Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 7:26
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
26. And I find more bitter than death ] The result is a strange one in its contrast to the dominant tendency of Hebrew thought; especially we may add to that thought as represented by the Son of David with whom the Debater identifies himself. We think of the praises of the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon; of the language of Pro 5:13; and (though that is probably of later date) of the acrostic panegyric on the virtuous woman in Pro 31:10-31; and we find here nothing like an echo of them, but rather a tone of scorn, culminating in Ecc 7:28 in that which reminds us of the misogyny of the later maxim-makers of Greece, or of the Eastern king who never heard of any great calamity or crime without asking, Who is she? Such a change might, it is true, be explained as the result of the satiety into which the historical Solomon might have fallen as the penalty of his sensuality; and has its parallel in the cynical scorn of Catullus for the Lesbia whom he had once loved so tenderly (see Introduction, ch. iii.) and in that of a thousand others. Doubtless the words speak of such a personal experience on the part of the Debater. He had found no wickedness like that of the “strange woman,” such as she is painted in Pro 2:16-19; Pro 7:1-27. But we can scarcely fail to trace the influence of the Greek thought with which, as we have seen, the writer had come into contact. Of this the following may serve as samples out of a somewhat large collection.
.
“A woman is a burden full of ills.”
, .
“Where women are, all evils there are found.”
.
“Woman is fiercer than all beasts of prey.”
Poet. Graec. Gnomici, Ed. Tauchnitz, p. 182.
It might, perhaps, be pleaded in reference to this verse that the writer speaks of one class of women only, probably that represented in the pictures of Proverbs 2 or 7 and that the “ corruptio optimi est pessima,” but the next verse makes the condemnation yet more sweeping. The suggestion that the writer allegorizes, and means by “the woman” here the abstract ideal of sensuality is quite untenable.
In the imagery of “snares” and “nets” and “bands” some critics (Tyler) have traced a reminiscence of the history of Samson and Delilah (Judges 16). Such a reference to Hebrew history is however not at all after the writer’s manner, and it is far more natural to see in it the result of his own personal experience (see Introduction, ch. iii.). The Son of Sirach follows, it may be noted, in the same track of thought, though with a somewhat less sweeping condemnation ( Sir 25:15-26 ; Sir 26:6-12 ).
whoso pleaseth God ] The marginal reading, whoso is good before God should be noted as closer to the Hebrew.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Compare the account of Solomons wives 1Ki 11:1-8 : see also Pro 2:16-19; Pro 5:3…
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. And I find more bitter than death the woman] After all his investigation of the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness, he found nothing equally dangerous and ruinous with the blandishments of cunning women. When once the affections are entangled, escape without ruin is almost impossible.
Whoso pleaseth God] The man who walks with God, and he alone, shall escape this sore evil: and even he that fears God, if he get with an artful woman, may be soon robbed of his strength, and become like other men. A bad or artful woman is represented as a company of hunters, with nets, gins, &c., to catch their prey.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I find, by my own sad experience; which Solomon here records, partly as an instance of that folly and madness which he expressed in general, Ecc 7:25, and partly as a testimony of his true repentance for his foul miscarriages, for which he was willing to take shame to himself, not only from the present, but from all succeeding generations.
More bitter; more vexatious and pernicious, as producing those horrors of conscience, those reproaches, and diseases, and other plagues, both temporal and spiritual, from God, which are far worse than simple death and, after all these, everlasting destruction.
The woman, the strange woman, of whom he speaks so much in the Proverbs,
whose heart is snares and nets; who being subtle of heart, Pro 7:10, is full of crafty devices to ensnare men; and her hands, either by gifts, or rather by lascivious actions, as bands; wherewith she holds them fast in cruel bondage; so that they have neither power nor will to forsake her, notwithstanding all the dangers and mischiefs which they know do attend upon such practices.
Whoso pleaseth God, Heb. he that is good before God; either,
1. Whom God loves and favours. Or rather,
2. Who is good sincerely, or in the judgment of God, who cannot be deceived, whereas hypocrites are frequently good in the eyes or opinions of men; which sense seems to be confirmed from the opposition of
the sinner to him, both here and Ecc 2:26. Hereby he intimates that neither a good temper of mind, nor great discretion, nor good education and instruction, nor any other thing, except Gods grace, is a sufficient preservative from the dominion of this lust.
Shall escape from her; shall be prevented from falling into that sin; or if by surprisal or strong temptation he be drawn to it, he shall be recovered out of it by true repentance. The sinner; the wilful and obstinate sinner, who gives himself up to the common practice of this or other sins; he who is a sinner before the Lord, as the Sodomites are called, Gen 13:13, who is fitly opposed to him that is good before God; he in whom there is not a dram of true goodness; for otherwise all men are sinners, as was said, Ecc 7:20.
Shall be taken by her; shall be entangled and kept fast in her chains, as is implied, because this is opposed to escaping from her.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. “I find” that, ofall my sinful follies, none has been so ruinous a snare in seducingme from God as idolatrous women (1Ki 11:3;1Ki 11:4; Pro 5:3;Pro 5:4; Pro 22:14).As “God’s favor is better than life,” she who seduces fromGod is “more bitter than death.”
whoso pleaseth GodasJoseph (Gen 39:2; Gen 39:3;Gen 39:9). It is God’s gracealone that keeps any from falling.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I find more bitter than death the woman,…. This was the issue of his diligent studies and researches, and the observations he had made; this was what he found by sad and woeful experience, and which he chose to take particular notice of; that he might not only expose this vanity among others, and caution men against it, even the love of women, which at best is a bitter sweet, as the poet k calls it, though here adulterous love is meant; but having this opportunity, might express his sincere repentance for this folly of his life, than which nothing had been more bitter to him, in the reflection of his mind upon it: death is a bitter thing, and terrible to nature,
1Sa 15:32; but to be ensnared by an adulterous woman is worse than that; it brings not only such diseases of body as are both painful and scandalous, but such horrors into the conscience, when awakened, as are intolerable, and exposes to eternal death; see Pr 5:3. By “the woman” is not meant the sex in general, which was far from Solomon’s intention to reflect upon and reproach; nor any woman in particular, not Eve, the first woman, through whom came sin and death into the world; but an adulterous woman: see Pr 5:4. Some interpret this of original sin, or the corruption of nature, evil concupiscence, which draws men into sin, and holds them in it, the consequence of which is death eternal; but such who find favour in the eyes of God are delivered from the power and dominion of it; but obstinate and impenitent sinners are held under it, and perish eternally. Jarchi, by the woman, understands heresy; and so Jerom and others interpret it of heretics and idolaters: it may very well be applied to that Jezebel, the whore of Rome, the mother of harlots, that deceives men, and leads them into perdition with herself, Re 17:4; and who is intended by the harlot, and foolish and strange woman, in the book of Proverbs, as has been observed;
whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands; all the schemes and contrivances of a harlot are to ensnare men by her wanton looks and lascivious gestures; which are like snares laid for the beasts, and likeness spread for fishes, to take them in; and when she has got them, she holds them fast; it is a very difficult thing and a very rare one, ever to get out of her hands; so Plautus l makes mention of the nets of harlots: the same holds true of error and heresy, and of idolatry, which is spiritual adultery; the words used being in the plural number, shows the many ways the adulterous woman has to ensnare men, and the multitudes that are taken by her; see
Re 13:3;
whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her: or, “who is good before God”, or “in his sight” m; [See comments on Ec 2:26]; to whom he gives his grace and is acceptable to him; such an one as Joseph was shall escape the snares and nets, the hands and bands, of such a woman; or if fallen into them, as Solomon fell, shall be delivered out of them, as it is observed by various interpreters: nothing but the grace of God, the true fear of God, the power of godliness and undefiled religion, can preserve a person from being ensnared and held by an impure woman; not a liberal nor religious education, not learning and good sense, nor any thing else; if a man is kept out of the hands of such creatures, he ought to esteem it a mercy, and ascribe it to the grace and goodness of God;
but the sinner shall be taken by her; a hardened and impenitent sinner, that is destitute of the grace and fear of God; who is habitually a sinner, and gives up himself to commit iniquity; whose life is a continued series of sinning; who has no guard upon himself, but rushes into sin, as the horse into the battle; he becomes an easy prey to a harlot; he falls into her snares, and is caught and held by her; see
Pr 22:14.
k Musaeus, v. 166. Vid. Barthii ad Claudian. de Nupt. Honor. v. 70. l Epidicus, Act. 2. Sc. 2. v. 32. “Illecebrosius nihil fieri potest”, ib. Bacchides, Sc. 1. v. 55. Truculentus, Act. 1. Sc. 1. v. 14-21. m “bonus coram Deo”, Pagninus, Mercerus, Drusius, Amama, Rambachius; “qui bonus videtur coram Deo ipso”, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“And I found woman more bitter than death; she is like hunting-nets. and like snares is her heart, her hands are bands: he who pleaseth God will escape from her; but the sinner is caught by them.” As , Ecc 4:2, so here gains by the preceding a past sense;
(Note: With reference to this passage and Pro 18:22, it was common in Palestine when one was married to ask = happy or unhappy? Jebamoth 63 b.)
the particip. clause stands frequently thus, not only as a circumstantial clause, Gen 14:12., but also as principal clause, Gen 2:10, in an historical connection. The preceding pred. , in the mas. ground-form, follows the rule, Gesen. 147. Regarding the construction of the relative clause, Hitzig judges quite correctly: “ is copula between subj. and pred., and precedes for the sake of the contrast, giving emphasis to the pred. It cannot be a nomin., which would be taken up by the suff. in , since if this latter were subject also to , would not certainly be found. Also asher here is not a conj.” This ( ), which in relative substantival clauses represents the copula, for the most part stands separated from asher, e.g., Gen 7:2; Gen 17:12; Num 17:5; Deu 17:15; less frequently immediately with it, Num 35:31; 1Sa 10:19; 2Ki 25:19; Lev 11:26; Deu 20:20. But this asher hu ( hi) never represents the subj., placed foremost and again resumed by the reflex. pronoun, so as to be construed as the accentuation requires: quae quidem retia et laquei cor ejus = cajus quidem cor sunt retia et laquei (Heiligst.). is the means of searching, i.e., either of hunting: hunting-net ( mitsodah , Ecc 9:12), or of blockading: siege-work, bulwarks, Ecc 9:14; here it is the plur. of the word in the former meaning. , Hab 1:14, plur. Eze 26:5, etc. (perhaps from , to pierce, bore through), is one of the many synon. for fishing-net. , fetters, the hands (arms) of voluptuous embrace. The primary form, after Jer 37:15, is , ; cf. , , Job 39:9. Of the three clauses following asher, vav is found in the second and is wanting to the third, as at Deu 29:22; Job 42:9; Psa 45:9; Isa 1:13; cf. on the other hand, Isa 33:6. Similar in their import are these Leonine verses:
Femina praeclara facie quasi pestis amara,
Et quasi fermentum corrumpit cor sapientum .
That the author is in full earnest in this harsh judgment regarding woman, is shown by 26 b: he who appears to God as good (cf. Ecc 2:26) escapes from her (the fut. of the consequence of this his relation to God); but the sinner ( ) is caught by her, or, properly, in her, viz., the net-like woman, or the net to which she is compared (Psa 9:16; Isa 24:18). The harsh judgment is, however, not applicable to woman as such, but to woman as she is, with only rare exceptions; among a thousand women he has not found one corresponding to the idea of a woman.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
SOLOMON’S CONCLUSIONS
Verse 26 reports Solomon’s firm conviction that the adulterous woman, who snares and entraps man, is the cause of sorrow more grievous than death. He affirms that whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her (by strength to withstand or providential restraint), but the deliberate sinner shall be taken by her. Other Scriptures support this teaching, Ecc 2:26; Gen 39:7-13; Gen 41:38-40; Pro 5:3-5; Pro 7:24-27; Rom 1:24; Rom 1:26; Rom 1:28.
Verses 27-28 state Solomon’s conclusion that true wisdom was rare among men, by a ratio of one in one thousand, and even rarer among women, Job 33:23. This opinion might have been influenced by knowledge of his 700 wives and 300 concubines, 1Ki 11:1-8. Solomon acknowledged his own deficiency of wisdom in Verse 23.
Verse 29 declares Solomon’s central conclusion respecting all mankind, men and women. God created man upright, Gen 1:27; Gen 1:31; but man sinned, corrupting his descendants, who follow in a continuing wide range of sin, Gen 3:1-7; Rom 5:12; Rom 3:23; 1Ki 8:46; Isa 53:6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(26) Sir. 9:3; Sir. 26:23.
Snares.See Ecc. 9:12; used for siege works, Ecc. 9:14.
Nets.Hab. 1:15; Eze. 26:5.
Bands.Jdg. 15:14.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. The woman That is, the sex, better without the “the.” I find woman more bitter than death her heart, etc. The views of woman here given are such as began with Adam, were enjoined by the Jewish rabbies, and prevail in the East to this day. Woman’s emancipation coincides in its date and extent with Christianity, and the Virgin-Mother is the bright morning-star leading an ever-increasing host of faithful women who find joy and freedom in the train of a greater than Solomon. From the days of the gospel the character of woman has opened like a flower, and her past in Christianity has been brave and beautiful and true.
“Not she with traitorous kiss her Master stung,
Not she denied him with unfaithful tongue;
She, when apostles fled, could danger brave,
Last at the cross and earliest at his grave.”
The position of woman is the most false and cruel thing in heathen and Moslem lands, and Moses was, “from the hardness of their hearts,” obliged to leave it but partially mitigated among the Jews. Koheleth here speaks after the best common sense of his time: and we can see that there was need enough of a better dispensation. That he should think of woman as a demon hunting for victims!
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ecc 7:26. Whose heart is snares and nets Who herself is a company of hunters; nay, her heart is nets; her hands are bands. He who is good in the presence of God shall escape from her, &c. The simile is here taken from hunting; and there is a distinction plainly marked in the original, and well observed by the ancients, between the woman herself on the one hand, and her heart and hands on the other; which I have endeavoured to preserve in the version that I have given. See Desvoeux, p. 396.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Ecc 7:26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Ver. 26. And I found more bitter than death. ] Amantes amentes: Amor amaror, Plus aloes quam mellis habet. Knowest thou not that there is bitterness in the end? Heus scholastiae, said the harlot to Apuleius, Hark, scholar, your sweet bits will prove bitter in the close. a
“ Principium dulce est, at finis amoris amarus. ”
The pomegranate, with its sweet kernels, but bitter rind, is an emblem of the bitter sweet pleasure of sin. It is observed of our Edward III that he had always fair weather at his passage into France, and foul upon his return. b Laeta venire Venus, tristis abire solet. The panther hides her head till she sees her time to make prey of those other beasts that, drawn by her sweet smell, follow her to their own destruction. c The poet’s fable, that pleasure and pain complained one of another to Jupiter, and that, when he could not decide the controversy between them, he tied them together with chains of adamant, never to be sundered.
The woman.
“ Quid facies facies veneris cum veneris ante?
Non sedeas, sed eas: ne pereas, per eas. ”
Whose heart is snares and nets.
And her hands as bands.
Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her.
But the sinner shall be taken by her.
a Dulce et amarum gustulum carpis.
b Speed, 710. Walsingham.
c Solin., cap. 27.
d Plutarch.
e Montaigne’s Essays.
Ecc 7:26-29
Ecc 7:26-29
WHAT SOLOMON CLAIMED THAT HE LEARNED
“And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account; which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.”
“I have found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets” (Ecc 7:26). This is fully in harmony with what Solomon had written in Pro 2:14; Pro 5:3-4, etc. “Solomon himself had experienced much bitterness from the sin and misery into which women can lead their victims. In this verse, however, he is speaking particularly of the wicked woman described repeatedly in the first seven chapters of Proverbs. Nevertheless, as Barton charged, what Solomon wrote here is sufficient grounds for assuming that, “He was a misogynist. After all, it was not Solomon, but Lemuel, who wrote that magnificent 31chapter of Proverbs in praise of women. Such thoughts as are written there seem never to have entered into Solomon’s heart. The bitter words Solomon wrote here should be understood as Waddey said, “They are the words of a man speaking purely from his own distorted, sinful reason and experience. It would be sinful to quote what Solomon said here as God’s assessment of women. After all, “By woman came the Christ and salvation for mankind.”
“God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions” (Ecc 7:29). At least, this was one valid discovery that Solomon actually made. Moreover, his experience had nothing to do with it. All men can read it in Gen 1:26.
“Many inventions” (Ecc 7:29). What are these? Scholars are in agreement that scientific and industrial inventions are not mentioned here. “These verses reflect the writing of Gen 4:21 ff, and Gen 6:1 ff. Perhaps they were intended to suggest that the harem was one of man’s wicked contrivances. Waddey also, a very dependable scholar accepted this interpretation. “Man has corrupted himself by seeking out evil things and doing them. Modern man is still busily engaged in a frenzied attempt to out-sin his progenitors. Solomon’s bitterness in the final paragraph of this chapter was explained by Grieve, “Either as the result of some bitter personal experience, or from the intrigues of the harem.
These verses are among the most difficult verses in Ecclesiastes to interpret. The primary cause of difficulty stems from whether one should exegete the passage literally or figuratively. If the woman is figurative (false wisdom), it is one thing, but if she is a real woman then a different interpretation must be given. It is true, however, that regardless of the direction one takes, whether literal or figurative, there are similar passages in the Bible to support the principles involved.
An overview of the passage. Solomon is determined to discover wisdom in the fullest sense. This is not a new quest. (Cf. Ecc 1:13; Ecc 1:16-17; Ecc 7:23-24) However, he admits that he has not found the satisfactory answers. The one thing he has discovered is that not only is complete wisdom illusive, it is equally difficult to discover a wise person. His observation is that only one man in a thousand could be considered wise, but he failed to discover even one woman among this number. He further observes that there are some women who will catch and destroy you if it is in their power to do so. The one who pleases God and receives His favor will escape from the snare of such a woman. However, the one who acts foolishly will be caught by her.
The literal view. Solomon does not categorically label all women as evil. He identifies the evil woman as the woman whose heart is snares and nets. The implication suggests that there are women whose hearts are not snares and nets. It is from the writing of Solomon that we have the beautiful description of the virtuous woman so delineated in terms of praise and honor. (Cf. Pro 31:10-31)
There can be little question concerning the power women are capable of exerting over men. In the context of Solomons discussion, that power is evil. There are numerous non-Biblical proverbs which speak to a consensus on this subject. Some of these are: It is better to follow a lion than a woman; Woe to the age whose leader is a woman; Who follows the counsel of his wife arrives at hell; and Women are snares of Satan. There is also the warning from Solomon: Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths. For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain. Her house is on the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death (Pro 7:24-27).
In Solomons investigation to discover the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness, he discovered how far both men and women are removed from their original design. There is little comfort for men, and less for women. He was unable to discover the degree of wisdom which he desired, but he discovered all too soon the depths of evil to which both men and women are capable of descending. As a male writer, he naturally turns to his counterpart in crime to impress the minds of his readers with the extent of his discovery of evil. He speaks of inescapable snares, nets and chains. However, he hastens to speak objectively and suggests that although God made men upright, they have bent low in the pursuit of devising new ways of committing sin.
His statement that he was unable to find one wise woman among a thousand should not be looked upon as saying there are no wise women. It is rather a relative comparison with men. He is saying that from his own observations, he has discovered that there are fewer wise women than men.
These verses should not be used to build a case for the superiority of men over women in the possession and use of wisdom. Many commentaries miss the point of Solomons argument when they draw attention to the fact that only men were employed in writing the Bible, and in holding prominent positions of leadership in both the Jewish economy and the Christian church. The inference is that women were neither wise enough nor suited for such undertakings. It is true that woman was first in the fall (Cf. 1Ti 3:13-14), and that she is to be in subjection (Cf. Eph 5:22-24). But neither of these conclusions speak to the point at hand. It is simply that in Solomons pursuit of wisdom and evil, he discovered mankind to be perverse and crooked. His conclusion is: wise, righteous people are scarce!
The literal interpretation of this passage satisfies the hermeneutical demands placed upon it.
The figurative view. The personification of false wisdom as the woman establishes a natural correspondence between sound doctrine which is pleasing to God, and its opposite, folly and madness which trap, ensnare, and destroy the sinner. It could be argued that the woman answers to philosophy and vain deceit. (Cf. Col 2:8; 1Ti 6:20) While it is true that both Israel and the church are personified as a woman (Cf. Eph 5:24-32; Rev 21:2; Rev 21:9; Rev 22:17; Jdg 8:27), it does not necessarily follow that such figurative language is used here. Solomons literal wives (300 of them and 700 concubines) were responsible for turning his heart away after other gods. They were real, physical women who ensnared and captured Solomons heart. So enslaved was he by their evil powers that he actually accepted the false wisdom of Ashtoreth and Milcom. He was led to false doctrine by his entanglement with real women. It is written of him, And Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done (1Ki 11:6). There is little justification in the light of Solomons experiences and the context of Ecclesiastes for a figurative interpretation.
Christological thoughts. It is true that men and women are equally wise. It is also true that they are equally sinful. When one realizes that Solomon is marking all with the curse of sin and only a few with the blessing of wisdom, he has arrived at the intent of the passage. Some have not shared this interpretation of the passage and since they are reluctant to make a distinction between men and women in the area of wisdom, they ascribe the one man among a thousand to Jesus Christ. The one man they insist is a reference to Jesus who to Solomon was also the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys (Son 2:1). There are a number of arguments that militate against such a conclusion. Jesus does stand in a class by Himself. He is wisdom. However, to find one among a thousand implies that he would find another if he continued his search. There is only one Jesus (God). To ascribe this passage to Jesus would be breaking from the under the sun context of Solomons search. It is better to simply take him at his word: he did find one among a thousand. Finally, the context is not clarified or helped by such an interpretation.
Solomon is still reasoning under the sun. He has clearly expressed his desire to be wise, and he has confessed to his inability to achieve such wisdom. He states his purpose to discover folly and madness and it is in this area that he excels. His final conclusions are consistent with the total context. He says (1) there are few wise people, (2) there are many who are caught in the trap of wickedness, and (3) those who devise new ways of sinning!
Ecc 7:29 -The use of the interjection behold suggests that Solomon wants the attention of his readers on this subject. Why is there the gravity at this particular point? Two things become apparent: First, God is not to blame for mans inability to discover wisdom. God made man upright, and in that state man was in a position to know and understand the things which are now hidden from him. Man cannot achieve complete wisdom, but it is his own fault. Second, man busies himself with innovative, vain speculation and self-wise reasonings which compete in his own mind with the true wisdom of God. Solomon is underscoring his previous contention that both men and women are evil.
The inventions of this verse are speculations or thoughts which result in a spiritual and sometimes physical stance which is contrary to Gods word. The one evil invention that Solomon cites in this entire passage is found in verse twenty-six. Here he speaks of the weakness of his own life. He speaks of the violation of the monogamous marriage situation in his own personal experience. The large number of both wives and concubines which he possessed defies the imagination. However, Solomon implies by the many devices that there are numerous ways to sin, many of which are unrelated to immoral sexual activity.
Man should both desire and be ready to receive the will of God for his life. He should not invent his own speculative philosophies. God approves of the wise man who allows God to speak to him. The promise has been given: Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you (Pro 1:23). The word translated devices is used only twice in the Old Testament. The other reference is 2Ch 26:15 where the devices or inventions were engines of war. These devices were clearly designed to shoot arrows and great stones at the enemy. They were also strategically located on the towers and on the corners to give maximum defense to the city. Such detail and cunning illustrates the ingenuity of the mind of man and demonstrates the variety of his inventiveness. The context under consideration, however, implies evil devices because they are set against the fact that God made man upright. Man was made to walk with God, but he fell from his high place of honor because of sin. Without grace and truth (Joh 1:17) man continues to invent pathways of departure from the presence of God.
Solomons conclusion is the inevitable point to which all thinking men are drawn: all have sinned. The Apostle Paul concurs. He writes, we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God, all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one (Rom 3:10-12).
Wisdom – Ecc 7:1 to Ecc 8:1
Open It
1. When do you find yourself wishing for the “good old days”?
2. What do you find difficult about being at a funeral? a party?
3. How do you usually feel after a party? a funeral?
4. Concerning what issues do your coworkers tend to take extreme rather than moderate positions?
Explore It
5. Why is it better to go to a house of mourning than to a feast? (Ecc 7:2)
6. Why is sorrow better than laughter? (Ecc 7:3)
7. Why should we be patient and not easily provoked? (Ecc 7:9)
8. Why did Solomon counsel against comparing today with some wonderful past? (Ecc 7:10)
9. To what did Solomon compare wisdom? (Ecc 7:11-12)
10. What is the advantage of knowledge? (Ecc 7:12)
11. What should we do when times are bad? (Ecc 7:13-14)
12. What two things had Solomon seen during his meaningless life? (Ecc 7:15)
13. What counsel about living did Solomon give? (Ecc 7:16-18)
14. How much consideration should we give to the words of others? (Ecc 7:21-22)
15. What did Solomon discover when he sought out wisdom? (Ecc 7:23-26)
16. What did Solomon find while he was still searching? (Ecc 7:27-29)
17. What effect does wisdom have on a person? (Ecc 8:1)
Get It
18. How is a sad face good for the heart?
19. In what way is wisdom a shelter?
20. In what way is today very much like yesterday?
21. How should the fact that God has made both the good times and the bad times affect the way we view and live our life?
22. How do you feel when you see good people suffering and bad people prospering? Why?
23. Why do people tend toward extremes rather than balance?
24. Why do people choose to go in search of their own schemes rather than follow Gods plan?
25. What sort of schemes are people in our society pursuing?
Apply It
26. In what area of your life will you strive to achieve more balance this week?
27. What do you want to remember the next time you start to idealize the past?
28. What is one specific step you can take to pursue wisdom?
I find: Jdg 16:18-21, Pro 2:18, Pro 2:19, Pro 5:3-5, Pro 7:21-27, Pro 9:18, Pro 22:14, Pro 23:27, Pro 23:28
whoso pleaseth God: Heb. he that is good before God, Ecc 2:26
Reciprocal: Gen 19:35 – General Gen 38:24 – played the harlot Gen 39:12 – caught Exo 10:7 – snare Lev 15:20 – General Num 5:18 – the bitter water Num 5:27 – if she be defiled Num 25:1 – the people Num 31:16 – these caused Jdg 16:8 – bound him Jdg 16:19 – she made 1Ki 21:25 – whom Jezebel 2Ki 8:27 – the son in law 1Ch 14:3 – took Neh 13:26 – Did not Solomon Job 31:9 – If mine Pro 2:16 – deliver Pro 5:4 – her Pro 5:22 – holden Pro 6:24 – keep Pro 6:32 – lacketh Pro 7:27 – General Pro 14:27 – to
Ecc 7:26. And I find By my own sad experience, which Solomon here records as a testimony of his true repentance for his foul miscarriages, for which he was willing to take shame to himself, not only from the present, but from all succeeding generations; more bitter than death is the woman The strange woman, of whom he speaks so much in the Proverbs; more vexatious and pernicious, as producing those horrors of conscience, those reproaches, diseases, and other plagues, both temporal and spiritual, from God, which are far worse than the mere death of the body, and, after all these, everlasting destruction; whose heart is snares and nets Who is full of crafty devices to ensnare men; and her hands By gifts, or lascivious actions, as bands Wherewith she holds them in cruel bondage, so that they have neither power nor will to forsake her, notwithstanding all the dangers and mischiefs which they know attend upon such practices. Whoso pleaseth God Hebrew, he that is good before God, who is sincerely, and in the judgment of God, truly pious; shall escape her Shall be preserved from falling into her hands. Hereby he intimates, that neither a good temper of mind, nor great discretion, nor a good education, nor any other thing, except Gods grace, is a sufficient preservative from the dominion of fleshy lusts; but the sinner Who rests satisfied without the saving grace of God and true piety, and therefore lives in known and wilful sin; shall be taken by her Shall be entangled and held in her chains.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments