1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
1 To every thing there is a season, H2165 and a time H6256 to every purpose H2656 under the heaven: H8064
2 A time H6256 to be born, H3205 and a time H6256 to die; H4191 a time H6256 to plant, H5193 and a time H6256 to pluck up H6131 that which is planted; H5193
3 A time H6256 to kill, H2026 and a time H6256 to heal; H7495 a time H6256 to break down, H6555 and a time H6256 to build up; H1129
4 A time H6256 to weep, H1058 and a time H6256 to laugh; H7832 a time H6256 to mourn, H5594 and a time H6256 to dance; H7540
5 A time H6256 to cast away H7993 stones, H68 and a time H6256 to gather H3664 stones H68 together; H3664 a time H6256 to embrace, H2263 and a time H6256 to refrain H7368 from embracing; H2263
6 A time H6256 to get, H1245 and a time H6256 to lose; H6 a time H6256 to keep, H8104 and a time H6256 to cast away; H7993
7 A time H6256 to rend, H7167 and a time H6256 to sew; H8609 a time H6256 to keep silence, H2814 and a time H6256 to speak; H1696
8 A time H6256 to love, H157 and a time H6256 to hate; H8130 a time H6256 of war, H4421 and a time H6256 of peace. H7965
9 What profit H3504 hath he that worketh H6213 in that wherein H834 he laboureth? H6001
10 I have seen H7200 the travail, H6045 which God H430 hath given H5414 to the sons H1121 of men H120 to be exercised H6031 in it.
11 He hath made H6213 every thing beautiful H3303 in his time: H6256 also he hath set H5414 the world H5769 in their heart, H3820 so that H1097 no man H120 can find out H4672 the work H4639 that God H430 maketh H6213 from the beginning H7218 to the end. H5490
12 I know H3045 that there is no good H2896 in them, but for a man to rejoice, H8055 and to do H6213 good H2896 in his life. H2416
13 And also that every man H120 should eat H398 and drink, H8354 and enjoy H7200 the good H2896 of all his labour, H5999 it is the gift H4991 of God. H430
14 I know H3045 that, whatsoever God H430 doeth, H6213 it shall be for ever: H5769 nothing H369 can be put H3254 to it, nor any thing taken H1639 from it: and God H430 doeth H6213 it, that men should fear H3372 before H6440 him.
15 That which hath been is now; H3528 and that which is to be hath already H3528 been; and God H430 requireth H1245 that which is past. H7291
16 And moreover I saw H7200 under the sun H8121 the place H4725 of judgment, H4941 that wickedness H7562 was there; and the place H4725 of righteousness, H6664 that iniquity H7562 was there.
17 I said H559 in mine heart, H3820 God H430 shall judge H8199 the righteous H6662 and the wicked: H7563 for there is a time H6256 there for every purpose H2656 and for every work. H4639
18 I said H559 in mine heart H3820 concerning the estate H1700 of the sons H1121 of men, H120 that God H430 might manifest H1305 them, and that they might see H7200 that they H1992 themselves are beasts. H929
19 For that which befalleth H4745 the sons H1121 of men H120 befalleth H4745 beasts; H929 even one thing H259 befalleth H4745 them: as the one dieth, H4194 so dieth H4194 the other; H2088 yea, they have all one H259 breath; H7307 so that a man H120 hath no preeminence H4195 above a beast: H929 for all is vanity. H1892
20 All go H1980 unto one H259 place; H4725 all are of the dust, H6083 and all turn H7725 to dust H6083 again. H7725
21 Who knoweth H3045 the spirit H7307 of man H1121 H120 that goeth H5927 upward, H4605 and the spirit H7307 of the beast H929 that goeth H3381 downward H4295 to the earth? H776
22 Wherefore I perceive H7200 that there is nothing better, H2896 than that a man H120 should rejoice H8055 in his own works; H4639 for that is his portion: H2506 for who shall bring H935 him to see H7200 what shall be after H310 him?
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for very purpose under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
10 I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
11 He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 I said in my heart, `It is' because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are `but as' beasts.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?
22 Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him `back' to see what shall be after him?
1 To everything -- a season, and a time to every delight under the heavens:
2 A time to bring forth, And a time to die. A time to plant, And a time to eradicate the planted.
3 A time to slay, And a time to heal, A time to break down, And a time to build up.
4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh. A time to mourn, And a time to skip.
5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to heap up stones. A time to embrace, And a time to be far from embracing.
6 A time to seek, And a time to destroy. A time to keep, And a time to cast away.
7 A time to rend, And a time to sew. A time to be silent, And a time to speak.
8 A time to love, And a time to hate. A time of war, And a time of peace.
9 What advantage hath the doer in that which he is labouring at?
10 I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
11 The whole He hath made beautiful in its season; also, that knowledge He hath put in their heart without which man findeth not out the work that God hath done from the beginning even unto the end.
12 I have known that there is no good for them except to rejoice and to do good during their life,
13 yea, even every man who eateth and hath drunk and seen good by all his labour, it `is' a gift of God.
14 I have known that all that God doth is to the age, to it nothing is to be added, and from it nothing is to be withdrawn; and God hath wrought that they do fear before Him.
15 What is that which hath been? already it is, and that which `is' to be hath already been, and God requireth that which is pursued.
16 And again, I have seen under the sun the place of judgment -- there `is' the wicked; and the place of righteousness -- there `is' the wicked.
17 I said in my heart, `The righteous and the wicked doth God judge, for a time `is' to every matter and for every work there.'
18 I said in my heart concerning the matter of the sons of man that God might cleanse them, so as to see that they themselves `are' beasts.
19 For an event `is to' the sons of man, and an event `is to' the beasts, even one event `is' to them; as the death of this, so `is' the death of that; and one spirit `is' to all, and the advantage of man above the beast is nothing, for the whole `is' vanity.
20 The whole are going unto one place, the whole have been from the dust, and the whole are turning back unto the dust.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of man that is going up on high, and the spirit of the beast that is going down below to the earth?
22 And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man rejoice in his works, for it `is' his portion; for who doth bring him in to look on that which is after him?
1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh from that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail that God hath given to the sons of men to toil in.
11 He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth.
12 I know that there is nothing good for them but to rejoice and to do well in their life;
13 yea also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever; there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth [it], that [men] should fear before him.
15 That which is was long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God bringeth back again that which is past.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.
17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 I said in my heart, It is thus with the children of men, that God may prove them, and that they should see that they themselves are but beasts.
19 For what befalleth the children of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other, and they have all one breath; and man hath no pre-eminence above the beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place: all are of the dust, and all return to dust.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of the children of men? Doth it go upwards? and the spirit of the beasts, doth it go downwards to the earth?
22 And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to seek, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to cast away;
7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
8 A time to love, And a time to hate; A time for war, And a time for peace.
9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
10 I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can't find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.
16 Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
17 I said in my heart, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."
18 I said in my heart, "As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
19 For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.
20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"
22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
1 For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.
2 A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting;
3 A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up;
4 A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;
5 A time to take stones away and a time to get stones together; a time for kissing and a time to keep from kissing;
6 A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away;
7 A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;
8 A time for love and a time for hate; a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What profit has the worker in the work which he does?
10 I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.
11 He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.
12 I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
13 And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.
14 I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.
15 Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.
16 And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.
17 I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
18 I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.
19 Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
20 All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.
21 Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
22 So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Ec 3:1-22.
Earthly pursuits are no doubt lawful in their proper time and order (Ec 3:1-8), but unprofitable when out of time and place; as for instance, when pursued as the solid and chief good (Ec 3:9, 10); whereas God makes everything beautiful in its season, which man obscurely comprehends (Ec 3:11). God allows man to enjoy moderately and virtuously His earthly gifts (Ec 3:12, 13). What consoles us amidst the instability of earthly blessings is, God's counsels are immutable (Ec 3:14).
1. Man has his appointed cycle of seasons and vicissitudes, as the sun, wind, and water (Ec 1:5-7).
purpose—as there is a fixed "season" in God's "purposes" (for example, He has fixed the "time" when man is "to be born," and "to die," Ec 3:2), so there is a lawful "time" for man to carry out his "purposes" and inclinations. God does not condemn, but approves of, the use of earthly blessings (Ec 3:12); it is the abuse that He condemns, the making them the chief end (1Co 7:31). The earth, without human desires, love, taste, joy, sorrow, would be a dreary waste, without water; but, on the other hand, the misplacing and excess of them, as of a flood, need control. Reason and revelation are given to control them.
2. time to die—(Ps 31:15; Heb 9:27).
plant—A man can no more reverse the times and order of "planting," and of "digging up," and transplanting, than he can alter the times fixed for his "birth" and "death." To try to "plant" out of season is vanity, however good in season; so to make earthly things the chief end is vanity, however good they be in order and season. Gill takes it, not so well, figuratively (Jer 18:7, 9; Am 9:15; Mt 15:13).
3. time to kill—namely, judicially, criminals; or, in wars of self-defense; not in malice. Out of this time and order, killing is murder.
to heal—God has His times for "healing" (literally, Isa 38:5, 21; figuratively, De 32:39; Ho 6:1; spiritually, Ps 147:3; Isa 57:19). To heal spiritually, before the sinner feels his wound, would be "out of time," and so injurious.
time to break down—cities, as Jerusalem, by Nebuchadnezzar.
build up—as Jerusalem, in the time of Zerubbabel; spiritually (Am 9:11), "the set time" (Ps 102:13-16).
4. mourn—namely, for the dead (Ge 23:2).
dance—as David before the ark (2Sa 6:12-14; Ps 30:11); spiritually (Mt 9:15; Lu 6:21; 15:25). The Pharisees, by requiring sadness out of time, erred seriously.
5. cast away stones—as out of a garden or vineyard (Isa 5:2).
gather—for building; figuratively, the Gentiles, once castaway stones, were in due time made parts of the spiritual building (Eph 2:19, 20), and children of Abraham (Mt 3:9); so the restored Jews hereafter (Ps 102:13, 14; Zec 9:16).
refrain … embracing—(Joe 2:16; 1Co 7:5, 6).
6. time to get—for example, to gain honestly a livelihood (Eph 4:23).
lose—When God wills losses to us, then is our time to be content.
keep—not to give to the idle beggar (2Th 3:10).
cast away—in charity (Pr 11:24); or to part with the dearest object, rather than the soul (Mr 9:43). To be careful is right in its place, but not when it comes between us and Jesus Christ (Lu 10:40-42).
7. rend—garments, in mourning (Joe 2:13); figuratively, nations, as Israel from Judah, already foretold, in Solomon's time (1Ki 11:30, 31), to be "sewed" together hereafter (Eze 37:15, 22).
silence—(Am 5:13), in a national calamity, or that of a friend (Job 2:13); also not to murmur under God's visitation (Le 10:3; Ps 39:1, 2, 9).
8. hate—for example, sin, lusts (Lu 14:26); that is, to love God so much more as to seem in comparison to hate "father or mother," when coming between us and God.
a time of war … peace—(Lu 14:31).
9. But these earthly pursuits, while lawful in their season, are "unprofitable" when made by man, what God never intended them to be, the chief good. Solomon had tried to create an artificial forced joy, at times when he ought rather to have been serious; the result, therefore, of his labor to be happy, out of God's order, was disappointment. "A time to plant" (Ec 3:2) refers to his planting (Ec 2:5); "laugh" (Ec 3:4), to Ec 2:1, 2; "his mirth," "laughter"; "build up," "gather stones" (Ec 3:3, 5), to his "building" (Ec 2:4); "embrace," "love," to his "princess" (see on Ec 2:8); "get" (perhaps also "gather," Ec 3:5, 6), to his "gathering" (Ec 2:8). All these were of "no profit," because not in God's time and order of bestowing happiness.
10. (See on Ec 1:13).
11. his time—that is, in its proper season (Ps 1:3), opposed to worldlings putting earthly pursuits out of their proper time and place (see on Ec 3:9).
set the world in their heart—given them capacities to understand the world of nature as reflecting God's wisdom in its beautiful order and times (Ro 1:19, 20). "Everything" answers to "world," in the parallelism.
so that—that is, but in such a manner that man only sees a portion, not the whole "from beginning to end" (Ec 8:17; Job 26:14; Ro 11:33; Re 15:4). Parkhurst, for "world," translates: "Yet He hath put obscurity in the midst of them," literally, "a secret," so man's mental dimness of sight as to the full mystery of God's works. So Holden and Weiss. This incapacity for "finding out" (comprehending) God's work is chiefly the fruit of the fall. The worldling ever since, not knowing God's time and order, labors in vain, because out of time and place.
12. in them—in God's works (Ec 3:11), as far as relates to man's duty. Man cannot fully comprehend them, but he ought joyfully to receive ("rejoice in") God's gifts, and "do good" with them to himself and to others. This is never out of season (Ga 6:9, 10). Not sensual joy and self-indulgence (Php 4:4; Jas 4:16, 17).
13. Literally, "And also as to every man who eats … this is the gift of God" (Ec 3:22; 5:18). When received as God's gifts, and to God's glory, the good things of life are enjoyed in their due time and order (Ac 2:46; 1Co 10:31; 1Ti 4:3, 4).
14. (1Sa 3:12; 2Sa 23:5; Ps 89:34; Mt 24:35; Jas 1:17).
for ever—as opposed to man's perishing labors (Ec 2:15-18).
any thing taken from it—opposed to man's "crooked and wanting" works (Ec 1:15; 7:13). The event of man's labors depends wholly on God's immutable purpose. Man's part, therefore, is to do and enjoy every earthly thing in its proper season (Ec 3:12, 13), not setting aside God's order, but observing deep reverence towards God; for the mysteriousness and unchangeableness of God's purposes are designed to lead "man to fear before Him." Man knows not the event of each act: otherwise he would think himself independent of God.
15. Resumption of Ec 1:9. Whatever changes there be, the succession of events is ordered by God's "everlasting" laws (Ec 3:14), and returns in a fixed cycle.
requireth that … past—After many changes, God's law requires the return of the same cycle of events, as in the past, literally, "that which is driven on." The Septuagint and Syriac translate: "God requireth (that is, avengeth) the persecuted man"; a transition to Ec 3:16, 17. The parallel clauses of the verse support English Version.
16. Here a difficulty is suggested. If God "requires" events to move in their perpetual cycle, why are the wicked allowed to deal unrighteously in the place where injustice ought least of all to be; namely, "the place of judgment" (Jer 12:1)?
17. Solution of it. There is a coming judgment in which God will vindicate His righteous ways. The sinner's "time" of his unrighteous "work" is short. God also has His "time" and "work" of judgment; and, meanwhile, is overruling, for good at last, what seems now dark. Man cannot now "find out" the plan of God's ways (Ec 3:11; Ps 97:2). If judgment instantly followed every sin, there would be no scope for free will, faith, and perseverance of saints in spite of difficulties. The previous darkness will make the light at last the more glorious.
there—(Job 3:17-19) in eternity, in the presence of the Divine Judge, opposed to the "there," in the human place of judgment (Ec 3:16): so "from thence" (Ge 49:24).
18. estate—The estate of fallen man is so ordered (these wrongs are permitted), that God might "manifest," that is, thereby prove them, and that they might themselves see their mortal frailty, like that of the beasts.
sons of men—rather, "sons of Adam," a phrase used for "fallen men." The toleration of injustice until the judgment is designed to "manifest" men's characters in their fallen state, to see whether the oppressed will bear themselves aright amidst their wrongs, knowing that the time is short, and there is a coming judgment. The oppressed share in death, but the comparison to "beasts" applies especially to the ungodly oppressors (Ps 49:12, 20). They too need to be "manifested" ("proved"), whether, considering that they must soon die as the "beasts," and fearing the judgment to come, they will repent (Da 4:27).
19. Literally, "For the sons of men (Adam) are a mere chance, as also the beast is a mere chance." These words can only be the sentiments of the skeptical oppressors. God's delay in judgment gives scope for the "manifestation" of their infidelity (Ec 8:11; Ps 55:19; 2Pe 3:3,4). They are "brute beasts," morally (Ec 3:18; Jude 10); and they end by maintaining that man, physically, has no pre-eminence over the beast, both alike being "fortuities." Probably this was the language of Solomon himself in his apostasy. He answers it in Ec 3:21. If Ec 3:19, 20 be his words, they express only that as regards liability to death, excluding the future judgment, as the skeptic oppressors do, man is on a level with the beast. Life is "vanity," if regarded independently of religion. But Ec 3:21 points out the vast difference between them in respect to the future destiny; also (Ec 3:17) beasts have no "judgment" to come.
breath—vitality.
21. Who knoweth—Not doubt of the destination of man's spirit (Ec 12:7); but "how few, by reason of the outward mortality to which man is as liable as the beast and which is the ground of the skeptic's argument, comprehend the wide difference between man and the beast" (Isa 53:1). The Hebrew expresses the difference strongly, "The spirit of man that ascends, it belongeth to on high; but the spirit of the beast that descends, it belongeth to below, even to the earth." Their destinations and proper element differ utterly [Weiss].
22. (Compare Ec 3:12; 5:18). Inculcating a thankful enjoyment of God's gifts, and a cheerful discharge of man's duties, founded on fear of God; not as the sensualist (Ec 11:9); not as the anxious money-seeker (Ec 2:23; 5:10-17).
his portion—in the present life. If it were made his main portion, it would be "vanity" (Ec 2:1; Lu 16:25).
for who, &c.—Our ignorance as to the future, which is God's "time" (Ec 3:11), should lead us to use the present time in the best sense and leave the future to His infinite wisdom (Mt 6:20, 25, 31-34).