Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. From vanity connected with kings, he passes to vanities () which may be fallen into in serving the King of kings, even by those who, convince... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. BE NOT RASH WITH THY MOUTH - answering to the considerate reverence indicated by the foot ("Keep thy foot," ). This verse illustr... [ Continue Reading ]
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. FOR A DREAM COMETH ... BUSINESS. As much "business," engrossing the mind, gives birth to incoherent "dreams," so many words, uttered inconsiderately in prayer, give birth to and betray "a fool... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. WHEN THOU VOWEST A VOW (). Hasty words in prayer (Ecclesiastes 5:2) suggest the subject of hasty vows. A vow should not be hastily made (as Jephthah's and Saul's, ; ). When made... [ Continue Reading ]
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. (; .)... [ Continue Reading ]
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? SUFFER NOT THY MOUTH ... - vow not with "thy mouth" a vow (e.g., fasting), which thy flesh (thy body, margin, )... [ Continue Reading ]
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. FOR IN THE MULTITUDE OF DREAMS ... (THERE ARE) ... VANITIES, ... - (Note, .) God's service, which ought to be our chief good, becomes by "dreams" (foolish fancies as to God's requirements of us in wo... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. IF THOU SEEST THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR ... As in Ecclesiastes 3:16, so here the diff... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. THE PROFIT (PRODUCE) OF THE EARTH IS (ORDAINED) FOR (THE COMMON GOOD OF) ALL: (EVEN) THE KING (HIMSELF) IS SERVED BY (THE FRUITS OF) THE FIELD. So in the case of Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:10). Therefore the common... [ Continue Reading ]
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. NOT BE SATISFIED WITH SILVER Not only will God punish at last, but meanwhile, "not be satisfied with silver" - the oppressive gainers of "silver" find no solid 'satisfaction... [ Continue Reading ]
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? WHEN GOODS INCREASE ... - the rich man's dependents. Either in the rich man's lifetime, or after his death, all his accumulations shall find their co... [ Continue Reading ]
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. THE SLEEP OF A LABOURING MAN IS SWEET ... Another argument against anxiety to gain riches. "Sleep ... sweet," answers to "quietness" (); "eat little or much," to "abu... [ Continue Reading ]
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. A SORE EVIL ... Proofs of God's judgments even in this world (). The rich oppressor's wealth provokes enemies, robbers. etc. Then, after having kept it for an expected son, he loses it... [ Continue Reading ]
As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. NOTHING OF (NOT WITHSTANDING) HIS LABOUR ... THIS ALSO (IS) A SORE EVIL ... - as in the uncertainty of wealth was dwelt on, and its vicissitud... [ Continue Reading ]
All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. EATETH - appropriately put for 'liveth' in general, as connected with Ecclesiastes 5:11; . IN DARKNESS - opposed to 'light (joy) of countenance' (; ). He may be seated in a well-lighted hall, but all is... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. BEHOLD (THAT) WHICH I HAVE SEEN ... - in contrast to self-tormenting avaric... [ Continue Reading ]
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. EVERY MAN ALSO TO WHOM GOD HATH GIVEN RICHES ... As refers to the "labouring" man (). so to the "rich" man, who gets we... [ Continue Reading ]
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. HE SHALL NOT MUCH REMEMBER. He will not remember much (looking back with disappointment, as the ungodly do, , on) the days of his life. Life is long to the wretched, short to the happy. He wil... [ Continue Reading ]