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
And they beat down H2040 the cities, H5892 and on every good H2896 piece H2513 of land cast H7993 every man H376 his stone, H68 and filled H4390 it; and they stopped H5640 all the wells H4599 of water, H4325 and felled H5307 all the good H2896 trees: H6086 only in Kirharaseth H7025 left H7604 they the stones H68 thereof; howbeit the slingers H7051 went about H5437 it, and smote H5221 it.
Gather H622 the people, H5971 sanctify H6942 the congregation, H6951 assemble H6908 the elders, H2205 gather H622 the children, H5768 and those that suck H3243 the breasts: H7699 let the bridegroom H2860 go forth H3318 of his chamber, H2315 and the bride H3618 out of her closet. H2646
And command H6680 ye them, saying, H559 Take H5375 you hence out of the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 out of the place where the priests' H3548 feet H7272 stood H4673 firm, H3559 twelve H8147 H6240 stones, H68 and ye shall carry them over H5674 with you, and leave H3240 them in the lodging place, H4411 where ye shall lodge H3885 this night. H3915 Then Joshua H3091 called H7121 the twelve H8147 H6240 men, H376 whom he had prepared H3559 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 out of every H259 tribe H7626 a man: H376 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto them, Pass over H5674 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 your God H430 into the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 and take ye up H7311 every H259 man H376 of you a stone H68 upon his shoulder, H7926 according unto the number H4557 of the tribes H7626 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 That this may be a sign H226 among H7130 you, that when your children H1121 ask H7592 their fathers in time to come, H4279 saying, H559 What mean ye by these stones? H68 Then ye shall answer H559 them, That the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 were cut off H3772 before H6440 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD; H3068 when it passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 were cut off: H3772 and these stones H68 shall be for a memorial H2146 unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 for H5704 ever. H5769 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 so as Joshua H3091 commanded, H6680 and took up H5375 twelve H8147 H6240 stones H68 out of the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 as the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Joshua, H3091 according to the number H4557 of the tribes H7626 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and carried them over H5674 with them unto the place where they lodged, H4411 and laid them down H3240 there. And Joshua H3091 set up H6965 twelve H8147 H6240 stones H68 in the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 in the place where the feet H7272 of the priests H3548 which bare H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 stood: H4673 and they are there unto this day. H3117
And it came to pass at the time H6256 of the going down H935 of the sun, H8121 that Joshua H3091 commanded, H6680 and they took them down H3381 off the trees, H6086 and cast H7993 them into the cave H4631 wherein they had been hid, H2244 and laid H7760 great H1419 stones H68 in the cave's H4631 mouth, H6310 which remain until this very H6106 day. H3117
And the priest H3548 answered H6030 David, H1732 and said, H559 There is no common H2455 bread H3899 under mine hand, H3027 but there is H3426 hallowed H6944 bread; H3899 if the young men H5288 have kept H8104 themselves at least H389 from women. H802 And David H1732 answered H6030 the priest, H3548 and said H559 unto him, Of a truth H518 women H802 have been kept H6113 from us about these three H8032 days, H8543 since I came out, H3318 and the vessels H3627 of the young men H5288 are holy, H6944 and the bread is in a manner H1870 common, H2455 yea, though it were sanctified H6942 this day H3117 in the vessel. H3627
And they took H3947 Absalom, H53 and cast H7993 him into a great H1419 pit H6354 in the wood, H3293 and laid H5324 a very H3966 great H1419 heap H1530 of stones H68 upon him: and all Israel H3478 fled H5127 every one H376 to his tent. H168 Now Absalom H53 in his lifetime H2416 had taken H3947 and reared up H5324 for himself a pillar, H4678 which is in the king's H4428 dale: H6010 for he said, H559 I have no son H1121 to keep my name H8034 in remembrance: H2142 and he called H7121 the pillar H4678 after his own name: H8034 and it is called H7121 unto this day, H3117 Absalom's H53 place. H3027
His left hand H8040 is under my head, H7218 and his right hand H3225 doth embrace H2263 me. I charge H7650 you, O ye daughters H1323 of Jerusalem, H3389 by the roes, H6643 and H176 by the hinds H355 of the field, H7704 that ye stir not up, H5782 nor awake H5782 my love, H160 till he please. H2654
Defraud ye G650 not G3361 one the other, G240 except G1509 G302 it be G5100 with G1537 consent G4859 for G4314 a time, G2540 that G2443 ye may give yourselves G4980 to fasting G3521 and G2532 prayer; G4335 and G2532 come G4905 together G1909 G846 again, G3825 that G3363 Satan G4567 tempt G3985 you G5209 not G3363 for G1223 your G5216 incontinency. G192
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).