IV. (1) Having dwelt on the instability of human happiness, the Preacher now turns to contemplate the actual misery of which the world is full. OPPRESSIONS. — Job 35:9; Amos 3:9. NO COMFORTER. — If Solomon were the writer, one asks, What was the king about? Could he do nothing but express helples... [ Continue Reading ]
I PRAISED THE DEAD. — Job 3:11; Exodus 32:32; 1 Kings 19:4; Jeremiah 20:14; Jonah 4:3. The word which is translated “yet” in this verse belongs to later Hebrew, and does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament,... [ Continue Reading ]
RIGHT WORK. — Rather, _skilful._ (See Note on Ecclesiastes 2:21.)... [ Continue Reading ]
EATETH HIS OWN FLESH. — Interpreters have usually taken these words metaphorically, as in Psalms 27:2; Isaiah 49:26; Micah 3:3, and understood them as a condemnation of the sluggard’s conduct as suicidal. But it has been proposed, taking the verse in connection with that which precedes and those whi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I RETURNED. — The vanity of toil is especially apparent in the case of a solitary man. It is possible, as has been suggested (see Ecclesiastes 2:18), that this may have been the writer’s own case. The following verses, which speak of the advantages of friendship and unity, are of a more cheerfu... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE. — The word occurs only here and in Ecclesiastes 10:16, but is common in post-Biblical Hebrew.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE HEAT. — The nights in Palestine were often very cold, and it would seem (Exodus 22:26) that it was common to sleep without any cover but the ordinary day garment; though see Isaiah 28:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
The section commencing here presents great difficulties of interpretation, in overcoming which we have little help from the context, on account of the abruptness with which, in this verse, a new subject is introduced. POOR. — The word occurs again in this book (Ecclesiastes 9:15), but not elsewhere... [ Continue Reading ]
BECOMETH. — Instead of this translation, it is better to render, _in his kingdom he was even poor;_ but there is ambiguity in the Hebrew, as in the English, whether the antecedent of the “his” and the “he” is the old king or the new one.... [ Continue Reading ]
I CONSIDERED. — Heb., _I_ _saw._ Most modern interpreters regard the “second child” as identical with the “young man” of Ecclesiastes 4:13, and understand the passage, “I saw him at the head of all his people; yet his great popularity was but temporary, and the next generation took no pleasure in hi... [ Continue Reading ]