16<\/strong>. Wisdom is better than strength<\/em> ] The maxim of ch. Ecc 7:19<\/span> is reproduced, but it is traversed by the fact that the wisdom must often be content to remain unrecognised. The power of the purse too often prevails against the wisdom of the poor. At the best, often, in words already quoted (Ecc 9:11<\/span>),<\/p>\n “Probitas laudatur et alget.”<\/p>\n “Virtue is praised, and left out in the cold.”<\/p>\n Juvenal, Sat.<\/em> i. 74.<\/p>\n The marginal reference in the A. V. to Mar 6:2-3<\/span> is not without significance as indicating the highest illustration of the maxim, in the question which asked “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is he not himself a carpenter?” The chief butler’s forgetfulness of Joseph (Gen 40:23<\/span>) supplies another obvious parallel.<\/p>\n Verse 16. The poor man’s wisdom<\/B><\/I> is <\/B>despised, and his words are<\/B><\/I> <\/B>not heard.<\/B><\/I>] I cannot help pursuing this illustration a little farther. The soldier who found Archimedes busily employed in drawing figures upon the sand, put to him some impertinent question, withal rudely obtruding himself on his operations. To whom this wonderful mathematician replied, “Stand off, soldier, and do not spoil my diagram;” on which the bloody savage struck him dead!<\/P> <\/p>\n Wisdom is better than strength, <\/B>as was manifest in the foregoing instance. <\/P> The poor mans wisdom is despised, <\/B>because men are generally vain and foolish, and have a greater value for outward ornaments than for true worth. <\/P> <\/p>\n 16.<\/B> Resuming the sentiment(Ecc 7:19<\/span>; Pro 21:22<\/span>;Pro 24:5<\/span>). <\/P> poor man’s wisdom isdespised<\/B>not the poor man mentioned in Ec9:15<\/span>; for his<\/I> wisdom could not have saved the city, had”his words not been heard”; but poor men in general. SoPaul (Ac 27:11<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n Then said I, wisdom [is] better than strength<\/strong>,…. Wisdom of mind, even in a poor man, is better than strength of body, even of the, most potent prince and powerful army, as may be concluded from the above instance; since the poor wise man could do more by his wisdom than the great king with his mighty army; who was obliged to break up the siege, in consequence of the counsel given, or the methods directed to, or taken, by the poor man;<\/p>\n nevertheless, the poor man’s wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard<\/strong>; notwithstanding such a flagrant instance and example as this just mentioned; yet men still retain their prejudices against a poor man, and despise his wise counsels and advice, for no other reason but because he is poor, and will not attend to what he says: or, “though the poor man’s wisdom”, c. k, as Aben Ezra Solomon drew the above conclusion from that instance; though this is usually the case, that men despise the wisdom of a poor man, and will not listen to his advice, this did not lessen the wise man’s opinion of it. The words may be rendered, “even the poor man’s wisdom despised, and his words not heard” l; these are better than outward force and strength, and more serviceable and useful; which the Septuagint version favours: the Vulgate Latin version renders it, “how is the poor man’s wisdom despised!” c. as wondering at it that so it should be, when so much profit and advantage arose to the city from it.<\/p>\n k “quamvis sapientia”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus, Amama “etsi”, Drusius. l “Et pauperis sapientiam contemptam”, &c. Tigurine version.<\/p>\n “And I said: Better is wisdom than strength; but the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.” With the words, “I saw,” the author introduces his observations, and with “I said” his reflections. Wisdom is better than strength, since it does more for the wise man, and through him for others, than physical force, – more, as expressed in Ecc 7:19<\/span>, than ten mighty men. But the respect<\/em> which wisdom otherwise secures for a man, if it is the wisdom of a poor man, sinks into despect<\/em>, to which his poverty exposes him, – if necessity arises, his service, as the above history shows, is valued; but as a rule his words are unheeded, for the crowd estimate the worth of him whom they willingly hear according to the outward respect in which he is held.<\/p>\n To the lessons gathered from experience, are now added instructive proverbs of kindred contents.<\/p>\n SOLOMON’S CONCLUSIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n Verse 16<\/strong> affirms that wisdom is better than strength or physical might, but when manifest in the poor, is often unappreciated and disregarded Pro 3:13<\/span><\/strong>; Pro 21:22<\/span><\/strong>; Pro 24:5<\/span><\/strong>; Mar 6:2-3<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Verse 17<\/strong> suggests that words of rulers or persons of authority are usually given more prominence than wise words of men in a lower position, who are restrained or shunted aside to quiet and less numerous listeners. Folly is thus given precedence over that which is more beneficial, Ecc 4:13<\/span><\/strong>; Ecc 7:5<\/span><\/strong>; Ecc 10:12<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Verse 18<\/strong> reaffirms the superiority of wisdom (see Vs 16), emphasizing that it is better than military might. The second part contrasts sharply the mischief that can be wrought by the folly of one sinner. For example, see the impact of the evil of Achan, Jos 7:1-26<\/span><\/strong> and Manasseh, 2Ki 21:1-17<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n 16<\/strong>. <\/strong> Wisdom is despised <\/strong> In this instance, favour did not come to the man of skill. One can hardly avoid adding, though it is foreign to Koheleth’s present line of thought, that wisdom is largely its own conscious reward. even while it ministers, and is not ministered to.<\/p>\n Ecc 9:16<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Then said I, Wisdom is better, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> Then said I, Wisdom is preferable to power: Yet the wisdom of this experienced man is despised, and his deeds are not mentioned. <\/em>We have here the first instance. <\/em>Though wisdom is, in its own nature, much superior to strength and power, (as plainly appears from the foregoing example, wherein strength was wanting, and yet a wonderful deliverance wrought by wisdom alone) yet it is not minded, when the possessor of it has nothing to recommend him besides his abilities and services, and his best actions are soon forgotten. <\/p>\n Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. (17) The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. (18) Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Oh! how true are the words of the preacher. Though all must confess Jesus to be the wisdom of God, for salvation to everyone that believeth; yet, how are we constrained to take up the prophet’s lamentation, and cry out, Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Isa 53:1<\/span> . Blessed Lord! give me to know thee, to love thee, to remember thee; nor let the baseness of forgetfulness of Jesus be added to all my numberless transgressions.<\/p>\n Ecc 9:16 Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard.<\/p>\n Ver. 16. Then said I, Wisdom is better, &c.<\/strong> ] This he had said before, Ecc 7:19 <\/em> Pro 21:22 See Trapp on “<\/em> Ecc 7:19 “<\/em> See Trapp on “<\/em> Pro 21:22 “<\/em> but now upon this new occasion. Nunquam satis dicitur, quod nunquam satis discitur.<\/em> a<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised.] Jerome reads it thus, Et sapientia pauperis quae despecta est, et verba eius quae non sunt audita; <\/em> that is, And the wisdom of the poor man which is despised, and his words which are not heard. According to which reading, the sense is, wisdom is better than strength, yea, even the despised wisdom of the poor man, &c. The Septuagint and Vulgate read it, Quomodo ergo sapientia pauperis contempta est et verba eius non audita!<\/em> How therefore is the wisdom of the wise man despised, and his words not heard! As making a wonder and a strange thing of it. Too often it befalls God’s poor ministers, either to be rejected with scorn, or if heard, yet not regarded, much less rewarded, unless it be as Micaiah was by Ahab, and Jeremiah by his countrymen of Anathoth, Jesus Christ by the proud Pharisees, Joh 7:14-15<\/span> ; <\/em> Joh 7:27 St Paul by the ungrateful Corinthians; 1Co 4:7 “His bodily presence,” said they, “is weak,” his sermons without philosophy and rhetoric. 2Co 10:10 <\/p>\n<\/p>\n a<\/em> Seneca.<\/p>\n Wisdom: Ecc 9:18, Ecc 7:19, Pro 21:22, Pro 24:5 <\/p>\n the poor: Pro 10:15, Mar 6:2, Mar 6:3, Joh 7:47-49, Joh 9:24-34, 1Co 1:26-29, Jam 2:2-6 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 40:23 – but forgat him Jos 8:4 – go not 1Sa 18:23 – a poor man 2Ki 2:12 – My father Pro 4:7 – Wisdom is Pro 8:14 – I have Pro 19:7 – the brethren Ecc 2:13 – I saw Ecc 2:14 – one Ecc 4:13 – is a poor Jer 43:4 – obeyed Dan 2:23 – who hast Gal 4:14 – ye Jam 2:6 – ye<\/p>\n Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard. 16. Wisdom is better than strength ] The maxim of ch. Ecc 7:19 is reproduced, but it is traversed by the fact that the wisdom must often be content to remain unrecognised. The power … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 9:16”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17502"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17502\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"