Bible Commentary

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 12. I the Preacher was king over Israel ] Better, “ I have been king.” It would, perhaps, be too much to say that this mode of introducing himself, is so artificial as to exclude, as some have thought, the authorship of the historical Solomon. Louis … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:12”

[There is] no remembrance of former [things]; neither shall there be [any] remembrance of [things] that are to come with [those] that shall come after. 11. There is no remembrance of former things ] Better, of former men, or of those of old time, and so in the next clause of those that shall come … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:11”

Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. 10. Is there any thing ] A man may challenge, the writer seems to say, the sweeping assertion just uttered. He may point to some new phenomenon, some new empire, some … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:10”

The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun. 9. The thing that hath been ] What has been affirmed of natural phenomena is now repeated of the events of human life. The … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:9”

All things [are] full of labor; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 8. All things are full of labour ] The Hebrew dabar may mean either “word” or “thing,” and so the sentence admits equally of this or the nearly equivalent rendering, All things … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:8”

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea [is] not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 7. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full ] The words express the wonder of the earliest observers of the phenomena of nature: as … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:7”

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. 6. The wind goeth toward the south ] This comes after the sun as exhibiting a like, though more irregular, law of mutability. “South and north” only are named, partly, … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:6”

The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. 5. The sun also ariseth ] From the standpoint of modern thought the sun might seem even more than the earth to be the type of permanent existence, but with the Hebrew, who looked on it in its … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:5”

[One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever. 4. One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh ] The sentence loses in strength by the words inserted in italics. Better, generation passeth and generation cometh. This is, as it were, the first note of vanity. Man, in idea the lord … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:4”

What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? 3. What profit hath a man ] The question is, it is obvious, as in the analogous question of Mat 16:26, the most emphatic form of a negation. For “all his labour which he taketh” read all his toil which … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 1:3”