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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Ecclesiastes 5:17

All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

Eateth - appropriately put for 'liveth' in general, as connected with Ecclesiastes 5:11; . In darkness - opposed to 'light (joy) of countenance' (; ). He may be seated in a well-lighted hall, but all is gloom in his heart. The sun is darkened to him who is in mental darkness. It shines only for the happy (; ).

(He hath) much sorrow and wrath - fretfulness.

With his sickness - literally, 'sorrow (is) much, and his sickness (through vexation) and wrath.'

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See also Ecclesiastes 5:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 17. _ALL HIS DAYS ALSO HE EATETH IN DARKNESS_] Even his enjoyments are embittered by _uncertainty_. He fears for his goods; the possibility of being deprived of them fills his heart with anguis...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HATH MUCH SORROW ... - Rather, is very sad and hath pain and vexation....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    3. EXHORTATIONS ON DIFFERENT VANITIES CHAPTER 5 _ 1. Concerning worship and vows (Ecclesiastes 5:1)_ 2. Concerning extortions (Ecclesiastes 5:8) 3. The vanities of wealth (Eccle

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CONCERNING DESPOTISM AND WEALTH. Ecclesiastes 5:8 f. The oppression and injustice that one sees (_in_ an Oriental satrapy) are not to be wondered at when we remember the graded hierarchy of officials...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _he eateth in darkness_ The words are so natural a figure of a cheerless life with no "sweetness and light" in it (comp. Micah 7:8), that there is something almost ludicrous in the prosaic literalism...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    ALL HIS DAYS ALSO HE EATETH— The first proof of the second proposition is comprized in Ecclesiastes 5:14 and is taken from the instability of riches. The longer one has been in possession of a plentif...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    b. They may be harmful. Ecclesiastes 5:13-17 TEXT 5:13-17 13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to their hurt. 14 When those riches were...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    5:17 sickness, (a-14) Lit. 'his sickness.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DISHEARTENING OUTLOOK ON LIFE 1-8. Disorders in the religious, in the political world. In the earlier part of this chapter the writer turns from secular to religious matters. H e points out the irrev...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE TEACHER SEARCHES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 5 BE AFRAID TO MAKE GOD ANGRY – ECCLESIASTES 5:1-7 V1 Be careful when you go to God...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    We pass without notice some variations of translation in this verse, which do not materially affect the sense....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Ecclesiastes 5:16]_ גַּ֥ם כָּל ־יָמָ֖יו בַּ †...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    AND TO TAKE FROM LIFE ITS QUIET AND INNOCENT ENJOYMENTS. Ecclesiastes 5:10 (e) Now surely a life so thick with perils, so beset with temptations, should have a very large and certain reward to offer....

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    AND A MORE HELPFUL AND CONSOLATORY TRUST IN THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Not content with this, however, the Preacher goes on to show how, when they returned from the House of God to the c...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    SECOND SECTION The Quest Of The Chief Good In Devotion To The Affairs Of Business Ecclesiastes 3:1 - Ecclesiastes 5:20 I. IF the true Good is not to be found in the School where Wisdom utters her vo...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    PRACTICAL MAXIMS DEDUCED FROM THIS VIEW OF THE BUSINESS LIFE. (b) A noble philosophy this, and pregnant with practical counsels of great value. For if, as we close our study of this Section of the Bo...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The observation of the religious life brings no truer satisfaction. In this brief passage contempt for religion is not expressed, but there is absolutely no joy or satisfaction manifest. The life is w...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    All his days also he eateth in (n) darkness, and [he hath] much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. (n) In affliction and grief of mind....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER V....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1 THROUGH 12. The Book of Ecclesiastes is, up to a certain point, the converse of the Book of Proverbs. (see NOTE TO PROVERBS below) It is the experience of a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 o...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    All his days also he eateth in darkness, and [he hath] much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. Ver. 17. _All his days also he eats in darkness,_] _i.e., _ He lives besides that he hath, and cannot s...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _As he came forth, &c., naked shall he return_ Into the womb, or belly of the earth, the common mother of all mankind. _And shall take nothing of his labour_ This is another vanity. If his estate be n...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    All his days also he eateth in darkness, always under a gloomy cloud, never sure of the continuance of his wealth, AND HE HATH MUCH SORROW AND WRATH WITH HIS SICKNESS, nothing but annoyance and dissat...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ABSTAINING FROM VICES AND FOSTERING VIRTUES...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE HE ALSO EATS IN DARKNESS WITH GREAT VEXATION, SICKNESS AND ANGER."THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE" -That is, throughout the life of the man intent upon finding happiness in possessions. "HE...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    9-17 The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better tha...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    ALL HIS DAYS, to wit, of his life, ALSO HE EATETH IN DARKNESS; he hath no comfort in his estate, but even when he eats, when other men relax their minds, and use freedom and cheerfulness, he doth it w...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 5:17 days H3117 eats H398 (H8799) darkness H2822 much H7235 (H8687) sorrow H3707 (H8804) sickn

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BURDENS AND PROBLEMS OF WEALTH (ECCLESIASTES 5:8). Here we find a total contrast to the first seven verses. There the thought was of attitude towards God. Now we move on to the atti...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 3:1 A profound gloom rests on the second act or section of this drama. It teaches us that we are helpless in the iron grip of laws which we had no voice in making; that we often lie at th...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 5:8-7 I. We left Koheleth in the act of exhorting us to fear God. The fear of God, of course, implies a belief in the Divine superintendence of human affairs. This belief Koheleth now pro...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 5:9 ; ECCLESIASTES 6:1 I. In all grades of society human subsistence is very much the same. Even princes are not fed with ambrosia, nor do poets subsist on asphodel. The profit of the ea...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Warnings against a vain religion. The vanity and vexation attending the possession of wealth. CHARACTERS: God, Solomon. CONCLUSION: We should address ourselves to the worship of God with a...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ecclesiastes 5:1. _Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God._ Avoid wandering thoughts, and be wholly absorbed in devotion. Do not hear the words of prayer only, but desire the blessings soug...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 5:8 Life “Under the Sun.” The Preacher observes the hardships of life in a fallen world. ⇐...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 5:17 The man’s selfish, fearful greed resulted in a truly wretched life. ⇐ ⇔

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— ECCLESIASTES 5:13. TO THEIR HURT] Inasmuch as they, at length, lose those possessions (Ecclesiastes 5:14). The owner is more unhappy than if he had never possessed at all. Eccl

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 5:1 Section 6. Man's outward and secular life being unable to secure happiness and satisfaction, can these be found in _popular religion?_ Religious exercises need the observa...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Keep your foot when you go to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they do not consider the evil that they do (Ecclesiastes 5:1). When you go into the...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Kings 17:12; 2 Chronicles 16:10; 2 Chronicles 24:24;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    He eateth — He hath no comfort in his estate, but even when he eats, he doth it with anxiety and discontent. And wrath — When he falls sick, and presages his death, he is filled with rage, because he...

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