Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a
thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of
his face shall be changed.
WHO IS THE WISE MEN? Praise of true wisdom continued, (Ecclesiastes
7:11, etc.) "Who" is to be accounted "equal to the wise man?"
KNOWET... [ Continue Reading ]
I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of
the oath of God.
THE KING'S COMMANDMENT - Yahweh, peculiarly the King of Israel in the
theocracy: Ecclesiastes 8:3, prove it is not the earthly king who is
meant ().
IN REGARD OF THE OATH OF GOD - i:e., on account of the oblig... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for
he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
BE NOT HASTY. The Hebrew (Niphal voice: tibaaheel (H926)) means
literally, 'Be not terror-struck, so as to go out of His sight.' The
Piel tebaheel, which some copies read, is more commonly used... [ Continue Reading ]
Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto
him, What doest thou? WHERE THE WORD OF A (THE) KING (IS, THERE IS)
POWER. God's very "Word" is "power." So the Gospel Word (; ). Maurer
translates (Baasher), 'Because that the word of the King is powerful.'
WHO MAY SAY UNTO HIM -... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise
man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
SHALL FEEL (EXPERIENCE) NO EVIL THING - really and lastingly hurting
him. Present trials shall prove everlasting blessings ().
A WISE MAN'S HEART DISCERNETH BOTH TIME (ECCLESIASTES... [ Continue Reading ]
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the
misery of man is great upon him.
BECAUSE TO EVERY PURPOSE (HEBREW, cheepets (H2656 ): DESIRE) THERE IS
TIME AND JUDGMENT - because the foolish sinner does not think of the
right "times" and the "judgment." But the repetition of th... [ Continue Reading ]
For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it
shall be?
FOR (HEBREW, kiy (H3588 ), AS BEFORE: BECAUSE) HE KNOWETH - an
exemplification of man's "great misery" (Ecclesiastes 8:6). The
sinner, by neglecting times (e.g., "the accepted time, and the day of
salvation" 2 Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit;
neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge
in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to
it.
NO MAN ... HATH POWER OVER THE SPIRIT - breath of life (), as the
words following r... [ Continue Reading ]
All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is
done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over
another to his own hurt.
(THERE IS) A TIME WHEREIN ONE MAN RULETH OVER ANOTHER TO HIS OWN
HURT. The tyrannical 'ruler hurts' not merely his subjects, but
himself; so... [ Continue Reading ]
And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place
of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so
done: this is also vanity.
AND SO (OR, THEN) I SAW THE WICKED - (Ezekiel 32:23; ; .) The grave
puts an end to the temporary oppression exercised by the wicked.... [ Continue Reading ]
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,
therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do
evil.
BECAUSE SENTENCE AGAINST AN EVIL WORK ... The reason why the wicked
persevere in sin: God's delay in judgment (; 2 Peter 3:8). 'They see
not the smoke of the pit... [ Continue Reading ]
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged,
yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which
fear before him:
THOUGH A SINNER DO EVIL AN HUNDRED TIMES ... He says this, lest the
sinner should abuse the statement (), "A wicked man prolongeth his
life... [ Continue Reading ]
But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong
his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
NEITHER SHALL HE PROLONG - not a contradiction to . The 'prolonging'
of his days there is only seeming, not real. Taking into account his
eternal existence, his... [ Continue Reading ]
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just
men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked;
again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work
of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
THERE BE JUST (MEN) ... An objection is her... [ Continue Reading ]
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the
sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide
with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him
under the sun.
THAN TO EAT, AND TO DRINK. There is no "better thing," as regards the
things... [ Continue Reading ]
When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business
that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor
night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
WHEN I APPLIED MINE HEART TO KNOW WISDOM ... - When I applied myself
to observe man's toils after happiness (some of them so inc... [ Continue Reading ]