3 This is an evil H7451 among all things that are done H6213 under the sun, H8121 that there is one H259 event H4745 unto all: yea, also the heart H3820 of the sons H1121 of men H120 is full H4390 of evil, H7451 and madness H1947 is in their heart H3824 while they live, H2416 and after H310 that they go to the dead. H4191
The heart H3820 is deceitful H6121 above all things, and desperately wicked: H605 who can know H3045 it?
Being filled with G4137 all G3956 unrighteousness, G93 fornication, G4202 wickedness, G4189 covetousness, G4124 maliciousness; G2549 full G3324 of envy, G5355 murder, G5408 debate, G2054 deceit, G1388 malignity; G2550 whisperers, G5588 Backbiters, G2637 haters of God, G2319 despiteful, G5197 proud, G5244 boasters, G213 inventors G2182 of evil things, G2556 disobedient G545 to parents, G1118 Without understanding, G801 covenantbreakers, G802 without natural affection, G794 implacable, G786 unmerciful: G415
For G1063 from within, G2081 out of G1537 the heart G2588 of men, G444 proceed G1607 evil G2556 thoughts, G1261 adulteries, G3430 fornications, G4202 murders, G5408 Thefts, G2829 covetousness, G4124 wickedness, G4189 deceit, G1388 lasciviousness, G766 an evil G4190 eye, G3788 blasphemy, G988 pride, G5243 foolishness: G877 All G3956 these G5023 evil things G4190 come G1607 from within, G2081 and G2532 defile G2840 the man. G444
For G1063 we ourselves G2249 also G2532 were G2258 sometimes G4218 foolish, G453 disobedient, G545 deceived, G4105 serving G1398 divers G4164 lusts G1939 and G2532 pleasures, G2237 living G1236 in G1722 malice G2549 and G2532 envy, G5355 hateful, G4767 and hating G3404 one another. G240
And G1161 when he came G2064 to G1519 himself, G1438 he said, G2036 How many G4214 hired servants G3407 of my G3450 father's G3962 have bread G740 enough and to spare, G4052 and G1161 I G1473 perish G622 with hunger! G3042
And G1161 they G846 were filled G4130 with madness; G454 and G2532 communed G1255 one with another G4314 G240 what G5101 G302 they might do G4160 to Jesus. G2424
For G1063 out of G1537 the heart G2588 proceed G1831 evil G4190 thoughts, G1261 murders, G5408 adulteries, G3430 fornications, G4202 thefts, G2829 false witness, G5577 blasphemies: G988 These G5023 are G2076 the things which G3588 defile G2840 a man: G444 but G1161 to eat G5315 with unwashen G449 hands G5495 defileth G2840 not G3756 a man. G444
Then shall the dust H6083 return H7725 to the earth H776 as it was: and the spirit H7307 shall return H7725 unto God H430 who gave H5414 it.
All things come alike to all: there is one H259 event H4745 to the righteous, H6662 and to the wicked; H7563 to the good H2896 and to the clean, H2889 and to the unclean; H2931 to him that sacrificeth, H2076 and to him that H834 sacrificeth H2076 not: as is the good, H2896 so is the sinner; H2398 and he that sweareth, H7650 as he that feareth H3373 an oath. H7621
The wicked H7563 is driven away H1760 in his wickedness: H7451 but the righteous H6662 hath hope H2620 in his death. H4194
And the LORD H3068 smelled H7306 a sweet H5207 savour; H7381 and the LORD H3068 said H559 in H413 his heart, H3820 I will not again H3254 curse H7043 the ground H127 any more for man's H120 sake; H5668 for the imagination H3336 of man's H120 heart H3820 is evil H7451 from his youth; H5271 neither will I again H3254 smite H5221 any more every thing living, H2416 as I have done. H6213
And GOD H3068 saw H7200 that the wickedness H7451 of man H120 was great H7227 in the earth, H776 and that every imagination H3336 of the thoughts H4284 of his heart H3820 was only H7535 evil H7451 continually. H3117
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
Solomon, in this chapter, for a further proof of the vanity of this world, gives us four observations which he had made upon a survey of the state of the children of men in it:-
Ecc 9:1-3
It has been observed concerning those who have pretended to search for the philosophers' stone that, though they could never find what they sought for, yet in the search they have hit upon many other useful discoveries and experiments. Thus Solomon, when, in the close of the foregoing chapter, he applied his heart to know the work of God, and took a great deal of pains to search into it, though he despaired of finding it out, yet he found out that which abundantly recompensed him for the search, and gave him some satisfaction, which he here gives us; for therefore he considered all this in his heart, and weighed it deliberately, that he might declare it for the good of others. Note, What we are to declare we should first consider; think twice before we speak once; and what we have considered we should then declare. I believed, therefore have I spoken.
The great difficulty which Solomon met with in studying the book of providence was the little difference that is made between good men and bad in the distribution of comforts and crosses, and the disposal of events. This has perplexed the minds of many wise and contemplative men. Solomon discourses of it in these verses, and, though he does not undertake to find out this work of God, yet he says that which may prevent its being a stumbling-block to us.
Ecc 9:4-10
Solomon, in a fret, had praised the dead more than the living (ch. 4:2); but here, considering the advantages of life to prepare for death and make sure the hope of a better life, he seems to be of another mind.
Ecc 9:11-12
The preacher here, for a further proof of the vanity of the world, and to convince us that all our works are in the hand of God, and not in our own hand, shows the uncertainty and contingency of future events, and how often they contradict the prospects we have of them. He had exhorted us (v. 10) to do what we have to do with all our might; but here he reminds us that, when we have done all, we must leave the issue with God, and not be confident of the success.
Ecc 9:13-18
Solomon still recommends wisdom to us as necessary to the preserving of our peace and the perfecting of our business, notwithstanding the vanities and crosses which human affairs are subject to. He had said (v. 11), Bread is not always to the wise; yet he would not therefore be thought either to disparage, or to discourage, wisdom, no, he still retains his principle, that wisdom excels folly as much as light excels darkness (ch. 2:13), and we ought to love and embrace it, and be governed by it, for the sake of its own intrinsic worth, and the capacity it gives us of being serviceable to others, though we ourselves should not get wealth and preferment by it. This wisdom, that is, this which he here describes, wisdom which enables a man to serve his country out of pure affection to its interests, when he himself gains no advantage by it, no, not so much as thanks for his pains, or the reputation of it, this is the wisdom which, Solomon says, seemed great unto him, v. 13. A public spirit, in a private sphere, is wisdom which those who understand things that differ cannot but look upon as very magnificent.