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Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

Ecclesiastes 11:3

The fixed laws by which the world is governed. Where the tree falleth, etc.] There is no reference here to the state of man after death.

4-6. Man's knowledge is limited, while God's purposes are inscrutable. Winds, clouds, and the whole ordering of nature are His. Submit to His decrees, and do thy daily part, leaving the issue to Him.

7-9. Existence has its pleasures, but its span is brief. Youthful enjoyment is commended, provided it be such as need not dread God's judgment.

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See also Ecclesiastes 11:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Ecclesiastes 11:3. _IF THE CLOUDS BE FULL OF RAIN._] Act as the clouds; when they are full they pour out their water indifferently on the _field_ and on the _desert_. By giving charity indiscri...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    “Unforeseen events come from God; and the man who is always gazing on the uncertain future will neither begin nor complete any useful work: but do thou bear in mind that times and circumstances, the p...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 11 _ 1. Proverbs concerning man's work(Ecclesiastes 11:1)_ 2. The vanity of life (Ecclesiastes 11:7) Ecclesiastes 11:1. These continued proverbs concern the work of m

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ECCLESIASTES 11:1 TO ECCLESIASTES 12:8. CLOSING COUNSELS. It is well to do and to get all one can, in the way of industry and pleasure, before old age draws on. Ecclesiastes 11:1 and...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _If the clouds be full of rain_ The thought is linked to that which precedes it by the mention of the "evil coming upon the earth." In regard to that evil, the sweeping calamities that lie beyond man'...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    F. EXHORTATIONS TO WORK IN HARMONY WITH Wisdom 11:112:8 1. Trust God and be cheerful in all of your activities. Ecclesiastes 11:1-8 TEXT 11:1-8 1 Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. CLOUDS - ans...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE TEACHER SEARCHES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 11 THE KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN BEINGS HAS LIMITS – ECCLESIASTES 11:1-6 V1 Throw your bre...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    The world is ruled by fixed laws, the operation of which man has no power to suspend....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    אִם ־יִמָּלְא֨וּ הֶ עָבִ֥ים גֶּ֨שֶׁם֙ עַל ־הָ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    BUT IN A WISE USE AND A WISE ENJOYMENT OF THE PRESENT LIFE, Ecclesiastes 11:1 What that Good is, and where it may be found, the Preacher now proceeds to show. But, as his manner is, he does not say i...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    FOURTH SECTION The Quest Achieved. The Chief Good Is To Be Found, Not In Wisdom, Nor In Pleasure, Nor In Devotion To Affairs And Its Rewards; But In A Wise Use And A Wise Enjoyment Of The Present Li...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    LIVE NOT FOR TODAY ALONE Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 The casting of bread upon the waters is an allusion to the oriental custom of casting rice-grains on the fields, when they lie submerged beneath the annu...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The method of worldly wisdom is not that of discretion only; it is, moreover, that of diligence, and this passage urges such diligence. Again, we have taken more than one text out of this passage to p...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    If the (b) clouds are full of rain, they empty [themselves] upon the earth: and if the (c) tree falleth toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    If the tree fall, &c. The state of the soul is unchangeable, when once she comes to heaven or hell: and the soul that departs this life in the state of grace, shall never fall from grace; as on the ot...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. (4) He that obs...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1 THROUGH 12. The Book of Ecclesiastes is, up to a certain point, the converse of the Book of Proverbs. (see NOTE TO PROVERBS below) It is the experience of a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    IF THE CLOUDS BE FULL OF RAIN, THEY EMPTY [THEMSELVES] UPON THE EARTH,.... They do not retain it; sad would it be for the earth if they did; but they let it down softly and gently, in plentiful shower...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    If the clouds be full of rain, they empty [themselves] upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. Ver. 3. _If...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves_, &c. Learn, O man, the practice of liberality from the very lifeless creatures, from the clouds; which, when they are filled with water, do not h...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PRACTICING BENEVOLENCE...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth, when periods of misfortune are due to happen, evil will come in full measure; AND IF THE TREE FALL TOWARD THE SOUTH OR TOWARD THE N...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "IF THE CLOUDS ARE FULL, THEY POUR OUT RAIN UPON THE EARTH; AND WHETHER. TREE FALLS TOWARD THE SOUTH OR TOWARD THE NORTH, WHEREVER THE TREE FALLS, THERE IT LIES." Points To Note: 2 "speaks of. storm...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-6 Solomon presses the rich to do good to others. Give freely, though it may seem thrown away and lost. Give to many. Excuse not thyself with the good thou hast done, from the good thou hast further...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    IF THE CLOUDS BE FULL OF RAIN, THEY EMPTY THEMSELVES UPON THE EARTH: learn, O man, the practice of liberality from the very lifeless creatures, from the clouds; which when they are filled with water,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 11:3 clouds H5645 full H4390 (H8735) rain H1653 empty H7324 (H8686) earth H776 tree H6086 fall

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER S ECCLESIASTES 11:9 TO ECCLESIASTES 12:14 THE VENTURING OF THE YOUNG, THE TRIALS OF THE OLD AND MAN'S FINAL DESTINY. As we come to the end of the writer's musings we are rewarded with the fina...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER ECCLESIASTES 11:1 ADVICE FROM THE WISE MAN TO THE WISE. Central to these verses is the recognition of our ignorance. We do not know what will happen when we do things, we do not know what God...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 11:3 I. In the first proverb in chap. xi. "Cast thy bread upon the waters," etc. do we not see, no less than in the parable of the sower, the common work of man as a tiller of the ground...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 8:16-12 I. The Preacher commences this section by carefully defining his position and equipment as he starts on his last course. (1) His first conclusion is that wisdom, which of all temp...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 11:1. _Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days._ Hoard not thy bread; for if thou dost, it will mildew, it will be of no use to thee. Cast it on the waters...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Exhortation to works of charity and right living. CHARACTERS: God, Solomon. CONCLUSION: Since we have death and judgment to prepare for, we should do good to others and abound in liberalit...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ecclesiastes 11:1. _Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days._ The root לחם _lechem,_ designates bread, corn, and all kinds of meat which sustain life. It refers also to...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth._ BLACK CLOUDS AND BRIGHT BLESSINGS It was raining very heavily when I was thinking over this text. When I came here I found that...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— ECCLESIASTES 11:1. CAST THY BREAD UPON THE WATERS.] “Bread,” rendered in Isaiah 28:28, “bread corn.” It has been supposed that there is an allusion to the manner of sowing the seed-co...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION Approaching the end of his treatise, Koheleth, in view of apparent anomalies in God's moral government, and the difficulties that meet man in his social and political relations, proceeds t...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you don't know what evil shall be upon the eaRuth (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2). You do...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 John 3:17; 1 Kings 18:45; Isaiah 55:10; Isaiah 55:11; Luke 13:7;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The clouds — Learn, O man, the practice of liberality from the very lifeless creatures, from the clouds; which when they are filled with water, do not hoard it up, but plentifully pour it forth for th...

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