INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 2 Solomon, having made trial of natural wisdom and knowledge in its utmost extent, and found it to be vanity, proceeds to the experiment of pleasure, and tries whether any happiness was in that, Ecclesiastes 2:1. As for that which at first sight was vain, frothy, and fr... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAID IN MINE HEART,.... He communed with his heart, he thought and reasoned within himself, and came to this resolution in his own mind; that since he could not find happiness in natural wisdom and knowledge, he would seek for it elsewhere, even in pleasure; in which, he observed, some men placed... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAID OF LAUGHTER, [IT IS] MAD,.... The risible faculty in man is given him for some usefulness; and when used in a moderate way, and kept within due bounds, is of service to him, and conduces to the health of his body, and the pleasure of his mind; but when used on every trivial occasion, and at e... [ Continue Reading ]
I SOUGHT IN MINE HEART TO GIVE MYSELF UNTO WINE,.... Not in an immoderate way, so as to intoxicate himself with it, in which there can be no pleasure, nor any show of happiness; but in a moderate, yet liberal way, so as to be innocently cheerful and pleasant, and hereby try what good and happiness w... [ Continue Reading ]
I MADE ME GREAT WORKS,.... He did not spend his time in trifling things, as Domitian a, in catching and killing flies; but in devising, designing, directing, and superintending great works of art and skill, becoming the grandeur of his state, and the greatness of his mind: the Midrash restrains it t... [ Continue Reading ]
I MADE ME GARDENS AND ORCHARDS,.... Of the king's garden, we read Jeremiah 39:4. Adrichomius b makes mention of a royal garden in the suburbs of Jerusalem, fenced with walls; and was a paradise of fruit trees, herbs, spices, and flowers; abounded with all kind of fruit, exceeding pleasant and deligh... [ Continue Reading ]
I MADE ME POOLS OF WATER,.... For cascades and water works to play in, as well as to keep and produce fish of all kinds: mention is made of the king's pools, Ne 2:14; the fish pools at Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim, perhaps belonged to Solomon, Song of Solomon 7:4; Little more than a league fro... [ Continue Reading ]
I GOT [ME] SERVANTS AND MAIDENS,.... Menservants, and maidservants; the Targum adds, "of the children of Ham, and of the rest of the strange people;'' these were such as he hired, or bought with his money; AND HAD SERVANTS BORN IN MY HOUSE; and these were all employed by him; either as his retinu... [ Continue Reading ]
I GATHERED ME ALSO SILVER AND GOLD,.... In great quantities: the weight of gold which came to him in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents; see 1 Kings 9:14; AND THE PECULIAR TREASURE OF KINGS AND OF THE PROVINCES; whatsoever was valuable and precious, such as is laid up in the cabine... [ Continue Reading ]
SO I WAS GREAT,.... Became famous for the great works wrought by him before mentioned; AND INCREASED MORE THAN ALL THAT WERE BEFORE ME IN JERUSALEM; the Targum adds, "in riches"; but it seems rather to respect his fame and glory among men; though in general it may include his increase of wealth, po... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHATSOEVER MINE EYES DESIRED I KEPT NOT FROM THEM,.... Though this sense is only mentioned, all are designed; he denied himself of nothing that was agreeable to him, that was pleasing to the eye, to the ear, to the taste, or any other sense; he indulged himself in everything, observing a proper... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I LOOKED ON ALL THE WORKS THAT MY HANDS HAD WROUGHT, AND ON THE LABOUR THAT I HAD LABOURED TO DO,.... He had looked at them, and on them, over and over again, and had taken pleasure therein; but now he sits down and enters into a serious consideration of them, what prodigious expenses he had be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I TURNED MYSELF TO BEHOLD WISDOM, AND MADNESS, AND FOLLY,.... Being disappointed in his pursuit of pleasure, and not finding satisfaction and happiness in that, he turns from it, and reassumes his study of natural wisdom and knowledge, to make a fresh trial, and see whether there might be some t... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I SAT THAT WISDOM EXCELLETH FOLLY,.... However, this upon a review of things he could not but own, that natural wisdom and knowledge, though there was no true happiness and satisfaction in them, yet they greatly exceeded folly and madness; AS FAR AS LIGHT EXCELLETH DARKNESS; as the light of th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WISE MAN'S EYES [ARE] IN HIS HEAD,.... And so are the eyes of every man; but the sense is, he makes use of them, he looks about him, and walks circumspectly; he takes heed to his goings, he foresees the evil, and avoids it; or the danger he is exposed unto, and guards against it. Some understand... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID I IN MY HEART, AS IT HAPPENETH TO THE FOOL, SO IT HAPPENETH EVEN TO ME,.... The wisest of kings, and the wisest of men; that is, he looked over things in his mind, and considered what had befallen him, or what were his present circumstances, or what would be his case, especially at death;... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR [THERE IS] NO REMEMBRANCE OF THE WISE MORE THAN OF THE FOOL FOR EVER,.... The Targum interprets it, in the world to come; but even in this world the remembrance of a wise man, any more than of a fool, does not always last; a wise man may not only be caressed in life, but may be remembered after... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE I HATED LIFE,.... Not strictly and simply understood, since life is the gift of God; and a great blessing it is, more than raiment, and so dear to a man, that he will give all he has for it: but comparatively, in comparison of the lovingkindness of God, which is better than life; or in com... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, I HATED ALL MY LABOUR WHICH I HAD TAKEN UNDER THE SUN,.... The great works he made, the houses he built; the vineyards, gardens, and orchards he planted, c. what he got by his labour, his riches and wealth and what he also got, not by the labour of his hands, but of his mind. Some understand th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHO KNOWETH WHETHER HE SHALL BE A WISE [MAN] OR A FOOL?.... The king that should be after him, as the Targum, that should be his successor and heir; and so whether he would make a good or bad use of what was left; whether he would keep and improve it, or squander it away; suggesting, that could... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE I WENT ABOUT TO CAUSE MY HEART TO DESPAIR,.... Of ever finding happiness in anything here below. He "turned about" y, as the word signifies dropped his severe studies of wisdom, and his eager pursuits of pleasure; and desisted from those toilsome works, in which he had employed himself; an... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THERE IS A MAN WHOSE LABOUR [IS] IN WISDOM, AND IN KNOWLEDGE, AND IN EQUITY,.... Who does all he does, in natural, civil, and religious things, in the state, in his family, and the world, and whatsoever business he is engaged, in the wisest and best manner, with the utmost honesty and integrity,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHAT HATH MAN OF ALL HIS LABOUR, AND OF THE VEXATION OF HIS HEART?.... What profit has he by it, when there is so much vexation in it, both in getting it, and in the thought of leaving it to others? What advantage is it to him, when it is all acquired for and possessed by another; and especially... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR ALL HIS DAYS [ARE] SORROWS, AND HIS TRAVAIL GRIEF,.... All his days are full of sorrows, of a variety of them; and all his affairs and transactions of life are attended with grief and trouble; not only the days of old age are evil ones, in which he can take no pleasure; or those times which exce... [ Continue Reading ]
[THERE IS] NOTHING BETTER FOR A MAN [THAN] THAT HE SHOULD EAT AND DRINK,.... Not in an immoderate and voluptuous manner, like the epicure and the atheist, that disbelieve a future state and the resurrection of the dead, and give up themselves to all sinful and sensual gratifications; but in a modera... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHO CAN EAT?.... Who should eat, but such a man that has laboured for it? or, who has a power to eat, that is, cheerfully, comfortably, and freely to enjoy the good things of life he is possessed of, unless it be given him of God? see Ecclesiastes 6:1; OR WHO ELSE CAN HASTEN [HEREUNTO] MORE THA... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR [GOD] GIVETH TO A MAN THAT [IS] GOOD IN HIS SIGHT,.... No man is of himself good, or naturally so, but evil, very evil, as all the descendants of Adam are; there are some that are good in their own eyes, and in the sight of others, and yet not truly good; they are only really good, who are so in... [ Continue Reading ]