hurtful to men; but whatsoever
is good; so the Targum,
"to
do good and alms to the poor;'
even
all good works in general, which God requires of men, and it is their duty to
do; though they are not meritorious of anything at his hands, nor is there
justification or salvation by them; yet should be done in obedience to the will
of God, in gratitude to him for mercies received, and for his glory; as also
for the profit of men, and for our own good; for the evidence of grace, and to
preserve our characters from the insults and reproaches of men. Whatever is
found written in the book of God should be done; not what is of a ceremonial
kind, and now abolished, but everything of a moral nature, and of positive
institution, under Gospel times; as all Gospel ordinances, and whatever falls
within a man's calling: for every man has a work to do; in every station, as
magistrates and subjects; in every relation, as husband and wife, parents and
children, masters and servants; in every business of life men are called to;
which they should attend, for the good of themselves and families, the relief
of the poor, and the support of the interest of religion: and in religious
things everyone has his work to do; the minister, in preaching and
administering ordinances; the deacon, in taking care of the poor; private
Christians, in praying in their closets and families, in hearing the word,
making a profession of religion, and attending on ordinances; and, as
opportunity serves, should do good to all men, especially to the saints, Galatians 6:10; and
whatsoever is in the power of their hands, as this phrase signifies, Leviticus 12:8.
Aben Ezra refers it to the delights and pleasures of life, such as before
mentioned; which may be allowed, when used in a lawful and moderate manner;
do it with thy might; or "strength";
for though men have no might or strength of their own to do good, which is lost
by sin; yea, even good men, of themselves, and without Christ, his spirit and
grace, can do nothing spiritually good; yet there is strength in him, and to be
had from him; and who should be applied to for it, and who gives it, Isaiah 40:29; the
phrase denotes intenseness of spirit, vigour of mind, activity and fervency;
doing that which is good, cheerfully and diligently, and not in a negligent
careless manner; see Deuteronomy 6:5;
for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest; this, and not then, is
our working time; good men at death cease from their labours in the grave, as
the night in which no man can "work", Revelation 14:13;
then the liberal man can no more "devise" liberal ways and means of
doing good; his purposes of doing good are broken off; and no more plans can be
laid, or designs formed, for the glory of God and the good of fellow creatures:
and no more "knowledge" of objects to do good unto; nor any
improvement in any kind of knowledge, natural or spiritual: nor
"wisdom" and prudence in the management of affairs, to answer some
good ends and purposes; nor opportunity of attaining that wisdom by the
Scriptures, and by the ministry of the word, which make men wise unto
salvation: and now, since every man is going to the grave, his long home, the
place appointed for all living, and this, is the way of all flesh; and every
step he has taken, and does take, is a step to the grave; therefore it is
incumbent on him to do all the good he can in life.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 11 I
returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor
the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of
understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them
all.
YLT 11I have turned so as to see
under the sun, that not to the swift [is] the race, nor to the mighty the
battle, nor even to the wise bread, nor even to the intelligent wealth, nor
even to the skilful grace, for time and chance happen with them all.
I returned, and saw under the sun,.... The wise man
returned to his former subject, concerning the same events happening to all
sorts of persons, righteous and wicked, wise and unwise, Ecclesiastes 10:1;
and enlarged upon it in his mind; and took notice of various things done under
the sun, and made the following remarks: and whereas he had exhorted men to use
all their might in doing the duties of their calling while they lived here; he
suggests, that they should not depend upon, and promise themselves, anything
from their own strength and wisdom; but have a regard to the providence of God,
that superintends all affairs, and gives or withholds success as he pleases; since
it may be observed,
that the race is not to the swift; swiftness
oftentimes is of no service to a man to escape dangers, as may be seen in the
case of Asahel and others, 2 Samuel 2:18; so
the Targum,
"men
who are swift as eagles are not helped by running to escape from death in
battle.'
Or
the sense may be, that the swift are not always made use of in running a race;
or, if they are, they do not always win the prize, something or other happens
to hinder them; they fall, or become lame, when one more slow gets the
advantage of them, 1 Corinthians 9:24;
and so in spiritual things, one that is ready to halt, as David says of
himself, gets to heaven, and is saved, Psalm 38:17; when
others, at first starting or setting out in a profession, run well for a while,
as the Galatians did, Galatians 5:7; but
afterwards drop and fall short; for "it is not of him that willeth, nor of
him that runneth, but of God, that sheweth mercy", Romans 9:16;
nor the battle to the strong: as not to the
Midianites, nor to Goliath, nor to Abner, in whom Jarchi instances; victory is
not always on the side of the mighty and the many, but oftentimes on the side
of the weak and few; see 2 Chronicles 14:9;
so in spirituals, such who go forth in their own strength against an enemy,
trusting in it, fall; while weak believers, depending on the grace and strength
of Christ, wrestle with principalities and powers, and come off victorious;
neither yet bread to the wise: the Targum adds, in a
time of famine, when their wisdom cannot help them; but the sense rather is,
that skilful artificers, in any trade or business, do not always get the best
livelihood, yea, sometimes want the necessaries of life, or eat the bread of sorrow,
when persons of meaner capacities shall thrive and flourish; and even the
wisest of men sometimes have been obliged to others for bread, as was the case
of David, 1 Samuel 21:3; and
even of a wiser than he, our Lord himself, Luke 8:2; and as
for the wise men of this world, the bread of life, Christ Jesus, is neither
enjoyed nor sought after by them;
nor yet riches to men of understanding; mention is
afterwards made of a wise man that was poor, Jarchi instances in Job; and, on
the other hand, sometimes fools are rich, as Nabal and others; and as for the
riches of grace, and treasures of spiritual knowledge, they are not usually
given to the wise and prudent Matthew 11:25; Nor
yet favour to men of skill; to men of knowledge and learning, whose genius and
abilities might be thought sufficient to recommend them to the favour,
affection, and applause of men, and yet oftentimes fall herein; such who have
the art of address and persuasion are not always able to ingratiate themselves,
and gain the esteem of men: Jarchi interprets it of the favour of God, and
instances in Moses; than whom there was not a more knowing and understanding
man in Israel, yet could not by his prayer find grace and favour to enter into
the land: but the Targum is better;
"neither
they that know understanding are helped by their knowledge to find favour in
the eyes of a king;'
but time and chance happeneth to them all; to the swift
and strong, the wise, understanding, and skilful; or to the swift and slow, to
the strong and weak, to the wise and unwise; everything befalls them just as it
is ordered by divine Providence; for there is a certain "time" fixed
by the Lord for every event; and whatever seems casual and contingent to man,
and which he is ready to call "chance", is noticing but
"decree" with God, firm and unalterable; PlatoF5 μετα θεου τυχη και καιρος,
Plato de Leg. l. 4. p. 827. has the same expression. The word signifies
"occurrence"F6פגע
"occursus", Montanus; "sive eventus", Mercerus, Rambachius;
"occurrent", Broughton, , or event, which is under the wise direction
and order of the providence of God, with respect to whom nothing comes by
chance; and it is rendered "occurrent", 1 Kings 5:4; and so
it is here, by the Septuagint version, "occurrence" or
"event"; and in the Targum, event by their star, which is fate: and
Aben Ezra interprets it המערכה עליונה,
the "superior ordination"; it is something we meet, or meets us, by
divine appointment. Aben Ezra and Kimchi, who are followed by others, think
that, from Ecclesiastes 10:4;
to this, Solomon is speaking in the person of epicures and atheists; which is
not likely, since it is not in character for such persons to talk of God's
acceptance of men's works; of living joyfully with a wife; of this life being a
life of vanity; and of death and the grave; and of diligence in working while
the present life lasts.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 12 For
man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds
caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When
it falls suddenly upon them.
YLT 12For even man knoweth not
his time; as fish that are taken hold of by an evil net, and as birds that are
taken hold of by a snare, like these [are] the sons of man snared at an evil
time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.
For man also knoweth not his time,.... Though it is fixed
and settled by the Lord, yet times and seasons are kept in his own power, and
not known by men; not the time of his death, nor of any calamity and distress
coming upon him, nor the proper season and opportunity of doing himself good,
and avoiding evil;
as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that
are caught in the snare; as fishes are suddenly taken in a net, unhappy for them, which
is at once east over them, while they are sporting and playing in the water,
and catching at the bait; and as birds, being decoyed, are unawares taken in a
snare; that is, both of them know not the time of their being caught;
so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it
falleth suddenly upon them; they are no more able to guard against a
time of adversity and calamity, and the evil of it, which comes at once upon
them, than the poor fishes or silly birds are to avoid the net and snare; and
are, like them, at such a time, in the utmost security, indulging themselves in
ease and pleasure: so the day of death, and of judgment, will come like a thief
in the night; or like a snare upon men, when they think nothing of it, but are
giving up themselves to their lusts and pleasures; see 1 Thessalonians 5:2;
for pleasure, as Plato says, is the bait of evils, with which men are caught,
as fishes with the hookF7Apud Ciceronem de Senectute, c. 12.
"Hic ubi saepe occultum visus decurrere piscis ad hamum", Horat.
Epist. l. 1. Ep. 8. v. 73, 74. .
Ecclesiastes 9:13 13 This
wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
YLT 13This also I have seen: wisdom
under the sun, and it is great to me.
This wisdom have I seen also under the sun,.... Or,
"this also I have seen under the sun, even wisdom"F8גם זה ראיתי
חכמה תחת השמש "Hoc etiam vidi sub sole, nempe sapientiam",
Tigurine version; "etiam hoc vidi, sapientiam sub sole", Cocceius;
"etiam hoc vidi, videlicet, sapientiam sub sole", Gejerus. : besides
those things he had, just now observed, he took notice that there was such a
thing as wisdom among men; though success did not always attend the wise, the
understanding, and skilful; and though there was so much ignorance in men, of
their own time, and were so easily and suddenly ensnared in an evil time;
and it seemed great unto me; Solomon had a high value
for wisdom, and he still retained the same sentiments of it he had before, in Ecclesiastes 2:13,
of which he gives the following instance.
Ecclesiastes 9:14 14 There was a little city with few
men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great
snares[b] around it.
YLT 14A little city, and few men
in it, and a great king hath come unto it, and hath surrounded it, and hath
built against it great bulwarks;
There was a little city,
and few men within it,.... Which some take to be a piece of history, a real matter of
fact; that as the city of Abel, when besieged by Joab, was delivered by the
counsel of a wise woman, 2 Samuel 20:15; so
there was a city, which Solomon had knowledge of, which was delivered from the
siege of a powerful king, by the wise counsel of a poor wise man: though others
think it is only a fiction, fable, or parable; the moral of which is, that
political wisdom, even in a poor mean person, is sometimes very useful and
serviceable, though it does not meet with its proper merit. Many of the Jewish
writers understand the whole allegorically and figuratively; so the Targum, by
"the little city", understands the body of man; by "few men in
it", the little righteousness there is in the heart of man; though,
according to the Midrash, Jarchi, and Alshech, they are the members of the
body; by "the great king", the evil imagination, or corruption of
nature, which is great to oppress, and besieges the heart to cause it to err;
and by "the poor wise man", the good imagination or affection, which
prevails over the other, and subdues it, and delivers the body from hell, and
yet not remembered; and so the Midrash, and the ancient Jews in Aben Ezra,
though he himself understands it according to its literal sense. Some Christian
interpreters explain it to better purpose, concerning the church attacked by
Satan, and delivered by Christ, who, notwithstanding, is unkindly and
ungratefully used: the church is often compared to a city, it is the city of
God, and of which saints are fellow citizens; it is but a "little"
one in comparison of the world, and, in some periods and ages of the world,
lesser than in others; it is little and contemptible in the eyes of the world,
and the inhabitants of it are mean and low in their own eyes; they are a little
flock, Luke 12:32; and
"few" in number that are "within it": some are only of it,
but not in it, or are external members only, which sometimes are many; or
outward, not inward, court worshippers; they are few, comparatively, that
belong to the invisible church, that are chosen, redeemed, called, and saved, Matthew 20:16;
there are but few able men, especially such as are capable of defending the
church against its enemies.
and there came a great king against it; Satan, the
prince of devils and of the posse of them in the air, the god and prince of the
world of the ungodly, who works in their hearts, and leads them captive at his
will who may be said to be "great" with respect to the numbers under
him, legions of devils, and the whole world that lies in wickedness, or
"in" or "under" the wicked one: and on account of the power
he exercises, by divine permission, over the bodies and minds of men; and in
comparison of the little city, and few men in it, being stronger than they, Matthew 12:24; he
comes from the region of the air, where his posse are; or from going to and fro
in the earth; or from hell, into which he is cast down: he comes by divine
permission; in the manner evil spirits do, by temptation; in a hostile way,
against the church and people of God, to destroy and devour them, if possible;
and besieged it; surrounded it on all sides, as the Gog and
Magog army trader him will encompass the camp of the saints, and the beloved
city, Revelation 20:9;
and built great bulwarks against it; such as are called
strong holds, 2 Corinthians 10:4.
Satan's first attack was upon the elect of God, in Adam; when he brought them,
through sin, under a sentence of condemnation and death, though then they were
preserved in Christ; and ever since he has been attacking the church by
persecution, in order to take it by storm; and by spreading errors and
heresies, such as tend to raze the foundation, and to pull down the
superstructure of grace; and by promoting schisms, and laying such large
principles of church communion, as tend to take away ordinances and discipline,
the fence of the city; and by throwing in hand grenades of strife and
contention, to raise a civil war among the citizens themselves; and, by various
temptations to sin, to gain deserters: these are some of his bulwarks,
batteries, and engines.
Ecclesiastes 9:15 15 Now
there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city.
Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
YLT 15and there hath been found
in it a poor wise man, and he hath delivered the city by his wisdom, and men
have not remembered that poor man!
Now there was found in it a poor wise man,.... Christ,
who is man, though not a mere man, but God as well as man; who was so in
purpose, covenant, and promise, before his incarnation, since truly and really
so; and "poor", as it was foretold he should be, and who became so
for the sake of his church and people, Zechariah 9:9; yet
"wise", even as man, being filled with wisdom, in which he increased,
and gave such evident proofs of; on whom the spirit of wisdom rested, and in
whom the treasures of it were hid, Luke 2:40, Colossians 2:3; he
was found here by God his Father, who exalted one chosen out of the people, and
made him Head over the church, who is the firstborn among many brethren, Psalm 89:19; Or
"and", or "but he found in it"F9ומצא בה "et invenit in
ea", Mercerus, Drusius, Amama; "sed invenit in ea", Rambachius.
; that is, Satan, the great king, found him here, contrary to his expectation,
and to his great regret;
and he by his wisdom delivered the city; the church,
from all enemies; from Satan and all his principalities and powers; from the
world, the men and things of it; from sin, and all its sad consequences; from
the law, its curse and condemnation; and from the second death, ruin and
destruction: and though this deliverance was both by power and by price, yet
also by wisdom; for the deliverance and redemption of the church by Christ is
the fruit of infinite wisdom; it is a wise scheme to glorify all the divine
perfections; to mortify Satan, and save sinners, and yet condemn sin; see Ephesians 1:7;
yet no man remembered that same poor man: before the
deliverance wrought, as Aben Ezra and others; it never once entered into their
thoughts that he could ever be their deliverer; they never imagined he had a
capacity to advise, direct, or assist, in such service, or bring about such an
affair: so Christ, when he appeared in the world, the Jews saw nothing that was
promising in him; they could not believe that he was sent to be the Saviour and
deliverer of them, and therefore rejected him, Isaiah 3:2; Or,
"after it", so the Vulgate Latin version, "no man hereafter
remembered", &c. took no notice of him after he had wrought this
deliverances; bestowed no honour upon him, nor returned him thanks for what he
had done; but he continued to live and die in obscurity and meanness: thus
Christ, though he ought to be remembered and spoken well of, and the glory of
salvation should be ascribed unto him, and thanks should be given him for it;
yet there are none comparatively, or; but a few, who, like the Samaritan,
glorify him on account of it. But if any choose to understand these words of
political wisdom, and the use of it, by which sometimes a mean and obscure
person does more good than others can by their power and strength, though he
meets with no reward for it, I am not averse to it; and which agrees with what
follows.
Ecclesiastes 9:16 16 Then
I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s
wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard.
YLT 16And I said, `Better [is]
wisdom than might, and the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are
not heard.' –
Then said I, wisdom is better than strength,.... Wisdom of
mind, even in a poor man, is better than strength of body, even of the, most
potent prince and powerful army, as may be concluded from the above instance;
since the poor wise man could do more by his wisdom than the great king with
his mighty army; who was obliged to break up the siege, in consequence of the
counsel given, or the methods directed to, or taken, by the poor man;
nevertheless, the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his
words are not heard; notwithstanding such a flagrant instance and example as this
just mentioned; yet men still retain their prejudices against a poor man, and
despise his wise counsels and advice, for no other reason but because he is
poor, and will not attend to what he says: or, "though the poor man's
wisdom", &c.F11וחכמת
"quamvis sapientia", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus,
Gejerus, Amama; "etsi", Drusius. , as Aben Ezra; Solomon drew the
above conclusion from that instance; though this is usually the case, that men
despise the wisdom of a poor man, and will not listen to his advice, this did
not lessen the wise man's opinion of it. The words may be rendered, "even
the poor man's wisdom despised, and his words not heard"F12"Et
pauperis sapientiam contemptam", &c. Tigurine version. ; these are
better than outward force and strength, and more serviceable and useful; which
the Septuagint version favours: the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "how
is the poor man's wisdom despised!" &c. as wondering at it that so it
should be, when so much profit and advantage arose to the city from it.
Ecclesiastes 9:17 17 Words
of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard Rather than the
shout of a ruler of fools.
YLT 17The words of the wise in
quiet are heard, More than the cry of a ruler over fools.
The words of wise men are heard in quiet,.... That is,
by some persons and at some times, though not by all persons and always; or
they are to be heard, or should be heard, though they seldom be, even the words
of wise men that are poor: these are to be heard quietly and patiently, without
any tumult and contradiction; or should be heard, being delivered with a low
and submissive voice, without any noise, or blustering pride, or passion,
sedately and with great humility, submitting them to the judgment of others;
which sense the comparison seems to require;
more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools; more than the
noisy words of a foolish governor; or than the dictates of an imperious man,
delivered in a clamorous and blustering way; by which he obtains authority
among such fools as himself, who are influenced more by the pomp and noise of
words than by the force of true wisdom and reason; but all right judges will
give the preference to the former. The Targum interprets it of the silent
prayer of the wise being received by the Lord, more than the clamour of the
wicked.
Ecclesiastes 9:18 18 Wisdom
is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroys much good.”
YLT 18Better [is] wisdom than
weapons of conflict, And one sinner destroyeth much good!
Wisdom is better than weapons of war,.... And does
what they cannot do; of which the wisdom of the poor wise man is a full proof,
which delivered the city from a potent prince, when weapons of war could not:
see Ecclesiastes 7:10;
but one sinner destroyeth much good: his own soul by his
sins, and the souls of others by his counsels, example, and conversation, which
corrupt good manners; so does one sinner in a family, neighbourhood, and town;
as one poor wise man does much good, one sinner mars much; one Achan in a camp
or army, one bad counsel for in a cabinet, one false teacher in the church,
will do a great deal of mischief, as well as one debauchee in a town or city.
The Vulgate Latin version is, "who sins in one"; offends or sins in
one, as in James 2:10; so the
Syriac version, "one sin destroys much good", or many good things;
and to the same purpose the Arabic version, "he that committeth one
sin".
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)