_A.M. 3027. B.C. 977._ The benefit of Wisdom, vv1. Honour the king and obey God, Ecclesiastes 8:2. Prepare for sudden evils, and for death, Ecclesiastes 8:6. Marvel not at oppression, or the present impunity of the wicked, Ecclesiastes 8:9. It shall be well with the good, and ill with the wicked, t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who is wise?_ There are few wise men in this world. _Who knoweth_, &c. How few understand the reasons of things, and can rightly expound the word and works of God! _A man's wisdom makes his face,_ &c. Makes a man venerable, cheerful, mild, and amiable. The _face_ is put for the mind, because the mi... [ Continue Reading ]
_I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment_ All his commands which are not contrary to the will of God, who must be obeyed rather than any man, even rather than a king. _In regard of the oath of God_ Because of that oath which thou hast taken to keep all God's laws, whereof this of obedience to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whoso keepeth the commandment_ Solomon here passes to a new subject; _shall feel no evil thing_ Shall be delivered from those mischiefs which befall the disobedient. _A wise man's heart discerneth_, &c. Both when, and in what manner, he must keep the commands of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because to every purpose there is a time_, &c. There is a fit way and season for the accomplishment of every business, which is known to God, but for the most part hidden from man. See notes on Ecclesiastes 3:1. _Therefore the misery of man is great_ Because there are few who have wisdom to discern... [ Continue Reading ]
_No man hath power over the spirit_ That is, over the soul of man; _to retain the spirit_ To keep it in the body beyond the time which God hath allotted to it. This is added as another evidence of man's misery. _Neither hath he power in the day of death_ Or, against the day, that is, to avoid, or de... [ Continue Reading ]
_All this I have seen_ All these things before mentioned; _and applied my heart unto every work_ I have been a diligent observer of all actions and events. _There is a time when one man ruleth_, &c. There are some kings, who use their power tyrannically, whereby they not only oppress their people, b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because sentence against an evil work_ God's determinate counsel for the punishment of all evil doers; _is not executed speedily_ But is oftentimes delayed for some time, to give them space for repentance; _therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them_ Hebrew, מלא לב, _their heart i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Though a sinner do evil a hundred times_ Frequently, and innumerably; _and his days be prolonged_ The time of his life and prosperity; _yet it shall be well with them that fear God_ This implies both that good men might for a time suffer grievous things from tyrants, oppressors, and persecutors, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_There is a vanity which is done upon the earth_ Either by wicked potentates, who do commonly advance unworthy men, and oppress persons of the greatest virtue and merit: or, by God's providence, who sees it fit for many weighty reasons so to manage the affairs of the present world. _To whom it happe... [ Continue Reading ]
_When I applied my heart to know wisdom_ He seems to be here assigning the reason of that judgment which he had now passed, (Ecclesiastes 8:15,) which reason is, that he had diligently studied wherein man's wisdom consists, and had observed the restlessness of men's minds and bodies in other courses... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then_ Hebrew, _and_, or, _moreover, I beheld all the work of God_ I considered the counsels and ways of God, and the various methods of his providence toward good and bad men, and the reasons of them. _That a man cannot find out the work_, &c. No man, though ever so wise, is able fully and perfectl... [ Continue Reading ]