Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 11:2
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
2. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight ] The precept is clearly a pendant to Ecc 11:1 and has received the same variety of interpretations. Following the same line of thought as before, we find in it the counsel to give freely as opportunities present themselves. The combination of “to seven and also to eight,” is, like that of “six and seven” in Job 5:19, of “three and four” in Amos 1, 2, like the “seventy times seven” of Mat 18:22, a Hebrew form of the definite for the indefinite. There is, in our acts of kindness, to be no grudging narrowness. In such things
“Kind heaven disdains the lore
Of nicely calculated less or more.”
And the reason given fits in with the counsel, “Thou knowest not what evil shall be on earth.” “Hard times may come, when thou shalt have no means for giving; therefore waste not the present opportunity. Help those to whom thou givest to meet the hazards of the uncertain future.” Here again men interpret according to their character, and so, we have, as before, the licentious moralist finding a plea for unlimited voluptuousness, while the prudential adviser sees in the precept, which he renders “Divide the portion into seven, yea eight parts,” a caution like that which led Jacob to divide his caravan into two portions for the sake of safety (Gen 32:7-8). Taken in this last sense the precept stands on a level with the current saying of the Stock Exchange that it isn’t wise to “put all your eggs into one basket,” with the “hedging” of those who bet on more than one horse at the Derby and other races. It may well be left to the student to decide which of these interpretations has most to commend it.
It may be admitted, however, as it is the enigmatic form of the precept which has given rise to these discordant views as to its meaning, that the grave irony of the writer, which we have already traced in ch. Ecc 10:4; Ecc 10:20 may have led him to adopt that form because it served as a test of character, each scholar finding what he sought. Here also it might be added “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Mat 13:9).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The verse means: Let your hospitality and your alms be extensive: for you know not what reverses may befall either that person who by your liberality will be strengthened to meet them, or yourself who may come to need grateful friends. Compare Luk 16:9.
Seven, and also to eight – A definite number for an indefinite (compare marginal reference).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Give a portion to seven] Never cease giving while thou seest a person in distress, and hast wherewithal to relieve him.
Thou knowest not what evil] Such may be the change of times, that thou mayest yet stand in need of similar help thyself. Do as thou wouldst be done by.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Give a portion; a part of thy estate or provisions. He alludes to the ancient custom, whereby the master of the feast did distribute several parts to each guest, and withal sent portions to the poor; of which custom see 2Sa 6:19; Neh 8:10,12; Es 9:22.
To seven, and also to eight; to as many as thou art able; a certain number for an uncertain, as Mic 5:5, and oft elsewhere.
Thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth; great calamities may come, whereby thou mayst be brought to poverty, and so both utterly lose that blessed opportunity of doing good, which now thou hast in thine hands, whereby thou mayst gain unspeakable honour, and comfort, and advantage to thyself, and moreover need the charity of others, which thou mayst comfortably expect, either from men, or at least from the powerful providence of God, disposing the hearts of men to pity and help thee, if thou hast been kind and merciful to others; as, on the contrary, they can expect no mercy from God or men, who have showed no mercy to others. Thus he not only answers, but retorts, the argument by which the covetous man excuseth his uncharitableness, because he must lay up against a rainy day.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. portionof thy bread.
seventhe perfectnumber.
eighteven to morethan seven; that is, “to many” (so “waters,”Ec 11:1), nay, even to verymany in need (Job 5:19;Mic 5:5).
evilThe day may benear, when you will need the help of those whom you have bound to youby kindnesses (Lu 16:9). Thevery argument which covetous men use against liberality (namely, thatbad times may come), the wise man uses for it.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight,…. Or, a “part” q; not the whole of a man’s substance, for he must have to support himself and his family; he that does not take care of that is worse than an infidel; a man may bestow all his goods on the poor, and not have charity; though no doubt there was true charity, or love, in the poor widow that threw in all her substance into the treasury, which was an extraordinary case, 1Ti 5:8; but a man is to give of such things that he has, ordinarily, and not all that he has, Lu 11:41; he is to give according to his ability, and what he can spare from the service of himself and family; and this is to be distributed, and given in parts to the poor, according to their necessities; not all to one, but something to everyone, “to seven, and also to eight”: if seven persons apply, give them everyone a part; and, if an eighth person comes, send him not away empty; give to every one that asketh, Lu 6:30; compare with this phrase Mic 5:5; Some think this respects time, so Aben Ezra; that a man should give constantly and continually, should be daily giving, all the seven days of the week, and when the eighth day comes, or the week begins again, go on in the same course. The Targum is,
“put a good part of seed in thy field in Tisri (the seventh month), and do not cease from sowing even in Casleu,”
the eighth month;
for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth; what calamities shall come upon it, which may sweep away all a man’s substance; it may be destroyed by fire, or washed away by a deluge of water, or plundered by an enemy; or, however, the day of death may quickly come, as it certainly shall, and then it will be no longer in a man’s power to do good with what he has. Moreover, the arguments which covetous men use against liberality, the wise man uses for it; they argue that bad times may come, and they may sustain great losses; or have a greater charge upon them, a growing family; or they may live to old age, and want it themselves: be it no, these are reasons why they should give liberally while they can; that when these things they fear shall come upon them, they may be relieved and supplied by others; for those that show mercy shall find mercy; and this is the way to make themselves friends in a time of need, and against it; see Lu 16:9.
q “partem”, Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Vatablus, Drusius, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“Divide the portion into seven, yea, eight (parts); for thou knowest not what evil shall happen on the earth.” With that other interpretation, was to be expected instead of ‘al – haarets ; for an evil spreading abroad over the earth, a calamity to the land, does not yet fall on every one without exception; and why was not the designated directly as personal? The impression of the words … , established in this general manner, is certainly this, that on the supposition of the possibility of a universal catastrophe breaking in, they advise a division of our property, so that if we are involved in it, our all may not at once be lost, but only this or that part of it, as Jacob, Gen 32:9, says. With reference to 1 a, it is most natural to suppose that one is counselled not to venture his all in one expedition, so that if this is lost in a storm, all might not at once be lost (Mendelss., Preston, Hitz., Stuart); with the same right, since 1 a is only an example, the counsel may be regarded as denoting that one must not commit all to one caravan; or, since in Ecc 11:2 is to be represented not merely as a means of obtaining gain, that one ought not to lay up all he has gathered in one place, Jdg 6:11; Jer 41:8 (Nachtigal); in short, that one ought not to put all into one business, or, as we say literally, venture all on one card. is either the portion which one possesses, i.e., the measure of the possession that has fallen to him (Psa 16:5), or means to make portions, to undertake a division. In the first case, the expression … follows the scheme of Gen 17:20: make the part into seven, yea, into eight (parts); in the second case, the scheme of Jos 18:5: make division into seven, etc. We prefer the former, because otherwise that which is to be divided remains unknown; is the part now in possession: make the much or the little that thou hast into seven or yet more parts. The rising from seven to eight is as at Job 5:19, and like the expression ter quaterque, etc. The same inverted order of words as in Ecc 11:2 is found in Est 6:3; 2Ki 8:12.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verse 2 emphasizes that use of resources should be vigorous and widespread, recognizing that man has only limited time, and that he knows not what unforeseen circumstances may appear and hinder his effort, Psa 112:9; Luk 6:38; 2Co 9:6; Jas 4:14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(2) To seven, and also to eight.Quite similar forms of expression occur in Job. 5:19; Pro. 30:21; Amo. 1:3; Mic. 5:4. The numbers seven and eight are used indefinitely in the advice to multiply our modes of exertion, ignorant as we are which may miscarry.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Give a portion That is, of thy bread.
To seven, and also to eight Meaning to no limited and selected number, but donating it widely and generously. “Seven” is often used in Scripture to suggest an exclusive number. Of those thus hospitably treated, some will be unthankful, but others will hold their kind treatment in grateful remembrance and in some emergency will repay it. But even where the generous man has reason to hope for nothing again, and even suffers from the sting of ingratitude, it is still good, when evil reverse of fortune may come, to comfort one’s self, as the thought did Job, that he “ate not his morsel alone” while he had it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ecc 11:2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
Ver. 2. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight. ] A portion – i.e., a good deal, a fair proportion – to a good many; as B. Hooper did to his board of beggars, whom he fed every day by course, serving them by four at a mess, with whole and wholesome food. a Or give a portion, i.e., a part, such as thou canst well part with, not stretching beyond the staple, lest ye mar all, while “others are eased, and you burdened, but by an equality,” &c. 2Co 8:13-14 Give to him that asketh, saith our Saviour Luk 6:30 – scil., according to his necessity, and thine ability. Give with discretion. Psa 112:5 Have a special respect to the family of faith, Gal 6:10 those “excellent ones of the earth,” in whom was David’s “delight.” Psa 16:3 The Jews, from this text, grounded a custom of giving alms to seven poor people every day, or to eight at utmost, if they saw cause. But here is a finite number put for an infinite, as when Christ bade Peter forgive his brother “seventy times seven times,” and as Mic 5:5 “seven shepherds and eight principal men” signify so many shepherds, both teachers and rulers, as shall sufficiently feed the flock of Christ, and defend it from enemies.
For thou knowest not what evll shall be upon the earth.
a Acts and Mon., fol. 1368.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Give: i.e. in charity.
a portion: i.e. a portion of the bread of Ecc 11:1.
seven . . . eight. An idiomatic phrase denoting several or many, like the idiom “once . . . twice” = several times (Job 33:14. Psa 62:11); “twice. . . thrice” = often (Job 33:29. Isa 17:6); “three and four” = frequently, or many (Exo 20:5; Exo 34:7. Pro 30:15, Pro 30:18, Pro 30:21. Amo 1:3, Amo 1:6, Amo 1:9, Amo 1:11, Amo 1:13; Amo 2:1, Amo 2:4, Amo 2:6); “four and five” (Isa 17:6); “six and seven” = many (Job 5:19); “seven and eight” (Mic 5:5).
what evil. As the verb is Masculine but “evil” is feminine, render “what will prove a misfortune”.
evil = misfortune. Hebrew. ra’a’. App-44.
upon the earth. See note on Ecc 5:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a portion: Neh 8:10, Est 9:19, Est 9:22, Psa 112:9, Luk 6:30-35, 1Ti 6:18, 1Ti 6:19
seven: Job 5:19, Pro 6:16, Mic 5:5, Mat 18:22, Luk 17:4
for: Dan 4:27, Act 11:28-30, Gal 6:1, Eph 5:16, Heb 13:3
Reciprocal: Lev 19:25 – General 1Sa 25:8 – a good day 1Sa 25:11 – give it 2Sa 17:29 – The people Psa 41:1 – Blessed Pro 3:10 – General Pro 11:24 – that scattereth Pro 13:7 – that maketh himself poor Pro 14:21 – he that hath Pro 22:9 – He that hath a bountiful eye Pro 31:20 – she reacheth Isa 58:7 – to deal Eze 18:16 – but hath Amo 1:3 – For Zec 8:23 – ten men Mat 5:42 – General Mat 6:2 – when Mat 14:16 – they Mat 25:35 – I was an Luk 6:38 – and it Luk 11:41 – rather Luk 12:17 – shall Act 2:45 – parted Act 11:29 – to send Rom 12:8 – giveth 1Co 7:31 – use
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ecc 11:2. Give a portion to seven A part of thy estate or provisions. He alludes to the ancient custom, whereby the master of the feast distributed several parts to each guest, and withal sent portions to the poor. And also to eight To as many as thou art able. For thou knowest not what evil shall be, &c. Great calamities may come, whereby thou mayest be brought to poverty, and so disabled from doing good. And moreover thou mayest possibly hereafter need the charity of others, which thou wilt have good reason to expect, through the powerful providence of God disposing mens hearts to pity and help thee, if thou hast been kind and merciful to others; whereas, on the contrary, they can expect no mercy from God or men, who have showed no mercy to others.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
This proverb advocates diversifying your investments, rather than putting all of your resources in one place.
"’Seven or eight’ is a Hebrew numerical formula called X, X + 1. It occurs frequently in Proverbs (chaps. 6, 30) and in the first two chapters of Amos. Here it is not to be taken literally but means ’plenty and more than plenty,’ ’the widest possible diversification within the guidelines of prudence. . . .’ Seven means ’plenty,’ and eight means, ’Go a bit beyond that.’" [Note: Hubbard, p. 227.]