CHAPTER XII _Youth should remember their Creator_, 1. _A description of old age and its infirmities, with the causes_ _of death and dissolution_, 2-9. _How the Preacher taught the people knowledge_, 9-11. _General directions, and conclusion of the work_, 12-14. NOTES ON CHAP. XII Verse Eccle... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:2. _WHILE THE SUN, OR THE LIGHT, OR THE MOON, OR THE STARS,_ _BE NOT DARKENED_] i.e., in the SPRING, prime, and prosperity of life. _NOR THE CLOUDS RETURN_] The infirmities of old age of which WINTER is a proper emblem, as _spring_ is of _youth_, in the former clause of this v... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:3. _IN THE DAY WHEN THE KEEPERS OF THE HOUSE_] The BODY of _man_ is here compared to a HOUSE: - mark the metaphors and their propriety. 1. _THE KEEPERS SHALL TREMBLE_ - the _hands_ become paralytic, as is constantly the case, less or more, in old age. 2. _THE STRONG MEN SHALL... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:4. _AND THE DOORS SHALL BE SHUT IN THE STREETS_] 5. The _doors_ - the _lips_, which are the _doors_ by which the _mouth_ is _closed_. 6. _BE SHUT IN THE STREETS_] The _cavities_ of the _cheeks_ and _jaws_, through which the food may be said to _travel_ before it is fitted by... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:5. When _THEY SHALL BE AFRAID_ OF THAT WHICH IS _HIGH_] 10. Being so _feeble_, they are afraid to trust themselves to _ascend steps, stairs_, c., without help. And when they _look_ _upwards_, their heads turn giddy, and they are ready to fall. 11. _FEARS_ SHALL BE _IN THE WAY... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:6. _OR EVER THE SILVER CORD BE LOOSED_] We have already _had_ all the _external_ evidences of _old age_, with all its attendant infirmities; next follow what takes place _in_ the body, in order to produce what is called _death_, or the separation of body and soul. 1. _THE SIL... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:7. _THEN SHALL THE DUST RETURN TO THE EARTH AS IT WAS: AND_ _THE SPIRIT SHALL RETURN UNTO GOD_] 5. Putrefaction and solution take place; the whole mass becomes decomposed, and in process of time is reduced to dust, from which it was originally made; while the spirit, הרוח _ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:8. This affecting and minute description of _old age_ and _death_ is concluded by the author with the same exclamation by which he began this book: _O vanity of vanities_, saith Koheleth, _all is vanity_. Now that man, the masterpiece of God's creation, the delegated sovereign... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:9. _BECAUSE THE PREACHER WAS WISE, HE STILL TAUGHT THE_ _PEOPLE KNOWLEDGE_] And in order to do this he took _good_ _heed_ - considered what would be most useful. _He set in_ _order_ - collected and arranged, many parables, probably alluding to the book over which we have alread... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:10. _HE SOUGHT TO FIND OUT ACCEPTABLE WORDS_] דברי חפץ _dibrey chephets_, words of desire, words of will; the best, the most suitable words; those which the people could best understand. But these words were not such as might merely please the people; they were _words of truth_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:11. _THE WORDS OF THE WISE_] Doctrines of faith, illustrated by suitable language, are _as nails fastened_ by the _masters of_ _assemblies_, בעלי אספות baaley asuphoth, the _masters of_ _collections_, those who had made the best collections of this kind, the _matter_ of which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:12. _AND FARTHER, BY THESE, MY SON, BE ADMONISHED_] Hear such teachers, and receive their admonitions; and do not receive the grace of God in vain. _OF MAKING MANY BOOKS_ THERE IS _NO END_] Two thousand years have elapsed since this was written; and since that time some milli... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Know that HE IS, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 2. Reverence him; pa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:14. _FOR GOD SHALL BRING EVERY WORK INTO JUDGMENT_] This is the _reason_ why we should "fear God and keep his commandments." 1. Because there will be a _day of judgment_. 2. Every soul of man shall stand at that bar. 3. God, the infinitely wise, the heart-searching God, will... [ Continue Reading ]