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Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Ecclesiastes 1:4

Passeth — Men continue but for one, and that a short age, and then they leave all their possessions, and therefore they cannot be happy here, because happiness must needs be unchangeable and eternal; or else the certain knowledge of the approaching loss of all these things will rob a man of solid contentment in them. Abideth — Through all successive generations of men; and therefore man is more mutable than the very earth upon which he stands, and which, together with all the comforts which he enjoyed in it, he leaves behind to be possessed by others.

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See also Ecclesiastes 1:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Ecclesiastes 1:4. ONE _GENERATION PASSETH AWAY_] Men succeed each other in unceasing generations: but the earth is still the same; it undergoes no change that leads to melioration, or greater pe...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Vanity is shown in mankind, the elements, and all that moves on earth; the same course is repeated again and again without any permanent result or real progress; and events and people alike are forgot...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS PART I. Chapter S 1-6 1. The Prologue and the Search Begun CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction and prologue (Ecclesiastes 1:1)_ 2. The seeker; his method and the results (Ecc...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ECCLESIASTES 1:2 may be called an introduction to the book; it also presents the writer's conclusions. He has surveyed life from many angles and decided that all human effort is fruitless and unavaili...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ABIDETH. standeth still, as in first occurrence (Genesis 18:8; Genesis 18:22; Genesis 19:27; Joshua 18:5.

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh_ The sentence loses in strength by the words inserted in italics. Better, GENERATION PASSETH AND GENERATION COMETH. This is, as it were, the...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _THIS EARTHLY LIFE IS VAIN-- ECCLESIASTES 1:1-4:_ The Book of Ecclesiastes is the preacher's sermon. The book is one continued speech or sermon from Solomon. Solomon is called by several different nam...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE EARTH ABIDETH FOR EVER— _Remaineth the same for ever_] The meaning is, "The earth, considered as the scene of action, with respect to all mutable things, is no way affected by the continual and un...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. Compared with the world, man is transitory and all his efforts are futile. Ecclesiastes 1:4-8 TEXT 1:4-8 4 A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5 Also, the...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. (ONE) GENERATION PASSETH AWAY, AND (ANOTHER) GENERATION COMETH: BUT THE EARTH ABIDETH FOREVER. While the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ALL IS VANITY 1-11. The writer describes himself. He declares that all things are transitory and without result, whether they be the works or the life of man, or the natural forces of heat, air, and...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE EARTH ABIDETH] Man is so far from being lord of the earth, that it survives ever fresh generations of its inhabitants, and so by contrast brings out more clearly the brevity of their existence....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE TEACHER SEARCHES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ ABOUT THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES THE AUTHOR The word ‘Ecclesiastes’ tells us about the author...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (3-11) Man is perpetually toiling, yet of all his toil there remains no abiding result. The natural world exhibits a spectacle of unceasing activity, with no real progress. The sun, the winds, the wat...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    Comp. Sir. 14:19....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    דֹּ֤ור הֹלֵךְ֙ וְ דֹ֣ור בָּ֔א וְ הָ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE PROLOGUE In Which The Problem Of The Book Is Indirectly Stated Ecclesiastes 1:1 THE search for the _ summum bonum_, the quest of the Chief Good, is the theme of the book Ecclesiastes. Naturally...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE TESTIMONY OF AN UNSATISFIED SOUL Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 _All is vanity_! This cry finds an echo in human hearts of every age and clime. Clod meant man to be happy. “These things,” said our Lord, “I...

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

    The first verse of this chapter introduces us to the author of the Book. Taken in conjunction with verse Ecclesiastes 1:12, it leaves no room for doubt that he is Solomon. In stating his theme he empl...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    [One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth for (d) ever. (d) One man dies after another, and the earth remains longest, even to the last day, which yet is s...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Ever. Its substance remains, though the form be changed. (Calmet) --- At the end of time, it will be purified to continue for ever. (Worthington)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? (4) One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever. (5) The sun also ariseth, and the...

  • 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

    [ONE] GENERATION PASSETH AWAY, AND [ANOTHER] GENERATION COMETH,.... This shows that a man can have no profit of all his labour under the sun, because of his short continuance; as soon almost as he has...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 1:4 [One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. Ver. 4. _One generation passeth away, &c._] Therefore, no happiness here, because no a...

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

    _One generation passeth away_, &c. Men continue but for one, and that a short age, and then they leave all their possessions, and therefore they cannot be happy here, because the source of happiness m...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    One generation passeth away, sinking down into the dust of death, AND ANOTHER GENERATION COMETH, replacing those who are laid in the grave; there is a continual going and coming; BUT THE EARTH ABIDETH...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    GENERAL INTRODUCTION...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "A GENERATION GOES AND. GENERATION COMES, BUT THE EARTH REMAINS FOREVER.""One generation enters as another exits, the tragedy manifests itself when men, the highest of God's creation and made from the...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    4-8 All things change, and never rest. Man, after all his labour, is no nearer finding rest than the sun, the wind, or the current of the river. His soul will find no rest, if he has it not from God....

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    ONE GENERATION PASSETH AWAY, AND ANOTHER GENERATION COMETH: men continue but for one, and that a short age, and then they leave all their possessions to the succeeding age; and therefore they cannot b...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 1:4 generation H1755 away H1980 (H8802) generation H1755 comes H935 (H8802) (H8676) H935 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE MEANINGLESSNESS OF WHAT MEN SEEK TO ACCOMPLISH COMES OUT IN THE FACT THAT LIFE SIMPLY FOLLOWS A CONTINUAL UNCHANGING REPETITION. IT IS PURPOSELESS AND BORING AND UNENLIGHTENING AND ACCOMPLISHES NO...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 1:4 I. It is universally acknowledged that the circle is the archetype of all forms, physically as well as mathematically. It is the most complete figure, the most stable under violence,...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 1:4 It is the manifest intention of the Divine Spirit, as shown in the sacred writings, that we should be taught to find emblems in the world we are placed in to enforce solemn instructi...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 1:2 I. This passage is the preamble to the book; it ushers us at once into its realms of dreariness. It is as if he said, "It is all a weary go-round. There are no novelties, no wonders,...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 1:1 The search for the _summum bonum_, the quest of the chief good, is the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes. Naturally we look to find this theme, this problem, this "riddle of the painf...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The doctrine of the vanity of the creature, and the impossibility of finding satisfaction without God. CHARACTERS: God, Solomon. CONCLUSION: All things, considered as abstract from God, an...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ecclesiastes 1:2. _Vanity of vanities._ This is the Hebrew form of the superlative degree of comparison; as, the heaven of heavens, the song of songs, &c. He adds, “vexation of spirit,” because his re...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh._ THE LAW OF CIRCULARITY, OR RETROGRESSION, AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF PROGRESS The circle is the archetype of all forms, physically as well a...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 1:4 First Catalog of “Vanities.” The Preacher gives specific examples to prove his belief that all is “vanity.”...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— ECCLESIASTES 1:2. VANITY.] The Hebrew word is Hebel (Abel) the name given to one of the sons of Adam. The subjection of the whole creation to vanity was soon observed and felt. ECCLE...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 1:1 THE TITLE. THE WORDS OF THE PREACHER, THE SON OF DAVID, KING IN JERUSALEM; Septuagint, "King of Israel in Jerusalem" (comp.Ecclesiastes 1:12). The word rendered "Preacher...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Book of Ecclesiastes begins, The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem (Ecclesiastes 1:1). So that identifies the author as Solomon. The Hebrew word that is translated preacher i...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Peter 3:10; Ecclesiastes 6:12; Exodus 1:6; Exodus 1:7; Exodus 6:16;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE MAN UNDER THE SUN Ecclesiastes 1:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS In order to introduce this study we can think of no better way than to go to our booklet on Ecclesiastes for a quotation. 1. ECCLESIASTES S...

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