11 The words H1697 of the wise H2450 are as goads, H1861 and as nails H4930 fastened H5193 by the masters H1167 of assemblies, H627 which are given H5414 from one H259 shepherd. H7462
Now G1161 when they heard G191 this, they were pricked G2660 in their heart, G2588 and G5037 said G2036 unto G4314 Peter G4074 and G2532 to the rest G3062 of the apostles, G652 Men G435 and brethren, G80 what G5101 shall we do? G4160
He shall feed H7462 his flock H5739 like a shepherd: H7462 he shall gather H6908 the lambs H2922 with his arm, H2220 and carry H5375 them in his bosom, H2436 and shall gently lead H5095 those that are with young. H5763
And I will fasten H8628 him as a nail H3489 in a sure H539 place; H4725 and he shall be for a glorious H3519 throne H3678 to his father's H1 house. H1004
For G1063 the word G3056 of God G2316 is quick, G2198 and G2532 powerful, G1756 and G2532 sharper G5114 than G5228 any G3956 twoedged G1366 sword, G3162 piercing G1338 even to G891 the dividing asunder G3311 of soul G5590 and G5037 G2532 spirit, G4151 and G5037 G2532 of the joints G719 and G2532 marrow, G3452 and G2532 is a discerner G2924 of the thoughts G1761 and G2532 intents G1771 of the heart. G2588
But his bow H7198 abode H3427 in strength, H386 and the arms H2220 of his hands H3027 were made strong H6339 by the hands H3027 of the mighty H46 God of Jacob; H3290 (from thence is the shepherd, H7462 the stone H68 of Israel:) H3478
But G1161 when he saw G1492 many G4183 of the Pharisees G5330 and G2532 Sadducees G4523 come G2064 to G1909 his G846 baptism, G908 he said G2036 unto them, G846 O generation G1081 of vipers, G2191 who G5101 hath warned G5263 you G5213 to flee G5343 from G575 the wrath G3709 to come? G3195
To understand H995 a proverb, H4912 and the interpretation; H4426 the words H1697 of the wise, H2450 and their dark sayings. H2420
[[A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 The LORD H3068 is my shepherd; H7462 I shall not want. H2637
And now for a little H4592 space H7281 grace H8467 hath been shewed from the LORD H3068 our God, H430 to leave H7604 us a remnant to escape, H6413 and to give H5414 us a nail H3489 in his holy H6944 place, H4725 that our God H430 may lighten H215 our eyes, H5869 and give H5414 us a little H4592 reviving H4241 in our bondage. H5659
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 12
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
The wise and penitent preacher is here closing his sermon; and he closes it, not only like a good orator, but like a good preacher, with that which was likely to make the best impressions and which he wished might be powerful and lasting upon his hearers. Here is,
Ecc 12:1-7
Here is,
Ecc 12:8-12
Solomon is here drawing towards a close, and is loth to part till he has gained his point, and prevailed with his hearers, with his readers, to seek for that satisfaction in God only and in their duty to him which they can never find in the creature.
Ecc 12:13-14
The great enquiry which Solomon prosecutes in this book is, What is that good which the sons of men should do? ch. 2:3. What is the true way to true happiness, the certain means to attain our great end? He had in vain sought it among those things which most men are eager in pursuit of, but here, at length, he has found it, by the help of that discovery which God anciently made to man (Job 28:28), that serious godliness is the only way to true happiness: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, the return entered upon the writ of enquiry, the result of this diligent search; you shall have all I have been driving at in two words. He does not say, Do you hear it, but Let us hear it; for preachers must themselves be hearers of that word which they preach to others, must hear it as from God; those are teachers by the halves who teach others and not themselves, Rom. 2:21. Every word of God is pure and precious, but some words are worthy of more special remark, as this; the Masorites begin it with a capital letter, as that Deu. 6:4. Solomon himself puts a nota bene before it, demanding attention in these words, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Observe here,