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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON Ecclesiastes 12:13 The Preacher has already pointed out the need to fear God (see note on 5:1–7) and to keep his commandments (compare Ecclesiastes 5:4; Ecclesiastes 7:17). The whole duty of man thus involves genuine faith in God, as well as good works, which are the inevitable result of true faith (see James 2:14). God will bring every deed into judgment (compare Ecclesiastes 11:9), thus it is important to obey his commands.

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See also Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 13. After all, the sum of the great business of human life is comprised in this short sentence, on which some millions of books have been already written! FEAR GOD, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS 1...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    This passage is properly regarded as the Epilogue of the whole book; a kind of apology for the obscurity of many of its sayings. The passage serves therefore to make the book more intelligible and mor...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Youth and old age (Ecclesiastes 12:1)_ 2. The concluding epilogue (Ecclesiastes 12:9) Ecclesiastes 12:1. Childhood and youth are vanity! That is the concludin

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EPILOGUE. Ecclesiastes 12:9 is an editor's praise of Qoheleth, who is identified with Solomon, the sage compiler of proverbial wisdom, who wrote words of truth in a pleasing and elegant (acceptable)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE CONCLUSION. See note on "the end", Ecclesiastes 3:11. GOD. Hebrew. _'eth ha-'Elohim_. the [true and only] God; the great Creator, who throughout the book is put in contrast with man (Hebrew. _'ad...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _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...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 847 THE SUM OF ALL TRUE RELIGION Ecclesiastes 12:13. _Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    LET US HEAR THE CONCLUSION, &C.— _Let us hear the conclusion of the whole discourse. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for that is the business of every man;_ Ecclesiastes 12:14. _Because God shall...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. MAN IS ADMONISHED TO FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. Ecclesiastes 12:13 TEXT 12:13 13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. A summary of the second, and the more important part. The whole forms the epi...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    IN LIFE REMEMBER DEATH AND JUDGMENT 1. The Creator is to be remembered in youth. When the powers of mind and body are failing, it will be too late. 1-7. Commentators have differed much as to the inte...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE TEACHER SEARCHES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 12 YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD REMEMBER WHO MADE THEM – ECCLESIASTES 12:1-8 V1 Remember who...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. — Rather, _the duty of every man._ The sacred writer practically anticipates the teaching of Romans 3:29....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    סֹ֥וף דָּבָ֖ר הַ כֹּ֣ל נִשְׁמָ֑ע אֶת ־הָ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE EPILOGUE In Which The Problem Of The Book Is Conclusively Solved Ecclesiastes 12:8 "STUDENTS," says the Talmud, "are of four kinds; they are like a sponge, a funnel, a strainer, and a sieve: lik...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “THE END OF THE MATTER” Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 This comparison of the human body to a house is extremely beautiful. The inference is obvious that our bodies are not ourselves, but only our tenement. Ou...

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

    The preacher now proceeds in language full of poetic beauty to urge the young to remember their Creator. We then reach the epilogue of the sermon. It first repeats the theme as announced at the beginn...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _All man. The whole business and duty of man. (Challoner) --- This is the sum of all profitable doctrine. (Worthington) --- He who does not fear God, deserves not the title of man. He is nothing but v...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (14) For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whet...

  • 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

    LET US HEAR THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER,.... Or "the end" o of it. The sum and substance of it, what it all tends to and issues in; even the whole of what is contained in this book, and in all...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man. Ver. 13. _Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter,_] _scil., _ Touch...

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

    _Let us hear the conclusion_, &c. The sum of all that hath been said or written by wise men. _Fear God_ Which is put here for all the inward worship of God, reverence, and love, and trust, and a devot...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, over against the unsystematic devouring of books resulting in mental and spiritual indigestion: FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; FOR THIS IS THE WHOL...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE CONCLUSION OF THE BOOK...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    LET US HEAR THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER: Or, the end of the matter, even all that hath been heard, is...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "THE CONCLUSION, WHEN ALL HAS BEEN HEARD IS: FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, BECAUSE THIS APPLIES TO EVERY PERSON."THE CONCLUSION" -lit., 'the sum of all'. The final result after all is learned....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    8-14 Solomon repeats his text, VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. These are the words of one that could speak by dear-bought experience of the vanity of the world, which can do nothing to ease men of...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER; the sum and substance of all that hath been said or written by wise men, so far as it is necessary for us to know. FEAR GOD; which is synecdoically put here, as it...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 12:13 hear H8085 (H8799) conclusion H5490 matter H1697 Fear H3372 (H8798) God H430 keep H8104

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CONCLUSION (ECCLESIASTES 12:9). Having given his final verdict on his musings the writer changes into the third person. This was in order to stress the solemnity of what he was saying. Moving into the...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 12:13 I. Among the causes of a sceptical spirit I may assign the first place to that natural reaction against authority which results when the understanding is first emancipated from the...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 12:13 In its happy influence religion, or a filial compliance with the will of God, includes "the whole duty of man." It is self-contained felicity. I. A new heart itself is happiness. W...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 12:8 I. Koheleth has achieved the quest. He has solved the problem and given us his solution of it. He is about to repeat that solution. To give emphasis and force to the repetition, that...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 12:1. _Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth:_ Now we get on solid ground. There is an irony in the advice, «Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 12:1. _Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;_ Do not give God the dre...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Exhortation to the young to be religious. The vanity of the world. CHARACTERS: God, Solomon. CONCLUSION: The great antidote against the diseases of youth, the love of mirth, the indulgence...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ecclesiastes 12:1. _Remember now thy Creator._ Hebrews בוראיךְ _Boreicha,_ thy Creators. The word is plural, as אלהים _Elohim, Genesis 1:1_, designating the Divinity or Godhead, as Romans 1:20. Certai...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments._ THE PURPOSE OF LIFE I. Life has a purpose. The architect intends the building he designs and erects to answer a...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— ECCLESIASTES 12:12. MY SON.] An expression appropriate to the master of wisdom when addressing his pupils; equivalent to “my scholar,” or “dear reader.” (Proverbs 1:8.) OF MAKING MANY...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 12:1 The division into chapters is unfortunate here, as this verse is closely connected with Ecclesiastes 12:10 of the preceding chapter. REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1), It is interesting that most conversions are made during the teenage years. Seven-eighths of every decision for Jesus Christ is m...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 2:17; Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 6:2; Ecclesiastes 2:3;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE RELIGION UNDER THE SUN Ecclesiastes 12:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We use the word "religion" in preference to "Christianity." There are many religions; there is but one Christianity, one Christ. There...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The conclusion — The sum of all that hath been said or written by wise men. Fear God — Which is put here, for all the inward worship of God, reverence, and love, and trust, and a devotedness of heart...

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