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Ecclesiastes 7-12
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A note about Ecclesiastes
We see in chapter 1 verses 1 and 12 that Solomon is the author. He had it all, but nearing the end of his life, he equates personal accomplishments with vanity. As a matter of fact, the word "vanity" is used 33 times, evenly distributed throughout the book in every chapter except chapter 10. Solomon understood that satisfaction in life doesn't come through riches or the accumulation of things or even personal accomplishments. It reminds me of the words of Christ in Matthew 6:33 (see notes), "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Incidentally, "vanity" here means "emptiness."
I find it interesting, though I'm not sure of its significance, that Solomon never uses the special name, "LORD," in the entire Book of Ecclesiastes. It's the translation of the personal designation for the God of Israel of the Old Testament saints translated from the Hebrew word, "Jehovah" (aka "Yahweh"). He used it 86 times in the Book of Proverbs, but not at all in Ecclesiastes. He, instead, uses the Hebrew word for God, "elohim," a less personal designation for The Creator; that designation for "God" is used 41 times in Ecclesiastes.
Not too righteous; not too wicked? (Ecclesiastes 7)
1 A good name is better than precious ointment,
And the day of death than the day of one’s birth;
2 Better to go to the house of mourning
Than to go to the house of feasting,
For that is the end of all men;
And the living will take it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise
Than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot,
So is the laughter of the fool.
This also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason,
And a bribe debases the heart.
8 The end of a thing is better than its beginning;
The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry,
For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say,
“Why were the former days better than these?”
For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
And profitable to those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense,
But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.
13 Consider the work of God;
For who can make straight what He has made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful,
But in the day of adversity consider:
Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other,
So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.
15 ¶ I have seen everything in my days of vanity:
There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness,
And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
16 Do not be overly righteous,
Nor be overly wise:
Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overly wicked,
Nor be foolish:
Why should you die before your time?
18 It is good that you grasp this,
And also not remove your hand from the other;
For he who fears God will escape them all.
19 Wisdom strengthens the wise
More than ten rulers of the city.
20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good
And does not sin.
21 Also do not take to heart everything people say,
Lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22 For many times, also, your own heart has known
That even you have cursed others.
23 All this I have proved by wisdom.
I said, “I will be wise”;
But it was far from me.
24 As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep,
Who can find it out?
25 I applied my heart to know,
To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things,
To know the wickedness of folly,
Even of foolishness and madness.
26 And I find more bitter than death
The woman whose heart is snares and nets,
Whose hands are fetters.
He who pleases God shall escape from her,
But the sinner shall be trapped by her.
27 “Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher,
“Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason,
28 Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find:
One man among a thousand I have found,
But a woman among all these I have not found.
29 Truly, this only I have found:
That God made man upright,
But they have sought out many schemes.”
In the first 14 verses, Solomon follows a proverbial style of writing similar to that of the whole book of Proverbs:
Beginning in verse 15, Solomon elaborates. He talks about things he has seen in his life - wicked prospering and righteous not - before he makes a statement that may very well throw you for a loop in verses 16-17:
16 Do not be overly righteous,
Nor be overly wise:
Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overly wicked,
Nor be foolish:
Why should you die before your time?
What does that mean? Before we discuss this, look at verse 20 "For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin." Solomon is acknowledging what we know about our Adamic (sin) nature: Everybody has one. Paul said in Galatians 5:17-18 (see notes), "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." In every Believer is a struggle between the Holy Spirit inside of us against the old sin nature for control over our lifestyle. The Pharisees in Jesus' day denied the presence of a sin nature. They projected themselves as sinlessly perfect. However, Jesus described them in Matthew 23:37 (see notes) as "whited sepulchers." They forced themselves to do righteous-looking things that, in fact, were not really righteous at all, but only man-made versions of righteous-looking actions. These verses complement his statement in Proverbs 16:25, "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." He's not advocating righteousness and wickedness in moderation, but rather discouraging the legalistic practices of Pharisaical-type living and, contrariwise, acknowledging the presence of our struggle with a sin nature. To boast sinless perfection or to deny the presence of a sin nature tugging at us is the practice about which Solomon is undoubtedly speaking here.
Solomon makes some fascinating statements in verses 23-29 about finding wisdom. Here's a man who had lived a life of satisfying his heart's desires; anything he wanted he pursued and got. Yet here he is in his later years with obvious frustration at how fleeting these were. He advocates wisdom, but finds it rare. As a matter of fact, he says only 1 in 1000 are wise among men and no women he knew. It was Solomon's intimate knowledge of 1,000 women that ultimately would divide the Kingdom of Israel into two kingdoms and lead to its fall (he allowed them to continue to worship false gods).
Notice these verses regarding Solomon's wives from I Kings 11 (see notes):
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.
From his perspective, he really didn't have an association with the "virtuous woman" of Proverbs 31 (see notes), which (it is commonly believed) Solomon himself wrote. He obviously did not classify any of his wives or concubines (interestingly enough, 1000 of them) as wise. It almost seems as though he did a focus group among them to make his determination about this issue. Hey...folks! Don't get riled up; he didn't say there weren't any wise women; he just said he didn't know them. However, we know his dream woman was the woman described in Proverbs 31. From that, we are led to reason that he just hadn't met her among his 1,000 wives and concubines. You know...sometimes you can marry just too much! It should be pointed out, however, that nowhere is it recorded that Solomon ever married a Hebrew woman. He may very well have done so, but it is not recorded. As a matter of fact, his only recorded son, Rehoboam, was the son of an Ammonite woman, and he became Solomon's successor as King of Israel.
Some wise tips (Ecclesiastes 8)
1 Who is like a wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,
And the sternness of his face is changed.
2 ¶ I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God.
3 Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power;
And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful;
And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,
6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment,
Though the misery of man increases greatly.
7 For he does not know what will happen;
So who can tell him when it will occur?
8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit,
And no one has power in the day of death.
There is no release from that war,
And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.
9 ¶ All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.
10 ¶ Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.
11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.
13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
14 ¶ There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
15 ¶ So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.
16 ¶ When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night,
17 then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.
Solomon spends some time talking about walking according to wisdom. To summarize:
More wise tips (Ecclesiastes 9)
1 For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.
2 All things come alike to all:
One event happens to the righteous and the wicked;
To the good, the clean, and the unclean;
To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice.
As is the good, so is the sinner;
He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
4 But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 For the living know that they will die;
But the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished;
Nevermore will they have a share
In anything done under the sun.
7 Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.
8 Let your garments always be white,
And let your head lack no oil.
9 ¶ Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
10 ¶ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
11 ¶ I returned and saw under the sun that—
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.
12 For man also does not know his time:
Like fish taken in a cruel net,
Like birds caught in a snare,
So the sons of men are snared in an evil time,
When it falls suddenly upon them.
13 ¶ This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
14 There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it.
15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
16 ¶ Then I said:
“Wisdom is better than strength.
Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised,
And his words are not heard.
17 Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard
Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war;
But one sinner destroys much good.”
Solomon continues his comments from chapter 8 regarding a walk according to wisdom. To summarize:
While wisdom is superior and to be sought, Solomon is careful to point out that it often goes unappreciated. People tend to lend their respect to those with riches or strength rather than those who are wise.
More about a fool (Ecclesiastes 10)
1 Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment,
And cause it to give off a foul odor;
So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
But a fool’s heart at his left.
3 Even when a fool walks along the way,
He lacks wisdom,
And he shows everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises against you,
Do not leave your post;
For conciliation pacifies great offenses.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
As an error proceeding from the ruler:
6 Folly is set in great dignity,
While the rich sit in a lowly place.
7 I have seen servants on horses,
While princes walk on the ground like servants.
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.
9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them,
And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 If the ax is dull,
And one does not sharpen the edge,
Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom brings success.
11 A serpent may bite when it is not charmed;
The babbler is no different.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,
But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,
And the end of his talk is raving madness.
14 A fool also multiplies words.
No man knows what is to be;
Who can tell him what will be after him?
15 The labor of fools wearies them,
For they do not even know how to go to the city!
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
And your princes feast in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles,
And your princes feast at the proper time—
For strength and not for drunkenness!
18 Because of laziness the building decays,
And through idleness of hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter,
And wine makes merry;
But money answers everything.
20 Do not curse the king, even in your thought;
Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom;
For a bird of the air may carry your voice,
And a bird in flight may tell the matter.
The last three chapters of Ecclesiastes are written largely like proverbs, giving advice on an assortment of issues. He does begin chapter 10 by taking off on the consequences of foolishness. It's difficult to pass verse 1 without comment: "Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor." How many reputations have been ruined by brief moments of indiscretion? The conduct of fools is the primary theme of this chapter. Solomon spent much ink in the Book of Proverbs as well deriding fools and foolish conduct.
Live deliberately (Ecclesiastes 11)
1 Cast your bread upon the waters,
For you will find it after many days.
2 Give a serving to seven, and also to eight,
For you do not know what evil will be on the earth.
3 If the clouds are full of rain,
They empty themselves upon the earth;
And if a tree falls to the south or the north,
In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie.
4 He who observes the wind will not sow,
And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind,
Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child,
So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
6 In the morning sow your seed,
And in the evening do not withhold your hand;
For you do not know which will prosper,
Either this or that,
Or whether both alike will be good.
7 Truly the light is sweet,
And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun;
8 But if a man lives many years
And rejoices in them all,
Yet let him remember the days of darkness,
For they will be many.
All that is coming is vanity.
9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;
Walk in the ways of your heart,
And in the sight of your eyes;
But know that for all these
God will bring you into judgment.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart,
And put away evil from your flesh,
For childhood and youth are vanity.
Some of the analogies of chapter 11 are a little difficult from which to extract the point - like the bread upon the waters in verse 1. This picture must have had clear meaning based upon the practices of the culture at the time, but the significance is unclear to us. From there, he compares life's pursuits to the laws of nature in the balance of the chapter. Since life's outcomes are uncertain, one should make plans and live deliberately with a mission.
More about a fool (Ecclesiastes 12)
1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:
2 While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;
4 When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all the daughters of music are brought low.
5 Also they are afraid of height,
And of terrors in the way;
When the almond tree blossoms,
The grasshopper is a burden,
And desire fails.
For man goes to his eternal home,
And the mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“All is vanity.”
9 ¶ And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.
10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
13 ¶ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
The point of the comments in chapter 12 is to encourage young people to go ahead and serve God while they are young; don't wait until you are older to do so.
Solomon addresses the issue of judgment in the last two verses of Ecclesiastes:
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
That's a nice conclusion to what many have considered a rather confusing book. Responsibility toward God is seen in verse 13, and the judgment of men by God himself is seen in verse 14. Click here to see the six judgments of God explained.