10 He that loveth H157 silver H3701 shall not be satisfied H7646 with silver; H3701 nor he that loveth H157 abundance H1995 with increase: H8393 this is also vanity. H1892
For G1063 the love of money G5365 is G2076 the root G4491 of all G3956 evil: G2556 which G3739 while some G5100 coveted after, G3713 they have erred G635 from G575 the faith, G4102 and G2532 pierced G4044 themselves G1438 through G4044 with many G4183 sorrows. G3601
No man G3762 can G1410 serve G1398 two G1417 masters: G2962 for G1063 either G2228 he will hate G3404 the one, G1520 and G2532 love G25 the other; G2087 or else G2228 he will hold G472 to the one, G1520 and G2532 despise G2706 the other. G2087 Ye cannot G3756 G1410 serve G1398 God G2316 and G2532 mammon. G3126
There is H3426 one H259 alone, and there is not a second; H8145 yea, he hath neither child H1121 nor brother: H251 yet is there no end H7093 of all his labour; H5999 neither is his eye H5869 satisfied H7646 with riches; H6239 neither saith he, For whom do I labour, H6001 and bereave H2637 my soul H5315 of good? H2896 This is also vanity, H1892 yea, it is a sore H7451 travail. H6045
And G1161 he said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 Take heed, G3708 and G2532 beware G5442 of G575 covetousness: G4124 for G3754 a man's G5100 G846 life G2222 consisteth G2076 not G3756 in G1722 the abundance G4052 of G1537 the things which he G846 possesseth. G5224
There is no end H7093 of all the people, H5971 even of all that have been before H6440 them: they also that come after H314 shall not rejoice H8055 in him. Surely this also is vanity H1892 and vexation H7475 of spirit. H7307
Yea also, because he transgresseth H898 by wine, H3196 he is a proud H3093 man, H1397 neither keepeth at home, H5115 who enlargeth H7337 his desire H5315 as hell, H7585 and is as death, H4194 and cannot be satisfied, H7646 but gathereth H622 unto him all nations, H1471 and heapeth H6908 unto him all people: H5971 Shall not all these take up H5375 a parable H4912 against him, and a taunting H4426 proverb H2420 against him, and say, H559 Woe H1945 to him that increaseth H7235 that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth H3513 himself with thick clay! H5671 Shall they not rise up H6965 suddenly H6621 that shall bite H5391 thee, and awake H3364 that shall vex H2111 thee, and thou shalt be for booties H4933 unto them?
Again, I considered H7200 all travail, H5999 and every right H3788 work, H4639 that for this a man H376 is envied H7068 of his neighbour. H7453 This is also vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307
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
For God giveth H5414 to a man H120 that is good H2896 in his sight H6440 wisdom, H2451 and knowledge, H1847 and joy: H8057 but to the sinner H2398 he giveth H5414 travail, H6045 to gather H622 and to heap up, H3664 that he may give H5414 to him that is good H2896 before H6440 God. H430 This also is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307
Therefore I hated H8130 life; H2416 because the work H4639 that is wrought H6213 under the sun H8121 is grievous H7451 unto me: for all is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307 Yea, I hated H8130 all my labour H5999 which I had taken H6001 under the sun: H8121 because I should leave H3240 it unto the man H120 that shall be after H310 me.
And I gave H5414 my heart H3820 to know H3045 wisdom, H2451 and to know H3045 madness H1947 and folly: H5531 I perceived H3045 that this H1571 also is vexation H7475 of spirit. H7307
The horseleach H5936 hath two H8147 daughters, H1323 crying, Give, H3051 give. H3051 There are three H7969 things that are never satisfied, H7646 yea, four H702 things say H559 not, It is enough: H1952 The grave; H7585 and the barren H6115 womb; H7356 the earth H776 that is not filled H7646 with water; H4325 and the fire H784 that saith H559 not, It is enough. H1952
Trust H982 not in oppression, H6233 and become not vain H1891 in robbery: H1498 if riches H2428 increase, H5107 set H7896 not your heart H3820 upon them.
Lo, this is the man H1397 that made H7760 not God H430 his strength; H4581 but trusted H982 in the abundance H7230 of his riches, H6239 and strengthened H5810 himself in his wickedness. H1942
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 Maschil, H4905 A Psalm of David, H1732 when Doeg H1673 the Edomite H130 came H935 and told H5046 Saul, H7586 and said H559 unto him, David H1732 is come H935 to the house H1004 of Ahimelech.]] H288 Why boastest H1984 thou thyself in mischief, H7451 O mighty H1368 man? the goodness H2617 of God H410 endureth continually. H3117
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Ec 5:1-20.
1. From vanity connected with kings, he passes to vanities (Ec 5:7) which may be fallen into in serving the King of kings, even by those who, convinced of the vanity of the creature, wish to worship the Creator.
Keep thy foot—In going to worship, go with considerate, circumspect, reverent feeling. The allusion is to the taking off the shoes, or sandals, in entering a temple (Ex 3:5; Jos 5:15, which passages perhaps gave rise to the custom). Weiss needlessly reads, "Keep thy feast days" (Ex 23:14, 17; the three great feasts).
hear—rather, "To be ready (to draw nigh with the desire) to hear (obey) is a better sacrifice than the offering of fools" [Holden]. (Vulgate; Syriac). (Ps 51:16, 17; Pr 21:3; Jer 6:20; 7:21-23; 14:12; Am 5:21-24). The warning is against mere ceremonial self-righteousness, as in Ec 7:12. Obedience is the spirit of the law's requirements (De 10:12). Solomon sorrowfully looks back on his own neglect of this (compare 1Ki 8:63 with Ec 11:4, 6). Positive precepts of God must be kept, but will not stand instead of obedience to His moral precepts. The last provided no sacrifice for wilful sin (Nu 15:30, 31; Heb 10:26-29).
2. rash—opposed to the considerate reverence ("keep thy foot," Ec 5:1). This verse illustrates Ec 5:1, as to prayer in the house of God ("before God," Isa 1:12); so Ec 5:4-6 as to vows. The remedy to such vanities is stated (Ec 5:6). "Fear thou God."
God is in heaven—Therefore He ought to be approached with carefully weighed words, by thee, a frail creature of earth.
3. As much "business," engrossing the mind, gives birth to incoherent "dreams," so many words, uttered inconsiderately in prayer, give birth to and betray "a fool's speech" (Ec 10:14), [Holden and Weiss]. But Ec 5:7 implies that the "dream" is not a comparison, but the vain thoughts of the fool (sinner, Ps 73:20), arising from multiplicity of (worldly) "business." His "dream" is that God hears him for his much speaking (Mt 6:7), independently of the frame of mind [English Version and Maurer].
fool's voice—answers to "dream" in the parallel; it comes by the many "words" flowing from the fool's "dream."
4. When thou vowest a vow unto God—Hasty words in prayer (Ec 5:2, 3) suggest the subject of hasty vows. A vow should not be hastily made (Jud 11:35; 1Sa 14:24). When made, it must be kept (Ps 76:11), even as God keeps His word to us (Ex 12:41, 51; Jos 21:45).
5. (De 23:21, 23).
6. thy flesh—Vow not with "thy mouth" a vow (for example, fasting), which the lusts of the flesh ("body," Ec 2:3, Margin) may tempt thee to break (Pr 20:25).
angel—the "messenger" of God (Job 33:23); minister (Re 1:20); that is, the priest (Mal 2:7) "before" whom a breach of a vow was to be confessed (Le 5:4, 5). We, Christians, in our vows (for example, at baptism, the Lord's Supper, &c.) vow in the presence of Jesus Christ, "the angel of the covenant" (Mal 3:1), and of ministering angels as witnesses (1Co 11:10; 1Ti 5:21). Extenuate not any breach of them as a slight error.
7. (See on Ec 5:3). God's service, which ought to be our chief good, becomes by "dreams" (foolish fancies as of God's requirements of us in worship), and random "words," positive "vanity." The remedy is, whatever fools may do, "Fear thou God" (Ec 12:13).
8. As in Ec 3:16, so here the difficulty suggests itself. If God is so exact in even punishing hasty words (Ec 5:1-6), why does He allow gross injustice? In the remote "provinces," the "poor" often had to put themselves for protection from the inroads of Philistines, &c., under chieftains, who oppressed them even in Solomon's reign (1Ki 12:4).
the matter—literally, "the pleasure," or purpose (Isa 53:10). Marvel not at this dispensation of God's will, as if He had abandoned the world. Nay, there is coming a capital judgment at last, and an earnest of it in partial punishments of sinners meanwhile.
higher than the highest—(Da 7:18).
regardeth—(2Ch 16:9).
there be higher—plural, that is, the three persons of the Godhead, or else, "regardeth not only the 'highest' kings, than whom He 'is higher,' but even the petty tyrants of the provinces, namely, the high ones who are above them" (the poor) [Weiss].
9. "The profit (produce) of the earth is (ordained) for (the common good of) all: even the king himself is served by (the fruits of) the field" (2Ch 26:10). Therefore the common Lord of all, high and low, will punish at last those who rob the "poor" of their share in it (Pr 22:22, 23; Am 8:4-7).
10. Not only will God punish at last, but meanwhile the oppressive gainers of "silver" find no solid "satisfaction" in it.
shall not be satisfied—so the oppressor "eateth his own flesh" (see on Ec 4:1 and Ec 4:5).
with increase—is not satisfied with the gain that he makes.
11. they … that eat them—the rich man's dependents (Ps 23:5).
12. Another argument against anxiety to gain riches. "Sleep … sweet" answers to "quietness" (Ec 4:6); "not suffer … sleep," to "vexation of spirit." Fears for his wealth, and an overloaded stomach without "laboring" (compare Ec 4:5), will not suffer the rich oppressor to sleep.
13, 14. Proofs of God's judgments even in this world (Pr 11:31). The rich oppressor's wealth provokes enemies, robbers, &c. Then, after having kept it for an expected son, he loses it beforehand by misfortune ("by evil travail"), and the son is born to be heir of poverty. Ec 2:19, 23 gives another aspect of the same subject.
16. Even supposing that he loses not his wealth before death, then at least he must go stripped of it all (Ps 49:17).
laboured for the wind—(Ho 12:1; 1Co 9:26).
17. eateth—appropriately put for "liveth" in general, as connected with Ec 5:11, 12, 18.
darkness—opposed to "light (joy) of countenance" (Ec 8:1; Pr 16:15).
wrath—fretfulness, literally, "His sorrow is much, and his infirmity (of body) and wrath."
18. Returns to the sentiment (Ec 3:12, 13, 22); translate: "Behold the good which I have seen, and which is becoming" (in a man).
which God giveth—namely, both the good of his labor and his life.
his portion—legitimately. It is God's gift that makes it so when regarded as such. Such a one will use, not abuse, earthly things (1Co 7:31). Opposed to the anxious life of the covetous (Ec 5:10, 17).
19. As Ec 5:18 refers to the "laboring" man (Ec 5:12), so Ec 5:19 to the "rich" man, who gets wealth not by "oppression" (Ec 5:8), but by "God's gift." He is distinguished also from the "rich" man (Ec 6:2) in having received by God's gift not only "wealth," but also "power to eat thereof," which that one has not.
to take his portion—limits him to the lawful use of wealth, not keeping back from God His portion while enjoying his own.
20. He will not remember much, looking back with disappointment, as the ungodly do (Ec 2:11), on the days of his life.
answereth … in the joy—God answers his prayers in giving him "power" to enjoy his blessings. Gesenius and Vulgate translate, "For God (so) occupies him with joy," &c., that he thinks not much of the shortness and sorrows of life. Holden, "Though God gives not much (as to real enjoyment), yet he remembers (with thankfulness) the days; for (he knows) God exercises him by the joy," &c. (tries him by prosperity), so Margin, but English Version is simplest.