Ecclesiastes 7:18

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. TAKE HOLD OF THIS; YEA, ALSO FROM THIS WITHDRAW NOT THINE HAND - the two opposite excesses (Ecclesiastes 7:16), fanatical selfwise righteousness and presumptuous foolhardy wickedness. alludes to this. HE THAT FEARETH GOD SHALL COME FORTH OF THEM ALL - shall escape all such extremes ()....

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 life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no, not by a zeal for God. Be not conceited of thine own abilities; nor find fault with every thing, nor busy thyself in other men's matters. Many who will not be wrought upon by the fear of God, and the dread of hell, will avoid sins which ruin their health and estate, and expose to public justice. But those that truly fear God, have but one end to serve, therefore act steadily. If we say we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves. Every true believe...

Verse 18. IT IS _GOOD THAT THOU SHOULDEST TAKE HOLD OR THIS_] Do not let such an observation slip: _take hold of this; do not forget_ _that_. Get what you can in an honest way; but do not forget to get true religion; for he that fears God will be saved from all evil....

EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 7:1 Ecclesiastes 12:8.—Division II. DEDUCTIONS FROM THE ABOVE-MENTIONED EXPERIENCES IN THE WAY OF WARNINGS AND RULES OF LIFE. ECCLESIASTES 7:1 Section 1. Though no man knows for certain what is best, yet there are _some practical rules for the conduct of life which wisdom gives_._ _Some of these Koheleth sets forward in the prov

[IT IS] GOOD THAT THOU SHOULDEST TAKE HOLD OF THIS,.... This advice, as the Arabic version, in the several branches of it; neither to be over much righteous or wicked, and over much wise or foolish; to avoid the one and the other, to keep clear of extremes, and pursue the path that is safest; such advice as this it is right to lay hold on, embrace, and hold fast; YEA, ALSO FROM THIS WITHDRAW NOT THINE HAND; from what follows concerning the fear of God; or "this [and] this" may be rendered "this [and] that" c, and the sense be, lay hold on this, that is, the last part of the advice, not to be over much wicked or foolish, which is often the cause of an immature death; and do not slacken or be remiss in regarding that other and first part of it, not to be over much righteous or wise; FOR HE THAT FEARETH GOD SHALL COME FORTH OF THEM ALL; or escape them all; the phrase is become Rabbinical,...

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 of wisdom, yet none perfect (Ecclesiastes 7:19) 4. The worst thing he found (Ecclesiastes 7:23) Ecclesiastes 7:1. All had been tested by the royal searcher; all was found out to be vanity and vexation of spirit. Darkness, discouragement, uncertainty and despai

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 advisable for him to cultivate seriousness rather than levity (Ecclesiastes 7:1). The curious remark that a (good) name is better than precious ointment (_cf._ Ca. Ecclesiastes 1:3 *) is in the Heb. a play on the words _shem_ and _shemen;_ ointment is highly esteemed in the East. Ecclesiastes 7:1_ b_ reminds us of the Thracian tribe mentioned by Herodotus ...

COME FORTH OF THEM ALL. make His way with both....

_It is good_ The sentence is somewhat enigmatic, and its meaning depends on the reference given to the two pronouns. Commonly, the first "this" is referred to the "righteousness and wisdom" of Ecclesiastes 7:16, the second "this" to the "wickedness and folly" of Ecclesiastes 7:17, and the Teacher is supposed to recommend a wide experience of life, the tasting of "the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil," which, as in ch. Ecclesiastes 1:17, shall embrace both, and bring with it a corresponding largeness of heart. This gives, of course, a perfectly intelligible meaning, though it is not that of a high-toned morality, and belongs to the earlier rather than the later stage of the Debater

IT IS GOOD THAT THOU SHOULDEST TAKE HOLD OF THIS— _The good which thou shouldest take hold of consisteth in this_ (_nay, thou shouldest never withdraw thine hand from it_), _that he who feareth God shall avoid all these inconveniences._ See Desvoeux, p. 314....