_Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth_ The word for "Creator" is strictly the participle of the verb which is translated "create" in Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:21; Genesis 1:27, and as a Divine Name is exceptionally rare, occurring only here and in Isaiah 40:23; Isaiah 44:15. It is plural i... [ Continue Reading ]
_while the sun, or the light_ The imagery falls in naturally with the thought that the approach of death is represented by the gathering of a tempest. It does not follow, however, that this excludes the thought of a latent symbolism in detail as well as in the general idea. The thought that man was... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble_ Here, as before, there is a vivid picture which is also an allegory. The words represent (1) the effect of terror, such as that produced by tempest, or by earthquake, in the population of the city; and (2) the fact which corresponds to these i... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the doors shall be shut in the streets_ The picture of the city under the terror of the storm is continued. The gates of all houses are closed. None leave their houses; the NOISE OF THE MILL CEASES. THE BIRD (probably the crane or the swallow) RISES in the air with sharp cries (literally, FOR A... [ Continue Reading ]
_also when they shall be afraid of that which is high_ The description becomes more and more enigmatic, possibly, as some have thought, because the special forms of infirmity referred to called for a veil. The first clause, however, is fairly clear if we omit the interpolated "_when_." THEY (the ind... [ Continue Reading ]
_or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken_ The figurative character of the whole section, reaches its highest point here. It is clear however that the figures, whatever they may be, are symbolic of nothing less than death. We have had the notes of decay in organs and in functi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was_ The reference to the history of man's creation in Genesis 2:7 is unmistakeable, and finds an echo in the familiar words of our Burial Service, "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust." So Epicharmus, quoted by Plutarch, _Consol. ad Apoll_. p.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity_ The recurrence at the close of the book, and after words which, taken as we have taken them, suggest a nobler view of life, of the same sad burden with which it opened, has a strange melancholy ring in it. To those who see in the preceding vers... [ Continue Reading ]
_And moreover, because the Preacher was wise_ The opening words, closely linked on, as they are, to the preceding, confirm the conclusion just stated that Ecclesiastes 12:8 belongs to this postscript of attestation. The unknown writer of the attestation (probably the President of the Sanhedrin, or s... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words_ Literally, WORDS OF DELIGHT, or PLEASURE, as in chs. Ecclesiastes 5:4; Ecclesiastes 12:1. The phrase reminds us of "the words of grace" (Luke 4:22) which came from the lips of Him, who, as the Incarnate Wisdom of God, was, in very deed, greater than... [ Continue Reading ]
_The words of the wise are as goads_ The general fact is, of course, stated in special connexion with the book which furnishes the writer's theme. They assert that its words also, sweet as they seem, are not without their sting, though, like the prick of the goad, it is for good and not for evil, ur... [ Continue Reading ]
_And further, by these, my son, be admonished_ Better, AND FOR MORE THAN THESE (_i.e._for all that lies beyond), BE WARNED. The address "my son" is, as in Proverbs 1:1; Proverbs 2:1; Proverbs 10:15, that of the ideal teacher to his disciple. It is significant, as noted above, that this appears here... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter_ The word for "let us hear" has been taken by some scholars as a participle with a gerundial force, "_The_ SUM _of the_whole matter must be heard," but it admits of being taken as in the English version, and this gives a more satisfying meaning. The re... [ Continue Reading ]
_For God shall bring every work into judgment_ Once again the Teacher brings into prominence what was indeed the outcome of the book; though, as history shews, the careless reader, still more the reader blinded by his passions, or prejudice, or frivolity, might easily overlook it. The object of the... [ Continue Reading ]