Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Ecclesiastes 2:17

Therefore I hated life, he was filled with weariness and loathing toward all that this life has to offer; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me, the contemplation of it all fills the observer with a sense of oppression; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Continues after advertising

See also Ecclesiastes 2:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 17. _THEREFORE I HATED LIFE_] את החיים _et hachaiyim, the_ _lives_, both of the _wise_, the _madman_, and the _fool_. Also all the _stages_ of life, the _child_, the _man_, and the _sage_. There...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Solomon having found that wisdom and folly agree in being subject to vanity, now contrasts one with the other Ecclesiastes 2:13. Both are brought under vanity by events Ecclesiastes 2:14 which come on...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 2THE RESULTS OF THE SEARCH AND DIFFERENT VANITIES _ 1. His personal experience (Ecclesiastes 2:1)_ 2. Various vanities and a conclusion (Ecclesiastes 2:12) Ecclesiastes 2:1

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Qoheleth turns to the study of human nature in its wisdom and its folly. Though all is vanity yet wisdom is better than folly; it is better to face the outlook, dreary though it be, with intelligence,...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ECCLESIASTES 1:12 TO ECCLESIASTES 2:26. QOHELETH'S INVESTIGATIONS. Assuming the character of Solomon the writer tells of his search for happiness under many forms. The pursuit of wisdom (Ecclesiastes...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    LIFE. Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of the Subject) for the pleasure enjoyed in it....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Therefore I hated life_ Better, AND I HATED. Of such a temper, the extremest form of pessimism, suicide would seem the natural and logical outcome. In practice, however, the sages who have thus moral...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _THE VANITY OF LIVING WISELY -- ECCLESIASTES 2:12-17:_ Solomon reflected on what a common man could do to find true happiness when he, with all his resources, had not been able to do so._ _ He could o...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THEREFORE I HATED LIFE— From the 12th to this verse, we have a review of the second _proof;_ first, with respect to wisdom. The more one compares together wisdom or knowledge, and ignorance, which no...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. Conclusions Ecclesiastes 2:12-26 a. Value of this wisdom and pleasure stop at the grave. Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 TEXT 2:12-17 12 So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly, for what will the...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. THEREFORE I HATED LIFE. Disappointed in one experiment after an...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    EPICUREANISM AND WISDOM ALIKE PROFITLESS 1-3. The writer makes enjoyment his quest, while aware that it is folly, and avoiding excess in a philosophic spirit....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    VEXATION OF SPIRIT] see Ecclesiastes 1:14. 18-23. Besides, no one knows what his heir may do....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE TEACHER SEARCHES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 2 THE TEST TO DISCOVER WHAT MAKES A PERSON HAPPY – ECCLESIASTES 2:1-11...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IS GRIEVOUS. — Rather, _was. _...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ שָׂנֵ֨אתִי֙ אֶת ־הַ֣ חַיִּ֔ים כִּ֣י רַ֤ע

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    24-26, VAIN UNDERTAKINGS Ecclesiastes 2:1-17 At the beginning of his search for happiness Solomon erected a splendid home and planned all kinds of delights of an artistic and sensuous nature. There w...

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

    Turning from the pursuit of knowledge to the pathway of pleasure, the king had given himself up to mirth, seeking the false stimulus of wine. In this also he had been disappointed, finding that mirth...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Life. Hebrew, "I hated life," as all is attended with anxiety, Romans vii. 24._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool forever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. (17) Therefore I ha...

  • 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

    THEREFORE I HATED LIFE,.... Not strictly and simply understood, since life is the gift of God; and a great blessing it is, more than raiment, and so dear to a man, that he will give all he has for it:...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun [is] grievous unto me: for all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit. Ver. 17. _Therefore I hated life,_] _i.e., _ I less loved it...

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

    _Therefore I hated life_ My life, though accompanied with so much honour, and pleasure, and wisdom, was a burden to me, and I was ready to wish, either that I had never been born, or that I might spee...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "SO. HATED LIFE, FOR THE WORK WHICH HAD BEEN DONE UNDER THE SUN WAS GRIEVOUS TO ME; BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS FUTILITY AND STRIVING AFTER WIND"."SO. HATED LIFE" -Here is why some people end up old and gru...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-17 Solomon found that knowledge and prudence were preferable to ignorance and folly, though human wisdom and knowledge will not make a man happy. The most learned of men, who dies a stranger to Ch...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    I HATED LIFE; my life, though accompanied with so much honour, and pleasure, and wisdom, was a burden to me, and I was apt to wish either that I had never been born, or that I might speedily die. THE...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 2:17 hated H8130 (H8804) life H2416 work H4639 done H6213 (H8738) sun H8121 distressing H7451

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    A RETURN TO PHILOSOPHY AND ITS HOPELESSNESS (ECCLESIASTES 2:12). Ecclesiastes 2:12 ‘And I turned my mind to observing wisdom and madness and folly. For what can a man do who follows what a king has...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 2:16 I. The noblest renown is posthumous fame, and the most refined ambition is the desire for such fame. And of this more exalted ambition it would appear that Solomon had felt the stirr...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 1:12-2 I. As was natural in so wise a man, the Preacher turns first to wisdom. It is the wisdom that is born of wide and varied experience, not of abstract study. He acquaints himself wit...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Solomon shows that there is no true happiness and satisfaction to be had in mirth, pleasure and the delights of sense. CHARACTERS: God, Solomon. CONCLUSION: True and lasting happiness and...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ecclesiastes 2:1. _Enjoy pleasure._ The first doctrine of Epicurus, whose system is here rebutted. Acts 17:18. Ecclesiastes 2:2. _I said of laughter,_ of all forced and frantic joy, _it is mad._ Chald...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Therefore I hated life._ IS LIFE WORTH LIVING “Is life worth living?” is a question that is continually coming before the public mind in one form or another. When Mr. Maddock’s book appeared, as man...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth._ THE THREEFOLD VIEW OF HUMAN LIFE Three views of human life are given in this remarkable chapter. I. The theatrical view of life (Ecclesiastes 2:1). The wri...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 2:17 The limitations of wisdom lead the Preacher to say that he HATED LIFE. Elsewhere he states that life is superior to death and commends its enjoyment, so this sta...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Ecclesiastes 2:17_ THE CONFESSIONS OF A PLEASURE-SEEKER I. THAT HIS LIFE’S PROMISE HAS FAILED. The pleasure-seeker begins life with high hopes. The intoxication of...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 2:1 Section 2. _Vanity of striving after pleasure and wealth._ ECCLESIASTES 2:1 Dissatisfied with the result of the pursuit of wisdom, Koheleth embarks on a course of sensua...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So I said in my heart, Go to now, I'm going to prove thee with [pleasure,] with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: but, behold, this was vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:1). So we read in the New Testament the ep...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 19:4; Ecclesiastes 1:14; Ecclesiastes 3:16; Ecclesiastes 2:11;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    VANITY AND VEXATION UNDER THE SUN Ecclesiastes 2:11 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We shall introduce our study with quotations from our booklet on Ecclesiastes. Solomon had tried everything which his heart co...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Life — My life was a burden to me. Is grievous — All human designs and works are so far from yielding me satisfaction, that the consideration of them increases my discontent....

Continues after advertising