10 The preacher H6953 sought H1245 to find out H4672 acceptable H2656 words: H1697 and that which was written H3789 was upright, H3476 even words H1697 of truth. H571
The proverbs H4912 of Solomon H8010 the son H1121 of David, H1732 king H4428 of Israel; H3478 To know H3045 wisdom H2451 and instruction; H4148 to perceive H995 the words H561 of understanding; H998 To receive H3947 the instruction H4148 of wisdom, H7919 justice, H6664 and judgment, H4941 and equity; H4339 To give H5414 subtilty H6195 to the simple, H6612 to the young man H5288 knowledge H1847 and discretion. H4209 A wise H2450 man will hear, H8085 and will increase H3254 learning; H3948 and a man of understanding H995 shall attain H7069 unto wise counsels: H8458 To understand H995 a proverb, H4912 and the interpretation; H4426 the words H1697 of the wise, H2450 and their dark sayings. H2420
Hear; H8085 for I will speak H1696 of excellent things; H5057 and the opening H4669 of my lips H8193 shall be right things. H4339 For my mouth H2441 shall speak H1897 truth; H571 and wickedness H7562 is an abomination H8441 to my lips. H8193 All the words H561 of my mouth H6310 are in righteousness; H6664 there is nothing froward H6617 or perverse H6141 in them. They are all plain H5228 to him that understandeth, H995 and right H3477 to them that find H4672 knowledge. H1847 Receive H3947 my instruction, H4148 and not silver; H3701 and knowledge H1847 rather than choice H977 gold. H2742
The wise H2450 in heart H3820 shall be called H7121 prudent: H995 and the sweetness H4986 of the lips H8193 increaseth H3254 learning. H3948 Understanding H7922 is a wellspring H4726 of life H2416 unto him that hath H1167 it: but the instruction H4148 of fools H191 is folly. H200 The heart H3820 of the wise H2450 teacheth H7919 his mouth, H6310 and addeth H3254 learning H3948 to his lips. H8193 Pleasant H5278 words H561 are as an honeycomb, H6688 H1706 sweet H4966 to the soul, H5315 and health H4832 to the bones. H6106
Bow down H5186 thine ear, H241 and hear H8085 the words H1697 of the wise, H2450 and apply H7896 thine heart H3820 unto my knowledge. H1847 For it is a pleasant thing H5273 if thou keep H8104 them within H990 thee; they shall withal H3162 be fitted H3559 in thy lips. H8193 That thy trust H4009 may be in the LORD, H3068 I have made known H3045 to thee this day, H3117 even to thee. Have not I written H3789 to thee H8032 excellent things H7991 in counsels H4156 and knowledge, H1847 That I might make thee know H3045 the certainty H7189 of the words H561 of truth; H571 that thou mightest answer H7725 the words H561 of truth H571 to them that send H7971 unto thee?
A word H1697 fitly H212 H655 spoken H1696 is like apples H8598 of gold H2091 in pictures H4906 of silver. H3701 As an earring H5141 of gold, H2091 and an ornament H2481 of fine gold, H3800 so is a wise H2450 reprover H3198 upon an obedient H8085 ear. H241
Forasmuch G1895 as many G4183 have taken in hand G2021 to set forth in order G392 a declaration G1335 of G4012 those things G4229 which are most surely believed G4135 among G1722 us, G2254 Even G2531 as they delivered G3860 them unto us, G2254 which G3588 from G575 the beginning G746 were G1096 eyewitnesses, G845 and G2532 ministers G5257 of the word; G3056 It seemed G1380 good to me also, G2504 having had perfect G199 understanding G3877 of all things G3956 from the very first, G509 to write G1125 unto thee G4671 in order, G2517 most excellent G2903 Theophilus, G2321 That G2443 thou mightest know G1921 the certainty G803 of G4012 those things, G3056 wherein G3739 thou hast been instructed. G2727
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 12
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 12 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 12
Ec 12:1-14.
1. As Ec 11:9, 10 showed what youths are to shun, so this verse shows what they are to follow.
Creator—"Remember" that thou art not thine own, but God's property; for He has created thee (Ps 100:3). Therefore serve Him with thy "all" (Mr 12:30), and with thy best days, not with the dregs of them (Pr 8:17; 22:6; Jer 3:4; La 3:27). The Hebrew is "Creators," plural, implying the plurality of persons, as in Ge 1:26; so Hebrew, "Makers" (Isa 54:5).
while … not—that is, before that (Pr 8:26) the evil days come; namely, calamity and old age, when one can no longer serve God, as in youth (Ec 11:2, 8).
no pleasure—of a sensual kind (2Sa 19:35; Ps 90:10). Pleasure in God continues to the godly old (Isa 46:4).
2. Illustrating "the evil days" (Jer 13:16). "Light," "sun," &c., express prosperity; "darkness," pain and calamity (Isa 13:10; 30:26).
clouds … after … rain—After rain sunshine (comfort) might be looked for, but only a brief glimpse of it is given, and the gloomy clouds (pains) return.
3. keepers of the house—namely, the hands and arms which protected the body, as guards do a palace (Ge 49:24; Job 4:19; 2Co 5:1), are now palsied.
strong men … bow—(Jud 16:25, 30). Like supporting pillars, the feet and knees (So 5:15); the strongest members (Ps 147:10).
grinders—the molar teeth.
cease—are idle.
those that look out of the windows—the eyes; the powers of vision, looking out from beneath the eyelids, which open and shut like the casement of a window.
4. doors—the lips, which are closely shut together as doors, by old men in eating, for, if they did not do so, the food would drop out (Job 41:14; Ps 141:3; Mic 7:5).
in the streets—that is, toward the street, "the outer doors" [Maurer and Weiss].
sound of … grinding—The teeth being almost gone, and the lips "shut" in eating, the sound of mastication is scarcely heard.
the bird—the cock. In the East all mostly rise with the dawn. But the old are glad to rise from their sleepless couch, or painful slumbers still earlier, namely, when the cock crows, before dawn (Job 7:4) [Holden]. The least noise awakens them [Weiss].
daughters of music—the organs that produce and that enjoy music; the voice and ear.
5. that which is high—The old are afraid of ascending a hill.
fears … in the way—Even on the level highway they are full of fears of falling, &c.
almond … flourish—In the East the hair is mostly dark. The white head of the old among the dark-haired is like an almond tree, with its white blossoms, among the dark trees around [Holden]. The almond tree flowers on a leafless stock in winter (answering to old age, in which all the powers are dormant), while the other trees are flowerless. Gesenius takes the Hebrew for flourishes from a different root, casts off; when the old man loses his gray hairs, as the almond tree casts its white flowers.
grasshoppers—the dry, shrivelled, old man, his backbone sticking out, his knees projecting forwards, his arms backwards, his head down, and the apophyses enlarged, is like that insect. Hence arose the fable, that Tithonus in very old age was changed into a grasshopper [Parkhurst]. "The locust raises itself to fly"; the old man about to leave the body is like a locust when it is assuming its winged form, and is about to fly [Maurer].
a burden—namely, to himself.
desire shall fail—satisfaction shall be abolished. For "desire," Vulgate has "the caper tree," provocative of lust; not so well.
long home—(Job 16:22; 17:13).
mourners—(Jer 9:17-20), hired for the occasion (Mt 9:23).
6. A double image to represent death, as in Ec 12:1-5, old age: (1) A lamp of frail material, but gilded over, often in the East hung from roofs by a cord of silk and silver interwoven; as the lamp is dashed down and broken, when the cord breaks, so man at death; the golden bowl of the lamp answers to the skull, which, from the vital preciousness of its contents, may be called "golden"; "the silver cord" is the spinal marrow, which is white and precious as silver, and is attached to the brain. (2) A fountain, from which water is drawn by a pitcher let down by a rope wound round a wheel; as, when the pitcher and wheel are broken, water can no more be drawn, so life ceases when the vital energies are gone. The "fountain" may mean the right ventricle of the heart; the "cistern," the left; the pitcher, the veins; the wheel, the aorta, or great artery [Smith]. The circulation of the blood, whether known or not to Solomon, seems to be implied in the language put by the Holy Ghost into his mouth. This gloomy picture of old age applies to those who have not "remembered their Creator in youth." They have none of the consolations of God, which they might have obtained in youth; it is now too late to seek them. A good old age is a blessing to the godly (Ge 15:15; Job 5:26; Pr 16:31; 20:29).
7. dust—the dust-formed body.
spirit—surviving the body; implying its immortality (Ec 3:11).
8-12. A summary of the first part.
Vanity, &c.—Resumption of the sentiment with which the book began (Ec 1:2; 1Jo 2:17).
9. gave good heed—literally, "he weighed." The "teaching the people" seems to have been oral; the "proverbs," in writing. There must then have been auditories assembled to hear the inspired wisdom of the Preacher. See the explanation of Koheleth in the Introduction, and chapter 1 (1Ki 4:34).
that which is written, &c.—rather, (he sought) "to write down uprightly (or, 'aright') words of truth" [Holden and Weiss]. "Acceptable" means an agreeable style; "uprightly … truth," correct sentiment.
11. goads—piercing deeply into the mind (Ac 2:37; 9:5; Heb 4:12); evidently inspired words, as the end of the verse proves.
fastened—rather, on account of the Hebrew genders, (The words) "are fastened (in the memory) like nails" [Holden].
masters of assemblies—rather, "the masters of collections (that is, collectors of inspired sayings, Pr 25:1), are given ('have published them as proceeding' [Holden]) from one Shepherd," namely, the Spirit of Jesus Christ [Weiss], (Eze 37:24). However, the mention of "goads" favors the English Version, "masters of assemblies," namely, under-shepherds, inspired by the Chief Shepherd (1Pe 5:2-4). Schmidt translates, "The masters of assemblies are fastened (made sure) as nails," so Isa 22:23.
12. (See on Ec 1:18).
many books—of mere human composition, opposed to "by these"; these inspired writings are the only sure source of "admonition."
(over much) study—in mere human books, wearies the body, without solidly profiting the soul.
13. The grand inference of the whole book.
Fear God—The antidote to following creature idols, and "vanities," whether self-righteousness (Ec 7:16, 18), or wicked oppression and other evils (Ec 8:12, 13), or mad mirth (Ec 2:2; 7:2-5), or self-mortifying avarice (Ec 8:13, 17), or youth spent without God (Ec 11:9; 12:1).
this is the whole duty of man—literally, "this is the whole man," the full ideal of man, as originally contemplated, realized wholly by Jesus Christ alone; and, through Him, by saints now in part, hereafter perfectly (1Jo 3:22-24; Re 22:14).
14. For God shall bring every work into judgment—The future judgment is the test of what is "vanity," what solid, as regards the chief good, the grand subject of the book.