Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
ily.iienes of Providence. ECCLESIASTES IX. Like Thin(js Happen lo AH
9.18.) 4r. 'Par—raWiPX Nevertheless. JEnr/liJs?i. Version rightly reads as the Margin, Hebreiv, "that is joined," instead of the text, " who is to be chosen ?" hope—not of mere temporal good (Job 14. 7); but of yet repenting and being saved, dog—metaphor for the vilest persons (1 Samuel 24. 14). lion—the noblest of animals (Proverbs 30. iKiiUTH.] (Psalm 5;j. 19.) Joab's escape from the pvinishiiu-nt of his murder of Abner, so far from " leading him to reprntaiiee,'' as it ought (Romans 2.4), led him to tlie additional murder of Amasa. He saj's this, lest the sinner should abuse the statement (oh. 7. 15), "A wicked man P'-olongi-th his life." before Ulm lit., at His presence ; reverently serve Him, realizing His continual presence, n. tieitlier sliall he prolong—not a contradiction to v.
30). better—as to hope of salvation ; the noljlest w ho die unconverted have no hope; the vilest, so long as they have life, have hope. 5. know that tUey shall die—and may thereby be led "so to number their days, that they may apply their hearts to wisdom" (ch. 7. 1-4; Psalm 90.
12. The "prolonging" of his days there is only sc'<:'»u)((7, uot real. Taking into account his eternal existence, his present days, however seemingly long, are really short.
12). dead know not anything i. e., so far as their bodily senses and ivorldl)/ {[,B'ii\rs are concerned (Job 14. 21 ; Isaiah
God'sdelaj'Ci'. II) exists only in man'.s short-sighted view.
It gives scope to the sinner to repent, or else to fill up his
63. 16); also, they know no door of repentance open to them, such as is to all on earth, neither . . . reward no advantage from their worldly lal)Ours (ch. 2. 18-22; 4. full measure of guilt; and so, in either case, tends to the final vindication of God's ways. It gives exercise to the faith, patience, and perseverance of saints, sliadow—(ch.
12; Job 8.9"). 14. An objection is here started (entertained by Solomon in his apostasy), as in cli. 3. 16; 7. 15, to the truth of retributive justice, from tlie fact of the just and the wicked not now receiving always according to their respective deserts; a cavil, which would seem the more weiglity to men living under the Mosaic covenant of temporal sanctions. The objector adds, as Solomon had 9). memorj-—not of the righteous (Psalm 112. 6; Malachi
3. 16), but the tricked, who with all the pains to perpetuate their names (Psalm 49, 11) are soon " forgotten " (ch. 8. 10).
6. love, and . . . hatred, &c.—(referring to v. 1, where seethe note). Not that these cease in a future world absolutely (Ezekiel 32. 27; Revelation 22. 11); but as the end of this verse shows, relatively to persons and things in said, that the worldling's pursuits are " vanity " (i'. 10), " I this' world. Man's love and hatred can no longer be exercised for good or evil in the same way as here ; but the sa.ij (not 'said') tliis also is vanity. Then I commend mirth,'" A-c. [Hoi.den.] V. H, 15 may, however, be explained as toacliing a cheerful, thankful use of God's gifts " under the sun," i. e., not making them the c/iiV/ good, as sensualists do, which ch. 2. 2; 7. 2, forbid ; but in " the fear of God," as ch. .3. 12; 5. 18; 7. 18; 9. 7, opposed to the abstinence of the self-righteous ascetic (ch. 7. 10), and of tlie miser (ch. 5. 17). 1.5. no better thing, &c. viz., for the "just" man, whose chief good is religion, uot for the worldly, abitle Hebrew, adhei'e ; not for ever, but i t is the only sure good to be enjoyed from earthly toftows (equivalent to "of his labour the days of liis life."') Still, the language re.sembles the skeptical precept (1 Corinthians 15. 32), introduced only to be refuted : and " abide " is too strong language, perhaps, for a religious man to apply to "eatfruits of them remain. What he is found at death he remains for ever. "Envy," too, marks the wicked as referred to, since it was therewith that they assailed the righteous {v. 1, note), portion—their "portion" was "in this life " (Psalm 17. 14), that they now "cannot have any more." 7. Addressed to the "righteous wise," spoken of in V. 1. Being "in the hand of God," who now aocepteth "thy works" in His service, as He has previously accepted thy person (Genesis 4. 4), thou mayest " eat, &c., with a cheerful (not sensually 'merry') heart" (ch. 3. 13;
5. IS; Acts 2. 46). 8. white—in token of joy (Isaiah 61. 3). Solomon was clad in iw/iite (Joseph us. Antiquities, P,. ~, 3); hence his attire is compared to the ''lilies" (Matthew 6.
29), typical of the spotless righteousness of .lesus Christ, which the redeemed shall wear (Revejation 3. iS; 7. 14). ointment—(Psalm 23. 5), opposed to a gloomy extei'ior ing"' and "mirth." 16. Reply to v. 14,15. When I applied myself to observe man's toils after happiness (some of them so incessant as not to allow sufficient time for " sleep"), then {v. 17, the apodosis) I saw that man cannot find out(the reason of) God's inscrutable dealings with the "just" and with the " wicked " here (t). 14; ch.S.H; Job (2 Samuel 14. 2; Psalm 45. 7 ; Matthew 6. 17); typical, also (ch.7. 1; Song of Solomon 1. 3). 0. wife . . . lovest—godly and true love, opposed to the " snares " of the " thousand " concubines (ch. 7. 26, 28), "among" whom Solomon could
5. 9; Romans 11. 33); his duty is to acquiesce in them as good, because they are God's, though he sees not all the reasons for them (Psalm 73. 16). It is enough to know " the righteous are in God's hand " (oh. 9. 1). " Over wise" not find the true love which joins one man to one woman (Proverbs 5. 15, 18, 19 ; 18. 22 ' 19. 14). 10. " Whatsoever," viz., in the service of God. This and last verse plainly is thelanguage of Solomon, notof a skeptic, as Holden would explain it. hand, &c.— (il/ctrjri?), Leviticus 12.8; Margin, (ch. 7. 16), i. e., Speculations above what is wi'itteu are vain.
1 Samuel 10. 7.) thy might—diligence (Deuteronomy 6. 5; Margin, Jeremiah 48. 10). no work ... in the grave (John 9.4; Revelation 14.13.) "The soul's play-day is Satan's work-day; the idler the man the busier the tempter." [South.] 11. This verse qualifies the sentiment, V. 7-9. Earthly " enjoyments," however lawful in their place (ch. 3. 1), are to give way when any work to be done for God requires it. Reverting to the sentiment
CHAPTER IX.
Ver. 1-18. 1. declare—rather, explore; the result of my (ixploring is this, that "the righteous, &c., are in the hand of God. No man knoweth either the love or hatred (of God to them) by all that is before them," i. e., by what Is outwardly seen in His present dealings (ch. 8. 14, 17). However, from the sense of the same words, in v. 6, " love and hatred" seem to be the feelings of the wicked towards (ch. 8. 17), we ought, therefore, not only to work God's work "with might" {v. 10), but also with the feeling that the event is wholly " in God's hand " (v. 1). race . . . not to the swift—(2 .Samuel 18. 23) ; spiritually (Zephaniah the rif/hieous, whereby they caused to the latter comfort or sorrow. Trnnxlate, "Even the loveand hatred " (exhibited towards the righteous, are in God's hand) (Psalm 76. 10; Proverbs 16.7). "No man knoweth all that is before theni." 3. AH things . . . alike—not universally; but as to death. V. 2-10 are made by Holden the objection of a skeptical sensualist. However, they may be explained as Solomon's language. He repeats the sentiment already implied in ch. 2. 14; 3. 20; 8. 14. one even1>- not eternally; but dea<?t is common to all. good—morally, clean—c-eremonially. sacriticeth—alike to Josiah who sacrificed to God, and to Ahab who made sacrifice to Him cease, sweareth—rashly and falsely. 3. Translate, "There is an evil above all (evils) that are done," &c., viz., that not only "there is one event to all," but "also the beart of the sons of men " makes this fact a reason for
3. 19; Romans 9. 16). nor . . . battle to . . . strong—(1 Samuel 17. 47; 2 Chronicles 14. 9, 11, 15; Psalm 33. 16.) bread —livelihood, favour—of the great, chance—seemingly, really Providence. But as man cannot "find it out" (ch.
3. 11), he needs "with all might" to use opportunities. Duties are ours ; events, God's. 13. his time viz., of death (ch. 7. 15; Isaiah 13. 22). Hence the danger of delay in doing the work of God, as one knows not when liis opportunity will end (v. 10). evil net—fatal to them. The unexpected suddenness of the capture is the point of comparison. So the second coming of Jesus Christ, "as » snare" (Luke 21. 35). evil time—as an "evil net," fatal to them. 13. Rather, "I have seen wisdom of this kind also," i. e., exhibited in the way which is described In what follows. [Mauker.] 14, 15. (2 Samuel 20. l()-22.') bulwarks—military works of besiegers. 15. poor—as to 411 'madly" persisting In "evil while they live, and after that," &C., sin is "madness." tlw dead—(Proverbs 2. 18;