9 Rejoice, H8055 O young man, H970 in thy youth; H3208 and let thy heart H3820 cheer H2895 thee in the days H3117 of thy youth, H979 and walk H1980 in the ways H1870 of thine heart, H3820 and in the sight H4758 of thine eyes: H5869 but know H3045 thou, that for all these things God H430 will bring H935 thee into judgment. H4941
And G2532 the younger G3501 of them G846 said G2036 to his father, G3962 Father, G3962 give G1325 me G3427 the portion G3313 of goods G3776 that falleth G1911 to me. And G2532 he divided G1244 unto them G846 his living. G979 And G2532 not G3756 many G4183 days G2250 after G3326 the younger G3501 son G5207 gathered G4863 all G537 together, G4863 and took his journey G589 into G1519 a far G3117 country, G5561 and G2532 there G1563 wasted G1287 his G846 substance G3776 with riotous G811 living. G2198
And G3303 G3767 the times G5550 of this ignorance G52 God G2316 winked at; G5237 but now G3569 commandeth G3853 all G3956 men G444 every where G3837 to repent: G3340 Because G1360 he hath appointed G2476 a day, G2250 in G1722 the which G3739 he will G3195 judge G2919 the world G3625 in G1722 righteousness G1343 by G1722 that man G435 whom G3739 he hath ordained; G3724 whereof he hath given G3930 assurance G4102 unto all G3956 men, in that he hath raised G450 him G846 from G1537 the dead. G3498
But G1161 after G2596 thy G4675 hardness G4643 and G2532 impenitent G279 heart G2588 treasurest up G2343 unto thyself G4572 wrath G3709 against G1722 the day G2250 of wrath G3709 and G2532 revelation G602 of the righteous judgment G1341 of God; G2316 Who G3739 will render G591 to every man G1538 according G2596 to his G846 deeds: G2041 To them who by G3303 G2596 patient continuance G5281 in well G18 doing G2041 seek G2212 for glory G1391 and G2532 honour G5092 and G2532 immortality, G861 eternal G166 life: G2222 But G1161 unto them that are contentious, G1537 G2052 and G2532 do not obey G544 G3303 the truth, G225 but G1161 obey G3982 unrighteousness, G93 indignation G2372 and G2532 wrath, G3709 Tribulation G2347 and G2532 anguish, G4730 upon G1909 every G3956 soul G5590 of man G444 that doeth G2716 evil, G2556 of the Jew G2453 first, G4412 and G5037 also G2532 of the Gentile; G1672 But G1161 G2532 glory, G1391 honour, G5092 and G2532 peace, G1515 to every man G3956 that worketh G2038 good, G18 to the Jew G2453 first, G4412 and G5037 also G2532 to the Gentile: G1672 For G1063 there is G2076 no G3756 respect of persons G4382 with G3844 God. G2316
Wherein G1722 G3739 in time past G4218 ye walked G4043 according to G2596 the course G165 of this G5127 world, G2889 according to G2596 the prince G758 of the power G1849 of the air, G109 the spirit G4151 that now G3568 worketh G1754 in G1722 the children G5207 of disobedience: G543 Among G1722 whom G3739 also G2532 we G2249 all G3956 had our conversation G390 in times past G4218 in G1722 the lusts G1939 of our G2257 flesh, G4561 fulfilling G4160 the desires G2307 of the flesh G4561 and G2532 of the mind; G1271 and G2532 were G2258 by nature G5449 the children G5043 of wrath, G3709 even G2532 as G5613 others. G3062
For G1063 the time G5550 past G3928 of our life G979 may suffice G713 us G2254 to have wrought G2716 the will G2307 of the Gentiles, G1484 when we walked G4198 in G1722 lasciviousness, G766 lusts, G1939 excess of wine, G3632 revellings, G2970 banquetings, G4224 and G2532 abominable G111 idolatries: G1495 Wherein G1722 G3739 they think it strange G3579 that ye G5216 run G4936 not G3361 with them to G1519 the same G846 excess G401 of riot, G810 speaking evil of G987 you:
Love G25 not G3361 the world, G2889 neither G3366 the things that are in G1722 the world. G2889 If G1437 any man G5100 love G25 the world, G2889 the love G26 of the Father G3962 is G2076 not G3756 in G1722 him. G846 For G3754 all G3956 that is in G1722 the world, G2889 the lust G1939 of the flesh, G4561 and G2532 the lust G1939 of the eyes, G3788 and G2532 the pride G212 of life, G979 is G2076 not G3756 of G1537 the Father, G3962 but G235 is G2076 of G1537 the world. G2889
And G2532 I saw G1492 the dead, G3498 small G3398 and G2532 great, G3173 stand G2476 before G1799 God; G2316 and G2532 the books G975 were opened: G455 and G2532 another G243 book G975 was opened, G455 which G3739 is G2076 the book of life: G2222 and G2532 the dead G3498 were judged G2919 out of G1537 those things which were written G1125 in G1722 the books, G975 according to G2596 their G846 works. G2041 And G2532 the sea G2281 gave up G1325 the dead G3498 which G3588 were in G1722 it; G846 and G2532 death G2288 and G2532 hell G86 delivered up G1325 the dead G3498 which G3588 were in G1722 them: G846 and G2532 they were judged G2919 every man G1538 according to G2596 their G846 works. G2041 And G2532 death G2288 and G2532 hell G86 were cast G906 into G1519 the lake G3041 of fire. G4442 This G3778 is G2076 the second G1208 death. G2288 And G2532 whosoever G1536 was G2147 not G3756 found G2147 written G1125 in G1722 the book G976 of life G2222 was cast G906 into G1519 the lake G3041 of fire. G4442
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, H6153 H6256 that David H1732 arose H6965 from off his bed, H4904 and walked H1980 upon the roof H1406 of the king's H4428 house: H1004 and from the roof H1406 he saw H7200 a woman H802 washing H7364 herself; and the woman H802 was very H3966 beautiful H2896 to look upon. H4758 And David H1732 sent H7971 and enquired H1875 after the woman. H802 And one said, H559 Is not this Bathsheba, H1339 the daughter H1323 of Eliam, H463 the wife H802 of Uriah H223 the Hittite? H2850 And David H1732 sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and took H3947 her; and she came in H935 unto him, and he lay H7901 with her; for she was purified H6942 from her uncleanness: H2932 and she returned H7725 unto her house. H1004
He shall call H7121 to the heavens H8064 from above, H5920 and to the earth, H776 that he may judge H1777 his people. H5971 Gather H622 my saints H2623 together unto me; those that have made H3772 a covenant H1285 with me by sacrifice. H2077 And the heavens H8064 shall declare H5046 his righteousness: H6664 for God H430 is judge H8199 himself. Selah. H5542
As for the word H1697 that thou hast spoken H1696 unto us in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 we will not hearken H8085 unto thee. But we will certainly H6213 do H6213 whatsoever thing H1697 goeth forth H3318 out of our own mouth, H6310 to burn incense H6999 unto the queen H4446 of heaven, H8064 and to pour out H5258 drink offerings H5262 unto her, as we have done, H6213 we, and our fathers, H1 our kings, H4428 and our princes, H8269 in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and in the streets H2351 of Jerusalem: H3389 for then had we plenty H7646 of victuals, H3899 and were well, H2896 and saw H7200 no evil. H7451
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 11
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
Ec 11:1-10.
1. Ec 11:2 shows that charity is here inculcated.
bread—bread corn. As in the Lord's prayer, all things needful for the body and soul. Solomon reverts to the sentiment (Ec 9:10).
waters—image from the custom of sowing seed by casting it from boats into the overflowing waters of the Nile, or in any marshy ground. When the waters receded, the grain in the alluvial soil sprang up (Isa 32:20). "Waters" express multitudes, so Ec 11:2; Re 17:15; also the seemingly hopeless character of the recipients of the charity; but it shall prove at last to have been not thrown away (Isa 49:4).
2. portion—of thy bread.
seven—the perfect number.
eight—even to more than seven; that is, "to many" (so "waters," Ec 11:1), nay, even to very many in need (Job 5:19; Mic 5:5).
evil—The day may be near, when you will need the help of those whom you have bound to you by kindnesses (Lu 16:9). The very argument which covetous men use against liberality (namely, that bad times may come), the wise man uses for it.
3. clouds—answering to "evil" (Ec 11:2), meaning, When the times of evil are fully ripe, evil must come; and speculations about it beforehand, so as to prevent one sowing seed of liberality, are vain (Ec 11:4).
tree—Once the storm uproots it, it lies either northward or southward, according as it fell. So man's character is unchangeable, whether for hell or heaven, once that death overtakes him (Re 22:11, 14, 15). Now is his time for liberality, before the evil days come (Ec 12:1).
4. Therefore sow thy charity in faith, without hesitancy or speculation as to results, because they may not seem promising (Ec 9:10). So in Ec 11:1, man is told to "cast his bread corn" on the seemingly unpromising "waters" (Ps 126:5, 6). The farmer would get on badly, who, instead of sowing and reaping, spent his time in watching the wind and clouds.
5. spirit—How the soul animates the body! Thus the transition to the formation of the body "in the womb" is more natural, than if with Maurer we translate it "wind" (Ec 1:6; Joh 3:8).
bones … grow—(Job 10:8, 9; Ps 139:15, 16).
knowest not the works of God—(Ec 3:11; 8:17; 9:12).
6. morning … evening—early and late; when young and when old; in sunshine and under clouds.
seed—of godly works (Ho 10:12; 2Co 9:10; Ga 6:7).
prosper—(Isa 55:10, 11).
both … alike—Both the unpromising and the promising sowing may bear good fruit in others; certainly they shall to the faithful sower.
7. light—of life (Ec 7:11; Ps 49:19). Life is enjoyable, especially to the godly.
8. But while man thankfully enjoys life, "let him remember" it will not last for ever. The "many days of darkness," that is, the unseen world (Job 10:21, 22; Ps 88:12), also days of "evil" in this world (Ec 11:2), are coming; therefore sow the good seed while life and good days last, which are not too long for accomplishing life's duties.
All that cometh—that is, All that followeth in the evil and dark days is vain, as far as work for God is concerned (Ec 9:10).
9. Rejoice—not advice, but warning. So 1Ki 22:15, is irony; if thou dost rejoice (carnally, Ec 2:2; 7:2, not moderately, as in Ec 5:18), &c., then "know that … God will bring thee into judgment" (Ec 3:17; 12:14).
youth … youth—distinct Hebrew words, adolescence or boyhood (before Ec 11:10), and full-grown youth. It marks the gradual progress in self-indulgence, to which the young especially are prone; they see the roses, but do not discover the thorns, until pierced by them. Religion will cost self-denial, but the want of it infinitely more (Lu 14:28).
10. sorrow—that is, the lusts that end in "sorrow," opposed to "rejoice," and "heart cheer thee" (Ec 11:9), Margin, "anger," that is, all "ways of thine heart"; "remove," &c., is thus opposed to "walk in," &c. (Ec 11:9).
flesh—the bodily organ by which the sensual thoughts of the "heart" are embodied in acts.
childhood—rather, "boyhood"; the same Hebrew word as the first, "youth" in Ec 11:9. A motive for self-restraint; the time is coming when the vigor of youth on which thou reliest, will seem vain, except in so far as it has been given to God (Ec 12:1).
youth—literally, the dawn of thy days.