13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted.
For Yahweh of Hosts has purposed, and who shall annul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?"
declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not [yet] done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yes, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it.
in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;
For he said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
Behold, he snatches away; who can hinder him? Who will ask him, 'What are you doing?'
The harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts; But they don't regard the work of Yahweh, Neither have they considered the operation of his hands.
Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, The moon and the stars, which you have ordained;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 7
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
Solomon had given many proofs and instances of the vanity of this world and the things of it; now, in this chapter,
Ecc 7:1-6
In these verses Solomon lays down some great truths which seem paradoxes to the unthinking part, that is, the far greatest part, of mankind.
Ecc 7:7-10
Solomon had often complained before of the oppressions which he saw under the sun, which gave occasion for many melancholy speculations and were a great discouragement to virtue and piety. Now here,
Ecc 7:11-22
Solomon, in these verses, recommends wisdom to us as the best antidote against those distempers of mind which we are liable to, by reason of the vanity and vexation of spirit that there are in the things of this world. Here are some of the praises and the precepts of wisdom.
Ecc 7:23-29
Solomon had hitherto been proving the vanity of the world and its utter insufficiency to make men happy; now here he comes to show the vileness of sin, and its certain tendency to make men miserable; and this, as the former, he proves from his own experience, and it was a dear-bought experience. He is here, more than any where in all this book, putting on the habit of a penitent. He reviews what he had been discoursing of already, and tells us that what he had said was what he knew and was well assured of, and what he resolved to stand by: All this have I proved by wisdom, v. 23. Now here,