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Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity of vanities. Figure of speech Polyptoton. Note also the Figure of speech Epanadiplosis (App-6), by which Ecclesiastes 1:2 begins and ends with the same word. These Figures are used for the greatest emphasis, and denote utter vanity.

all. the whole, or "the sum total". Not everything in the universe, but all the human labours of Ecclesiastes 1:3; Ecclesiastes 1:8.

vanity. Heb habal, used of that which soon vanishes.

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See also Ecclesiastes 1:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Ecclesiastes 1:2. _VANITY OF VANITIES_] As the words are an exclamation, it would be better to translate, _O vanity of vanities_! Emptiness of emptinesses. True, substantial good is not to be fo...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    VANITY - This word הבל _hebel_, or, when used as a proper name, in Genesis 4:2, “Abel”, occurs no less than 37 times in Ecclesiastes, and has been called the key of the book. Primarily it means “breat...

  • 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...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Vanity of vanities_ The form is the highest type (as in the "servant of servants" of Genesis 9:25, the "chief over the chief" of Numbers 3:32) of the Hebrew superlative. The word translated "vanity,...

  • 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...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 827 THE VANITY OF THE CREATURE Ecclesiastes 1:2. _Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity_. IF experience entitles a man to credit, and gives weight to hi...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    VANITY OF VANITIES— _Vanity of vanities,_ according to the Hebrew idiom, signifies, _the greatest vanity._ The original word הבל _hebel,_ signifies, properly, _steam_ or _vapour,_ and is used to denot...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. THESIS: THE VANITY OF ALL EARTHLY THINGS Ecclesiastes 1:2 TEXT 1:2 2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. THOUGHT QUESTIONS 1:2 5. How many times is there...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. The theme proposed of the first part of his discourse. VANITY OF VANITIES - Hebraism for the most utter vanity. So "holy...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    VANITY OF VANITIES] lit.'breath of breaths'; the form of expression being a Hebrew way of indicating the superlative degree. Of all fleeting things existence is the most fleeting. The same figure is u...

  • 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...

  • 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

    VANITY OF VANITIES. — This verse strikes the key-note of the whole work. In using this expression we mean to indicate the opinion that the unity of the book is rather that of a musical composition tha...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הֲבֵ֤ל הֲבָלִים֙ אָמַ֣ר קֹהֶ֔לֶת הֲבֵ֥ל הֲבָלִ֖ים...

  • 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

    (b) Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity. (b) He condemns the opinions of all men who set happiness in anything but in God alone, seeing that in this world all...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Vanities. Most vain and despicable, (Calmet) and frustrating the expectations of men. (Menochius) --- St. Augustine reads vanitantium, and infers that this vanity of sublunary things is an effect of...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. This may be considered as the one text of Solomon's whole discourse. He takes this for his subject; and all that follows is i...

  • 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

    VANITY OF VANITIES, SAITH THE PREACHER,.... This is the preacher's text; the theme and subject he after enlarges upon, and proves by an induction of particulars; it is the sum of the whole book; VANI...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity. Ver. 2. _Vanity of vanities._] Or, Most vain vanity: therefore, no happiness here to be had but in the reverential fear of...

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

    _Vanity_, &c. Not only _vain_, but _vanity_ in the abstract, which denotes extreme vanity. _Saith the Preacher_ Upon deep consideration and long experience, and by divine inspiration. This verse conta...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Vanity of vanities, the most utter vanity, SAITH THE PREACHER, thereby announcing the theme of his entire book, VANITY OF VANITIES; ALL IS VANITY, that is, all earthly nature and everything pertaining...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    GENERAL INTRODUCTION...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "VANITY OF VANITIES" SAYS THE PREACHER, "VANITY OF VANITIES!", ALL IS VANITY"."VANITY OF VANITIES" -"Utterly vain, utterly vain, everything is vain!" (Mof); "Emptiness, emptiness…all is empty" (NEB);...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-3 Much is to be learned by comparing one part of Scripture with another. We here behold Solomon returning from the broken and empty cisterns of the world, to the Fountain of living water; recording...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    VANITY OF VANITIES; not only vain, but vanity in the abstract, which notes extreme vanity, especially where the word is thus doubled; as _a king of kings_ is the chief of kings, and a servant of serva...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 1:2 Vanity H1892 vanities H1892 says H559 (H8804) Preacher H6953 Vanity H1892 vanities H1892 vanity H

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER 1 THE VAINNESS AND MEANINGLESSNESS OF LIFE. All Is Vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:1). Ecclesiastes 1:1 ‘The words of the preacher (Qoheleth - assembly leader), the son of David, king in Jerusalem.'...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    VANITY "Vanity," in Ecclesiastes, and usually in Scripture, means, not foolish pride, but the emptiness in final result of all life apart from God. It is to be born, to toil, to suffer, to experience...

  • 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...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 1:1 The book of Ecclesiastes is a dramatic biography, in which Solomon not only records, but re-enacts, the successive scenes of his search after happiness, a descriptive memoir, in whic...

  • 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

    _Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity _ THE VANITY OF THE WORLD Certainly, he, who had riches as plentiful as the stones of the street (1 Kings 10:27), and wisdom...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 1:1 Introduction and Theme. The speaker introduces himself and his theme. ⇐...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 1:2 VANITY OF VANITIES! ALL IS VANITY. This important thematic word occurs frequently throughout the book. As the book progresses, its meaning becomes clear (see Intr...

  • 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

    Ecclesiastes 11:10; Ecclesiastes 11:8; Ecclesiastes 12:8; Ecclesiastes 3:19;...

  • 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...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Vanity — Not only vain, but vanity in the abstract, which denotes extreme vanity. Saith — Upon deep consideration and long experience, and by Divine inspiration. This verse contains the general propos...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    How can this book be part of the Scriptures since it contains such skepticism? PROBLEM: Several statements that Solomon makes throughout this book indicate a skepticism that seems contrary to the Bibl...

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