Ecclesiastes 8 - Introduction
_KINGS ARE GREATLY TO BE RESPECTED. THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS TO BE OBSERVED. IT IS BETTER WITH THE GODLY IN ADVERSITY, THAN WITH THE WICKED IN PROSPERITY. THE WORK OF GOD IS UNSEARCHABLE._... [ Continue Reading ]
_KINGS ARE GREATLY TO BE RESPECTED. THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS TO BE OBSERVED. IT IS BETTER WITH THE GODLY IN ADVERSITY, THAN WITH THE WICKED IN PROSPERITY. THE WORK OF GOD IS UNSEARCHABLE._... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS AS THE WISE MAN? &C.— _Who is like the wise man, and who knoweth how to solve difficulties? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine; whereas a sullen look_ [Heb. _The roughness of his face_] _would make him an object of hatred._ The latter clause of this verse, setting aside the figures, migh... [ Continue Reading ]
I COUNSEL THEE TO KEEP, &C.— _I tell thee, observe thou the king's face; nay, mind it in regard to the oath: be not hasty:_ Ecclesiastes 8:3. _Go out of his presence; stay not whilst he gives wrong orders; for whatsoever pleaseth him, he will do;_ Ecclesiastes 8:4. _Because the word of a king is an... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO KEEPETH THE COMMANDMENT— _He that observeth despotic commands, will not discern a wrong order; but the wise man's heart will discern both time and reason:_ (Ecclesiastes 8:6.) _For there is both time and reason to every determination of his will; because man's evils are multiplied upon him_ (E... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS NO MAN THAT HATH POWER OVER THE SPIRIT— _No man is absolute commander over the wind to retain the wind; and there is no commander against the day of death; and there is no embassy to be admitted during the battle._ Desvoeux; who remarks, that if ancient interpreters had plainly and literall... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THIS HAVE I SEEN— _All this have I observed, when I bestowed all the application that I was capable of on all works which are done under the sun; while man exerciseth an absolute authority over man to hurt him:_ Ecclesiastes 8:10. _Nay, then I saw wicked men buried. Though they came even from th... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH A SINNER DO EVIL AN HUNDRED TIMES— _Because the sinner dieth committing evil, even from the delays granted to him; thus I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, who will continue to fear before his face._... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS A VANITY— After a long but useful digression (See on Ecclesiastes 8:8.) the author resumes the thread of his reasoning: but the _second proof_ that he brings in to support this third proposition is so artfully connected with the latter part of the digression, that no chasm is to be perceive... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THAT SHALL ABIDE WITH HIM OF HIS LABOUR— _And this shall borrow him from his labour. We_ have here an image which will not disgrace Solomon's pencil. Man in this world is the property of _labour._ God Almighty made him so. If ever that tyrannical owner parts with him, it is only by way of loan:... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SEE THE BUSINESS THAT IS DONE UPON THE EARTH— _To observe the occupations of man upon the earth; and that even day and night he doth not see sleep with his eyes,_ Ecclesiastes 8:17. _Then I understood that this is all God's own work; that man is not able to find out the end of this work which is... [ Continue Reading ]