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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Ecclesiastes 4:1

CHAPTER IV

The vanity of life is increased by oppression, 1-3;

by envy, 4;

by idleness, 5.

The misery of a solitary life, and the advantages of society,

6-12.

A poor and wise child; better than an old and foolish king, 13.

The uncertainty of popular favour, 14-16.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV

Verse Ecclesiastes 4:1. Considered all the oppressions] עשקים ashukim signifies any kind of injury which a man can receive in his person, his property, or his good fame.

On the side of their oppressors there was power] And, therefore, neither protection nor comfort for the oppressed.

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See also Ecclesiastes 4:1 in other biblical comments:

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  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4 OBSERVATIONS OF DIFFERENT WRONGS _ 1. Concerning oppressions (Ecclesiastes 4:1)_ 2. Concerning envy of fools and the rich (Ecclesiastes 4:4) 3. Concerning the miser (Ecclesiast

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ECCLESIASTES 4. A GLOOMY SURVEY. The chapter falls into four parts, which treat respectively of oppression (Ecclesiastes 4:1), rivalry (Ecclesiastes 4:4), isolation amounting to self-torture (Ecclesia...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    UNDER THE SUN. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:3. SIDE. Hebrew "hand": put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Cause), App-6, for the violence proceeding from it. THEY: i.e. the oppressed. The phrase repe...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _So I returned, and considered_ The thought that follows is the same in substance as that of chap. Ecclesiastes 3:16, but, in the speaker's wanderings of thought he passes once again, after the manner...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    SO I RETURNED, AND CONSIDERED, &C.— _I considered again, and I observed._ See on on chap. Ecclesiastes 2:11....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    C. GUIDELINES FOR WORKING WITH GOD UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 1. How to work under oppression Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 TEXT 4:1-3 1 Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression whic...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    VICISSITUDES OF LIFE. 'OH, THE PITY OF IT!' 1-3. The mass of human suffering and the absence of pity are such that better off are the dead and still more the unborn. It is not only through God's ord...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

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  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

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  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ שַׁ֣בְתִּֽי אֲנִ֗י וָ אֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת ־כָּל

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    AND BY HUMAN INJUSTICE AND PERVERSITY. Ecclesiastes 3:16; Ecclesiastes 4:1 But not only are our endeavours to find the "good" of our labours thwarted by the gracious, inflexible laws of the just God...

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

    From this general survey the preacher returned to examine the condition of the beings whom he had described as being no better than the beasts. He looked out upon them, and saw them in suffering, and...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    So (a) I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of [such as were] oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors [the...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Any. God suffereth the innocent to be oppressed for a time, that they may merit a greater reward, Psalm lxxii._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

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  • John Darby's Synopsis

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  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    SO I RETURNED, AND CONSIDERED ALL THE OPPRESSIONS THAT ARE DONE UNDER THE SUN,.... The wise man, according to Aben Ezra, returned from the thought, which he had expressed in the latter part of the pre...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of [such as were] oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors [there w...

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

    _So I returned, and considered_ I considered again more seriously; _all the oppressions under the sun_ Whether by princes, magistrates, or other potent persons; _and the tears of such as were oppresse...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun, turning his reflections from the vanity of human life to the violence practiced by many men; AND BEHOLD THE TEARS OF SUCH...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PERSONAL MISFORTUNES...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    SIDE: _ Heb._ hand...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "THEN. LOOKED AGAIN AT ALL THE ACTS OF OPPRESSION WHICH WERE BEING DONE UNDER THE SUN. AND BEHOLD. SAW THE TEARS OF THE OPPRESSED AND THAT THEY HAD NO ONE TO COMFORT THEM; AND ON THE SIDE OF THEIR OPP...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-3 It grieved Solomon to see might prevail against right. Wherever we turn, we see melancholy proofs of the wickedness and misery of mankind, who try to create trouble to themselves and to each othe...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 4 The vanity of oppression, by reason of which the dead and the unborn are better than the living, ECCLESIASTES 4:1. Of envy, sloth, quarrel, ECCLESIASTES 4:4. Of covetousness and...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 4:1 returned H7725 (H8804) considered H7200 (H8799) oppression H6217 done H6213 (H8737) sun H8121

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER 4 THE DREADFULNESS OF OPPRESSION. GUIDANCE ON LIVING. This chapter begins with considering the dreadfulness of oppression and then continues with thoughts on living, giving both good and bad...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Sermon Bible Commentary

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  • Sermon Bible Commentary

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  • Summarized Bible Commentary

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  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ecclesiastes 4:2. _Wherefore I praised the dead more than the living,_ who are robbed, fleeced, and exposed to incessant afflictions, from oppression and war. Solomon alludes to extreme cases, such as...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun._ THE NATURE AND WICKEDNESS OF OPPRESSION There is scarce any sin against which more is said in the Word of God, or whi...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

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  • The Pulpit Commentaries

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  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So I returned, and I considered all of the oppressions that are done under the sun: and the tears of those that are oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 4:17; Deuteronomy 28:33; Deuteronomy 28:48;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    I returned — I considered again. Oppressions — Whether by princes, magistrates, or other potent persons. No comforter — None afforded them pity or succour. But they, &c. — No comfort therein....

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