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John Trapp Complete Commentary

Ecclesiastes 2:13

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

Ver. 13. Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly,] i.e., Philosophy and human wisdom, though it cannot perfect the mind, nor make a man happy, yet it is as far beyond sensuality and brutishness as light is beyond darkness. Those that seek for the philosopher's stone, though they miss their end, yet they find many excellent things by the way. So philosophers, politicians, moralists, though they missed the "pearl of price," yet they sought out other "goodly pearls" (with that wise merchant, Mat 13:45), for the which they have their just praise and profit:

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See also Ecclesiastes 2:13 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 13. _THEN I SAW THAT WISDOM EXCELLETH FOLLY_] Though in none of these pursuits I found the _supreme_ good, the happiness my soul longed after; yet I could easily perceive that wisdom _excelled_...

  • 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...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _I saw that wisdom excelleth folly_ Better, as keeping up, in the English as in the Hebrew, the characteristic word of the book, THERE IS PROFIT IN WISDOM MORE THAN IN FOLLY, and so in the second clau...

  • 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...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 830 THE EXCELLENCY OF WISDOM Ecclesiastes 2:13. _Then I saw, that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness_. THE more exact is our scrutiny into the things of this world,...

  • 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

    Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. WISDOM EXCELLETH FOLLY ... AS LIGHT EXCELLETH DARKNESS ... THE FOOL WALKETH IN DARKNESS - (.) The worldly "wise" man has...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WISDOM EXCELLETH FOLLY] for, at any rate, in seeking it there is no fear of self-reproach....

  • 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....

  • 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

    Wisdom surely has an advantage over folly, yet how full of “vanity” is that advantage. Let the wise man have done his best, soon death comes; the wise man is forgotten, and all he has gained by his la...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֔נִי שֶׁ יֵּ֥שׁ יִתְרֹ֛ון לַֽ

  • 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...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. (13) Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, a...

  • 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

    THEN I SAT THAT WISDOM EXCELLETH FOLLY,.... However, this upon a review of things he could not but own, that natural wisdom and knowledge, though there was no true happiness and satisfaction in them,...

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

    _I saw that wisdom_ I allowed thus much. Although wisdom is not sufficient to make men happy, yet it is of far greater use than vain pleasures, or any other follies. _The wise man's eyes are in his he...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Solomon's own Example...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excelleth darkness, he recognized the absolute worth of wisdom, he found that the one excluded the other, that folly is vain, empty, and unsubsta...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    THAT WISDOM EXCELLETH FOLLY: _ Heb._ that there is an excellency in Wisdom more then in folly, etc...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "AND. SAW THAT WISDOM EXCELS FOLLY AS LIGHT EXCELS DARKNESS." Yes, prudence, caution, common-sense, wise planning and so on has its advantages (but for how long?)....

  • 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

    THEN I SAW; or, _yet I saw_; for this is added to prevent an Objection or mistake. WISDOM EXCELLETH FOLLY; although wisdom is not sufficient to make men truly and perfectly happy, yet it is of a far g...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 2:13 saw H7200 (H8804) that H3426 wisdom H2451 excels H3504 folly H5531 light H216 excels H3504

  • 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 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

    _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 Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— ECCLESIASTES 2:12. WHAT CAN THE MAN DO THAT COMETH AFTER THE KING?] What will my successor do? He will probably, like the rest of the world, follow the well-worn path of sin and foll...

  • 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

    Ecclesiastes 11:7; Ecclesiastes 7:11; Ecclesiastes 7:12; Ecclesiastes 9:16;...

  • 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

    I saw — I allowed thus much. Although wisdom is not sufficient to make men happy, yet it is of a far greater use than vain pleasures, or any other follies....

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