INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 3 The general design of this chapter is to confirm what is before observed, the vanity and inconstancy of all things; the frailty of man, and changes respecting him; his fruitless toil and labour in all his works; that it is best to be content with present things, and c... [ Continue Reading ]
TO EVERY [THING THERE IS] A SEASON,.... A set determined time, when everything shall come into being, how long it shall continue, and in what circumstances; all things that have been, are, or shall be, were foreordained by God, and he has determined the times before appointed for their being, durati... [ Continue Reading ]
A TIME TO BE BORN,.... The Targum is, "to beget sons and daughters;'' but rather it is to bear them, there being a time in nature fixed for that, called the hour of a woman, Job 14:1; AND A TIME TO DIE; the time of a man's coming into the world and going out of it, both being fixed by the Lord f:... [ Continue Reading ]
A TIME TO KILL, AND A TIME TO HEAL,.... A time to kill may be meant of a violent death, as a time to die is of a natural one; so the Targum, "a time to kill in war;'' or else, by the hand of the civil magistrate, such who deserve death. Aben Ezra interprets it "to wound", because of the opposite ... [ Continue Reading ]
A TIME TO WEEP, AND A TIME TO LAUGH,.... There is a time for these things, as it goes ill or well with persons, as to their health, estate, or friends; and as it goes ill or well with kingdoms and states. The Jews wept when they were in Babylon, and their mouths were filled with laughter when their... [ Continue Reading ]
A TIME TO CAST AWAY STONES, AND A TIME TO GATHER STONES TOGETHER,.... To cast stones out of a field or vineyard where they are hurtful, and to gather them together to make walls and fences of, or build houses with; and may be understood both of throwing down buildings, as the temple of Jerusalem, so... [ Continue Reading ]
A TIME TO GET, AND A TIME TO LOSE,.... To get substance, as the Targum, and to lose it; wealth and riches, honour and glory, wisdom and knowledge: or, "to seek, and to lose" i; a time when the sheep of the house of Israel, or God's elect, were lost, and a time to seek them again; which was, lone by... [ Continue Reading ]
A TIME TO REND, AND A TIME TO SEW,.... To rend garments, in case of blasphemy, and in times of mourning and fasting, and then to sew them up when they are over; see Isaiah 37:1; This the Jews apply to the rending of the ten tribes from Rehoboam, signified by the rending of Jeroboam's garment, 1 King... [ Continue Reading ]
A TIME TO LOVE, AND A TIME TO HATE,.... For one to love his friend, and to hate a man, a sinner, as the Targum; to love a friend while he continues such, and hate him, or less love him, when he proves treacherous and unfaithful; an instance of a change of love into hatred may be seen in the case of... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT PROFIT HATH HE THAT WORKETH IN THAT WHEREIN HE LABOURETH?] That is, he has none. This is an inference drawn from the above premises, and confirms what has been before observed, Ecclesiastes 1:3; Man has no profit of his labour, since his time is so short to enjoy it, and he leaves it to another... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SEEN THE TRAVAIL WHICH GOD HATH GIVEN TO THE SONS OF MEN,.... The pains and trouble they are at to get a little wisdom and knowledge, Ecclesiastes 1:13; and so to obtain riches and honour, peace and plenty, which sometimes they do obtain, and sometimes not; and when they do, do not keep them... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HATH MADE EVERY [THING] BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME,.... That is, God has made everything; as all things in creation are made by him, for his pleasure and glory, and all well and wisely, there is a beauty in them all: so all things in providence; he upholds all things; he governs and orders all things... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW THAT [THERE IS] NO GOOD IN THEM,.... In these things; as the Arabic version; in the creatures, as Jarchi; in all sublunary enjoyments; in everything the wise man had made a trial of before, as natural Wisdom and knowledge, worldly pleasure, riches, and wealth; the "summun bonum", or happiness... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALSO THAT EVERY MAN SHOULD EAT AND DRINK,.... Not to excess, but in moderation; and yet freely, plentifully, and cheerfully; and not alone, but giving the poor a portion with him; and in all having in view the glory of God, 1 Corinthians 10:31; AND ENJOY THE GOOD OF ALL HIS LABOUR; take the com... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW THAT WHATSOEVER GOD DOETH, IT SHALL BE FOR EVER,.... Which some, as Jarchi, understand of the works of creation, the heavens and the earth, which are however of long standing and duration; and though they shall be dissolved and perish, as to their form and quality, yet not as to the substance... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHICH HATH SEEN IS NOW; AND THAT WHICH IS TO BE HATH ALREADY BEEN,.... That which has been from the beginning now is; that which cometh, and what shall be in the end of days, has been already, as the Targum. Jarchi interprets this of God and his attributes, which are always the same; he is the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOREOVER I SAW UNDER THE SUN THE PLACE OF JUDGMENT,.... Courts of judicature, where judges sit, and, causes are brought before them, and are heard and tried; such as were the Jewish sanhedrim, of which the Midrash and Jarchi interpret it; [THAT] WICKEDNESS [WAS] THERE, wicked judges sat there,... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAID IN MINE HEART, GOD SHALL JUDGE THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED,.... This he considered in his mind, and set it down for a certain truth, and which relieved him under the consideration of the sad perversion of justice; and made him easy under it, and willing to leave things to him that judgeth ri... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAID IN MINE HEART CONCERNING THE ESTATE OF THE SONS OF MEN,.... He thought of the condition of the children of men, their sinful and polluted state; he weighed and considered in his mind their actions, conversation, and course of life; and was concerned how it would go with them at the day of jud... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THAT WHICH BEFALLETH THE SONS OF MEN BEFALLETH BEASTS,.... Aben Ezra says this verse is according to the thoughts of the children of men that are not wise; but rather the wise man says what he does according to his own thoughts, and proceeds to prove the likeness and equality of men and beasts;... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL GO UNTO ONE PLACE,.... The earth w from whence they came; ALL ARE OF THE DUST, AND ALL TURN TO DUST AGAIN; Adam's body was made of the dust of the earth, and so all his posterity, all of them; in which they agree with beasts, who are made of the dust also; and, when they die, return to it; see... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO KNOWETH THE SPIRIT OF MAN THAT GOETH UPWARD?.... There is indeed a difference between a man and a beast; though they have one breath, they have not one spirit or soul; man has a rational and immortal soul, which, when he dies, goes upwards to God that gave it; to be judged by him, and disposed o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE I PERCEIVE THAT [THERE IS] NOTHING BETTER THAN THAT A MAN SHOULD REJOICE IN HIS OWN WORKS,.... The Targum is, "in his good works"; not as justifying him before God, but as vindicating him before men, from unjust censures and charges: rather the sense is, that this is the wise man's conclus... [ Continue Reading ]