Ecclesiastes 1:13

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I GAVE MY HEART TO ... SEARCH OUT BY WISDOM CONCERNING ALL (THINGS) THAT ARE DONE UNDER HEAVEN. "Search" implies a deals investigation into the results gained by all the labours done under the sun. THIS SORE TRAVAIL HATH GOD GIVEN - i:e., sore vexation, namely, the wisdom which consists in testing thoroughly, etc.; that of 'searching out all things done under heaven.' Wisdom busied about merely earthly things brings only pain. TO BE EXERCISED THEREWITH - i:e., disciplined; literally, 'that they may thereby chastise or humble themselves....

12-18 Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and mourn. Let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this vanity and misery; to value Christ; to seek rest in the knowledge, love, and service of the Saviour....

Verse 13. _AND I GAVE MY HEART TO SEEK AND SEARCH_] While Solomon was faithful to his God, he diligently cultivated his mind. His giving himself to the study of natural history, philosophy, poetry, c., are sufficient proofs of it. He had not intuitive knowledge from God but he had a _capacity_ to obtain every kind of knowledge useful to man. _THIS SORE TRAVAIL_] This is the way in which knowledge is to be acquired; and in order to investigate the operations of nature, the most _laborious discussions_ and _perplexing experiments_ must be instituted, and conducted to their proper results. It is God's determination that knowledge shall be acquired in no other way....

WISDOM - As including both the powers of observation and judgment, and the knowledge acquired thereby (1 Kings 3:28; 1 Kings 4:29; 1 Kings 10:8, ...). It increases by exercise. Here is noted its application to people and their actions. TRAVAIL - In the sense of toil; the word is here applied to all human occupations. GOD - God is named as אלהים _'elohı̂ym_ thirty-nine times in this book; a name common to the true God and to false gods, and used by believers and by idolators: but the name Yahweh, by which He is known especially to the people who are in covenant with Him, is nev

EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 1:1 THE TITLE. THE WORDS OF THE PREACHER, THE SON OF DAVID, KING IN JERUSALEM; Septuagint, "King of Israel in Jerusalem" (comp.Ecclesiastes 1:12). The word rendered "Preacher" is _Koheleth_,_ _a feminine noun formed from a verb _kalal_,_ _"to call" (see Introduction, § 1), and perhaps better rendered" Convener" or "Debater." It is found nowhere else but in this book, where it occurs three times in this chapter (Ecclesiastes 1:1, Ecclesiastes 1:2,...

AND I GAVE MY HEART TO SEEK AND SEARCH OUT BY WISDOM,.... As he had all advantages and opportunities, so he did not want for industry and application to obtain knowledge; he gave his mind to it; he took up a resolution not to be discouraged by any difficulties, but to break through them, if possible; he set about the work with great readiness and cheerfulness; he had a price in his hand to get wisdom, and he had a heart unto it; see Proverbs 17:16; and he pursued it with all diligence, with all his might and main: nor did he content himself with a superficial knowledge of things; but "searched" after the most recondite and abstruse learning, and penetrated into the utmost recesses of it, to find out all that was to be known; and this he did "by" using all the "wisdom" and sagacity, the light and strength of reason, and all those bright natural parts, which God had given him in a very ext

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS PART I. Chapter S 1-6 1. The Prologue and the Search Begun CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction and prologue (Ecclesiastes 1:1)_ 2. The seeker; his method and the results (Ecclesiastes 1:12) Ecclesiastes 1:1. In the general introduction we have already referred to the opening verses as giving the information who the author is and what is the object of his treatise. So sure is the critical school that Solomon is not the king mentioned that one says “the fact that Solomon is not the author, but is introduced in a literary figure, has become such an axiom of the present day interpretation of the book, that no extended argument to prove

ECCLESIASTES 1:12 TO ECCLESIASTES 2:26. QOHELETH'S INVESTIGATIONS. Assuming the character of Solomon the writer tells of his search for happiness under many forms. The pursuit of wisdom (Ecclesiastes 1:12), absorption in pleasure (Ecclesiastes 2:1), the study of human nature (Ecclesiastes 2:12), the acquisition of wealth (Ecclesiastes 2:18), alike fail to yield satisfaction. After all his experience the only

WISDOM. Hebrew. _chokmah._ See note on Proverbs 1:2. UNDER HEAVEN. under the heavens. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "under the sun". GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ App-4. The title "Jehovah" is not used in Ecclesiastes, as this book refers to man in relation to his Creator only; not to man in covenant with Him as "Jehovah". Hence the frequent use of Hebrew. _'adam_ for "man" in this book. EXERCISED. humbled....

_I gave my heart_ The phrase, so expressive of the spirit of an earnest seeker, is eminently characteristic of this book and meets us again in Ecclesiastes 1:17, chaps. Ecclesiastes 7:25; Ecclesiastes 8:9; Ecclesiastes 8:16. Like forms are found in Isai. 41:42; Psalms 48:14. "Heart" with the Hebrews, it may be noticed, is the seat of the intellect as well as the affections, and "to give the heart" is therefore specially expressive of an act of concentrated mental energy. The ALL THAT IS DONE UNDER HEAVEN (we note the