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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Ecclesiastes 7:12

Verse Ecclesiastes 7:12. Wisdom is a defence] To whom Solomon answers: All true wisdom is most undoubtedly a great advantage to men in all circumstances; and money is also of great use: but it cannot be compared to wisdom. Knowledge of Divine and human things is a great blessing. Money is the means of supporting our animal life: but wisdom - the religion of the true God - gives life to them that have it. Money cannot procure the favour of God, nor give life to the soul.

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See also Ecclesiastes 7:12 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WISDOM IS A DEFENSE ... - See the margin and Psalms 121:5, i. e., He who is defended from adversity by his wisdom is in as good a position as he who is defended by his riches. EXCELLENCY - literally,...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    PART II. CHAPTER S 7-12 1. The Good Advice of the Natural Man, Discouragement and Failure CHAPTER 7 _ 1. The better things (Ecclesiastes 7:1)_ 2. The anomalies (Ecclesiastes 7:15) 3. The strength...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PROVERBS AND REFLECTIONS. After asking, What is good for man in life? (Ecclesiastes 6:12), Qoheleth gives us advice as to what a man may do by way of mitigating his worries. First of all it is advisab...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    LIFE. future life. See note on Leviticus 18:5....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence_ Better, AS A SHADOW, or, AS A SHELTER, in both clauses. The Hebrew, as the italics shew, has no "and." "Shadow" as in Psalms 17:8; Psalms 91:1, stands...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 835 THE EXCELLENCY OF SPIRITUAL WISDOM Ecclesiastes 7:12. _Window is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it_. T...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WISDOM IS GOOD WITH AN INHERITANCE— _Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; nay, more profitable to them who see the sun; because both wisdom and money are a shelter_ to their possessors; _but the advan...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    i. Wisdom is better than money. Ecclesiastes 7:12 TEXT 7:12 12 For wisdom is protection just as money is protection. But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possess...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. WISDOM (IS) A DEFENSE - literally, (To be) in (i:e., under) the sh...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    7:12 defence; (b-10) Lit. '[one is] in the shadow of wisdom [as] in the shadow of money.' see Psalms 91:1 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A DEFENCE] lit. a shadow: cp. Isaiah 30:2; Isaiah 32:2....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PRACTICAL APHORISMS 1-6. Things useful to remember in life. The writer has just warned as that we cannot rely on either the present or the future. We can, however, guide ourselves in the conduct of l...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE TEACHER SEARCHES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 7 The Teacher does not continue to ask questions. Instead, he uses many special sent...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    A DEFENCE. — Literally, _a shadow_ (Psalms 91:1; Psalms 121:5, &c). This verse harmonises with the interpretation of the preceding verse, which we prefer. “Wisdom and riches alike confer protection, b...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כִּ֛י בְּ צֵ֥ל הַֽ חָכְמָ֖ה בְּ צֵ֣ל

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THIRD SECTION The Quest Of The Chief Good In Wealth, And In The Golden Mean Ecclesiastes 6:1; Ecclesiastes 7:1, and Ecclesiastes 8:1 IN the foregoing Section Coheleth has shown that the C

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

    The preacher now proceeded to the inculcation of indifference toward all the facts of life as the only attitude which is in the least likely to be satisfactory. This he did, first, by a series of maxi...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _With. Hebrew also, "above, or much as riches." (Calmet) --- These are impediments in the hands of the reprobate, while they promote virtue in the good." (St. Ambrose, Luke viii. n. 85.) --- The man w...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. (12) For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth lif...

  • 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

    FOR WISDOM [IS] A DEFENCE, [AND] MONEY [IS] A DEFENCE,.... Or, a "shadow" of refreshment and protection, under which men sit with pleasure and safety; a man by his wisdom, and so by his money, is able...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it._ Ver. 12. _For wisdom is a defence, and money, &c._] Heb.,...

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

    _Wisdom is good_ That is, very good; the positive being put for the superlative, as it frequently is in the Hebrew text; _with an inheritance_ When wisdom and riches meet in one man, it is a happy con...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    CONTEMPT OF THE WORLD AND THE SPIRIT OF CALM RESIGNATION...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    For wisdom is a defense, literally, "a shadow," AND MONEY IS A DEFENSE, both of them serve for protection in adversity; BUT THE EXCELLENCE OF KNOWLEDGE IS THAT WISDOM GIVETH LIFE TO THEM THAT HAVE IT,...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    DEFENCE: _ Heb._ shadow...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "FOR WISDOM IS PROTECTION JUST AS MONEY IS PROTECTION. BUT THE ADVANTAGE OF KNOWLEDGE IS THAT WISDOM PRESERVES THE LIVES OF ITS POSSESSORS." Note that Solomon isn't against money or making money. Rath...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    11-22 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual li...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    IS A DEFENCE, Heb. _is a shadow_; which in Scripture use notes both protection and refreshment. And thus far wisdom and money agree. But herein knowledge or wisdom (which commonly signifies the same t...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ecclesiastes 7:12 wisdom H2451 defense H6738 money H3701 defense H6738 excellence H3504 knowledge H1847 wisdom H2451 life...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICAL WISDOM (ECCLESIASTES 7:11). Wisdom As A Defence (Ecclesiastes 7:11). Having wisdom is a good foundation for life, for it provides a form of defence in times of trouble, a...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER 7 IT IS GOOD TO BE AWARE OF DEATH, TO LISTEN TO REBUKE, TO BEHAVE WISELY, EVEN THOUGH LIFE IS UNFAIR. BUT THE WORLD IS FULL OF WICKEDNESS. The emphasis of the book from now on includes the tho...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 7 and ECCLESIASTES 8:1 I. The endeavour to secure a competence may be not lawful only, but most laudable, since God means us to make the best of the capacities He has given us and the opp...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Ecclesiastes 5:8-7 I. We left Koheleth in the act of exhorting us to fear God. The fear of God, of course, implies a belief in the Divine superintendence of human affairs. This belief Koheleth now pro...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Prudence recommended as a means of avoiding much of the vanity and vexation of the world. CHARACTERS: God, Solomon. CONCLUSION: The best way to save ourselves from the vexation which the v...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ecclesiastes 7:1. _A good name is better than precious ointment._ Shem, a name; shemen, ointment. The reference is to the embalming of bodies with ointment. See Genesis 48. Wisdom and virtue outlive t...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it._ RELIGIOUS EDUCATION The argument which I shall advance on behalf of this and of all other institutions with which it is...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON ECCLESIASTES 7:11 Wisdom is similar to money in that both provide real PROTECTION against the misfortunes of life. WISDOM, however, preserves the life of him

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— ECCLESIASTES 7:11. WISDOM IS GOOD WITH AN INHERITANCE] Wisdom, though good in itself, yet when joined with ample means imparts a power of doing good to others. ECCLESIASTES 7:12. WIS...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 7:1 Ecclesiastes 12:8.—Division II. DEDUCTIONS FROM THE ABOVE-MENTIONED EXPERIENCES IN THE

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Tonight we want to return again to the book of Ecclesiastes beginning with chapter 7. And as we return to the book of Ecclesiastes, again, it is important that we make note of the fact that the book o...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Deuteronomy 30:19; Deuteronomy 30:20; Deuteronomy 32:47; Isaiah 30:2;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Life — But herein knowledge of wisdom excels riches, that whereas riches frequently expose men to destruction, true wisdom doth often preserve a man from temporal, and always from eternal ruin....

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