4 I made me great H1431 works; H4639 I builded H1129 me houses; H1004 I planted H5193 me vineyards: H3754
But Solomon H8010 was building H1129 his own house H1004 thirteen H7969 H6240 years, H8141 and he finished H3615 all his house. H1004 He built H1129 also the house H1004 of the forest H3293 of Lebanon; H3844 the length H753 thereof was an hundred H3967 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 thereof fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the height H6967 thereof thirty H7970 cubits, H520 upon four H702 rows H2905 of cedar H730 pillars, H5982 with cedar H730 beams H3773 upon the pillars. H5982 And it was covered H5603 with cedar H730 above H4605 upon the beams, H6763 that lay on forty H705 five H2568 pillars, H5982 fifteen H6240 in a row. H2905 And there were windows H8261 in three H7969 rows, H2905 and light H4237 was against light H4237 in three H7969 ranks. H6471 And all the doors H6607 and posts H4201 were square, H7251 with the windows: H8260 and light H4237 was against H4136 light H4237 in three H7969 ranks. H6471 And he made H6213 a porch H197 of pillars; H5982 the length H753 thereof was fifty H2572 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 thereof thirty H7970 cubits: H520 and the porch H197 was before H6440 them: and the other pillars H5982 and the thick beam H5646 were before them. Then he made H6213 a porch H197 for the throne H3678 where he might judge, H8199 even the porch H197 of judgment: H4941 and it was covered H5603 with cedar H730 from one side of the floor H7172 to the other. H7172 And his house H1004 where he dwelt H3427 had another H312 court H2691 within H1004 the porch, H197 which was of the like work. H4639 Solomon H8010 made H6213 also an house H1004 for Pharaoh's H6547 daughter, H1323 whom he had taken H3947 to wife, like unto this porch. H197 All these were of costly H3368 stones, H68 according to the measures H4060 of hewed stones, H1496 sawed H1641 with saws, H4050 within H1004 and without, H2351 even from the foundation H4527 unto the coping, H2947 and so on the outside H2351 toward the great H1419 court. H2691 And the foundation H3245 was of costly H3368 stones, H68 even great H1419 stones, H68 stones H68 of ten H6235 cubits, H520 and stones H68 of eight H8083 cubits. H520 And above H4605 were costly H3368 stones, H68 after the measures H4060 of hewed stones, H1496 and cedars. H730 And the great H1419 court H2691 round about H5439 was with three H7969 rows H2905 of hewed stones, H1496 and a row H2905 of cedar H730 beams, H3773 both for the inner H6442 court H2691 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and for the porch H197 of the house. H1004
And Solomon H8010 brought up H5927 the daughter H1323 of Pharaoh H6547 out of the city H5892 of David H1732 unto the house H1004 that he had built H1129 for her: for he said, H559 My wife H802 shall not dwell H3427 in the house H1004 of David H1732 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 because the places are holy, H6944 whereunto the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 hath come. H935
Now will I sing H7891 to my wellbeloved H3039 a song H7892 of my beloved H1730 touching his vineyard. H3754 My wellbeloved H3039 hath a vineyard H3754 in a very fruitful H1121 H8081 hill: H7161
Solomon H8010 had a vineyard H3754 at Baalhamon; H1174 he let out H5414 the vineyard H3754 unto keepers; H5201 every one H376 for the fruit H6529 thereof was to bring H935 a thousand H505 pieces of silver. H3701 My vineyard, H3754 which is mine, is before H6440 me: thou, O Solomon, H8010 must have a thousand, H505 and those that keep H5201 the fruit H6529 thereof two hundred. H3967
My beloved H1730 is unto me as a cluster H811 of camphire H3724 in the vineyards H3754 of Engedi. H5872
Their inward H7130 thought is, that their houses H1004 shall continue for ever, H5769 and their dwelling H4908 places to all H1755 generations; H1755 they call H7121 their lands H127 after their own names. H8034
Also he built H1129 towers H4026 in the desert, H4057 and digged H2672 many H7227 wells: H953 for he had much H7227 cattle, H4735 both in the low country, H8219 and in the plains: H4334 husbandmen H406 also, and vine dressers H3755 in the mountains, H2022 and in Carmel: H3760 for he loved H157 husbandry. H127
And they said, H559 Go to, H3051 let us build H1129 us a city H5892 and a tower, H4026 whose top H7218 may reach unto heaven; H8064 and let us make H6213 us a name, H8034 lest we be scattered abroad H6327 upon the face H6440 of the whole earth. H776
And it came to pass at the end H7093 of twenty H6242 years, H8141 wherein Solomon H8010 had built H1129 the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and his own house, H1004 That the cities H5892 which Huram H2361 had restored H5414 to Solomon, H8010 Solomon H8010 built H1129 them, and caused the children H1121 of Israel H3478 to dwell H3427 there. And Solomon H8010 went H3212 to Hamathzobah, H2578 and prevailed H2388 against it. And he built H1129 Tadmor H8412 in the wilderness, H4057 and all the store H4543 cities, H5892 which he built H1129 in Hamath. H2574 Also he built H1129 Bethhoron H1032 the upper, H5945 and Bethhoron H1032 the nether, H8481 fenced H4692 cities, H5892 with walls, H2346 gates, H1817 and bars; H1280 And Baalath, H1191 and all the store H4543 cities H5892 that Solomon H8010 had, and all the chariot H7393 cities, H5892 and the cities H5892 of the horsemen, H6571 and all that Solomon H8010 desired H2836 H2837 to build H1129 in Jerusalem, H3389 and in Lebanon, H3844 and throughout all the land H776 of his dominion. H4475
There is a league H1285 between me and thee, and between my father H1 and thy father: H1 behold, I have sent H7971 unto thee a present H7810 of silver H3701 and gold; H2091 come H3212 and break H6565 thy league H1285 with Baasha H1201 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that he may depart H5927 from me.
The throne H3678 had six H8337 steps, H4609 and the top H7218 of the throne H3678 was round H5696 behind: H310 and there were stays H3027 on either side on the place H4725 of the seat, H7675 and two H8147 lions H738 stood H5975 beside H681 the stays. H3027 And twelve H8147 H6240 lions H738 stood H5975 there on the one side and on the other upon the six H8337 steps: H4609 there was not the like H3651 made H6213 in any kingdom. H4467
Now Absalom H53 in his lifetime H2416 had taken H3947 and reared up H5324 for himself a pillar, H4678 which is in the king's H4428 dale: H6010 for he said, H559 I have no son H1121 to keep my name H8034 in remembrance: H2142 and he called H7121 the pillar H4678 after his own name: H8034 and it is called H7121 unto this day, H3117 Absalom's H53 place. H3027
Lest when thou hast eaten H398 and art full, H7646 and hast built H1129 goodly H2896 houses, H1004 and dwelt H3427 therein; And when thy herds H1241 and thy flocks H6629 multiply, H7235 and thy silver H3701 and thy gold H2091 is multiplied, H7235 and all that thou hast is multiplied; H7235 Then thine heart H3824 be lifted up, H7311 and thou forget H7911 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which brought thee forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage; H5650
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Ec 2:1-26.
He next tries pleasure and luxury, retaining however, his worldly "wisdom" (Ec 3:9), but all proves "vanity" in respect to the chief good.
1. I said … heart—(Lu 12:19).
thee—my heart, I will test whether thou canst find that solid good in pleasure which was not in "worldly wisdom." But this also proves to be "vanity" (Isa 50:11).
2. laughter—including prosperity, and joy in general (Job 8:21).
mad—that is, when made the chief good; it is harmless in its proper place.
What doeth it?—Of what avail is it in giving solid good? (Ec 7:6; Pr 14:13).
3-11. Illustration more at large of Ec 2:1, 2.
I sought—I resolved, after search into many plans.
give myself unto wine—literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Ro 6:16, 19; 1Co 12:2); or, one "allured" (2Pe 2:18, 19).
yet acquainting … wisdom—literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [Gesenius]. Maurer translates: "was weary of (worldly) wisdom." But the end of Ec 2:9 confirms English Version.
folly—namely, pleasures of the flesh, termed "mad," Ec 2:2.
all the days, &c.—(See Margin and Ec 6:12; Job 15:20).
4. (1Ki 7:1-8; 9:1, 19; 10:18, &c.).
vineyards—(So 8:11).
5. gardens—Hebrew, "paradises," a foreign word; Sanskrit, "a place enclosed with a wall"; Armenian and Arabic, "a pleasure ground with flowers and shrubs near the king's house, or castle." An earthly paradise can never make up for the want of the heavenly (Re 2:7).
6. pools—artificial, for irrigating the soil (Ge 2:10; Ne 2:14; Isa 1:30). Three such reservoirs are still found, called Solomon's cisterns, a mile and a half from Jerusalem.
wood that bringeth forth—rather, "the grove that flourisheth with trees" [Lowth].
7. born in my house—These were esteemed more trustworthy servants than those bought (Ge 14:14; 15:2, 3; 17:12, 13, 27; Jer 2:14), called "songs of one's handmaid" (Ex 23:12; compare Ge 12:16; Job 1:3).
8. (1Ki 10:27; 2Ch 1:15; 9:20).
peculiar treasure of kings and … provinces—contributed by them, as tributary to him (1Ki 4:21, 24); a poor substitute for the wisdom whose "gain is better than fine gold" (Pr 3:14, 15).
singers—so David (2Sa 19:35).
musical instruments … of all sorts—introduced at banquets (Isa 5:12; Am 6:5, 6); rather, "a princess and princesses," from an Arabic root. One regular wife, or queen (Es 1:9); Pharaoh's daughter (1Ki 3:1); other secondary wives, "princesses," distinct from the "concubines" (1Ki 11:3; Ps 45:10; So 6:8) [Weiss, Gesenius]. Had these been omitted, the enumeration would be incomplete.
9. great—opulent (Ge 24:35; Job 1:3; see 1Ki 10:23).
remained—(Ec 2:3).
10. my labour—in procuring pleasures.
this—evanescent "joy" was my only "portion out of all my labor" (Ec 3:22; 5:18; 9:9; 1Ki 10:5).
11. But all these I felt were only "vanity," and of "no profit" as to the chief good. "Wisdom" (worldly common sense, sagacity), which still "remained with me" (Ec 2:9), showed me that these could not give solid happiness.
12. He had tried (worldly) wisdom (Ec 1:12-18) and folly (foolish pleasure) (Ec 2:1-11); he now compares them (Ec 2:12) and finds that while (worldly)
wisdom excelleth folly (Ec 2:13, 14), yet the one event, death, befalls both (Ec 2:14-16), and that thus the wealth acquired by the wise man's "labor" may descend to a "fool" that hath not labored (Ec 2:18, 19, 21); therefore all his labor is vanity (Ec 2:22, 23).
what can the man do … already done—(Ec 1:9). Parenthetical. A future investigator can strike nothing out "new," so as to draw a different conclusion from what I draw by comparing "wisdom and madness." Holden, with less ellipsis, translates, "What, O man, shall come after the king?" &c. Better, Grotius, "What man can come after (compete with) the king in the things which are done?" None ever can have the same means of testing what all earthly things can do towards satisfying the soul; namely, worldly wisdom, science, riches, power, longevity, all combined.
13, 14. (Pr 17:24). The worldly "wise" man has good sense in managing his affairs, skill and taste in building and planting, and keeps within safe and respectable bounds in pleasure, while the "fool" is wanting in these respects ("darkness," equivalent to fatal error, blind infatuation), yet one event, death, happens to both (Job 21:26).
15. why was I—so anxious to become, &c. (2Ch 1:10).
Then—Since such is the case.
this—namely, pursuit of (worldly) wisdom; it can never fill the place of the true wisdom (Job 28:28; Jer 8:9).
16. remembrance—a great aim of the worldly (Ge 11:4). The righteous alone attain it (Ps 112:6; Pr 10:7).
for ever—no perpetual memorial.
that which now is—Maurer, "In the days to come all things shall be now long ago forgotten."
17. Disappointed in one experiment after another, he is weary of life. The backslider ought to have rather reasoned as the prodigal (Ho 2:6, 7; Lu 15:17, 18).
grievous unto me—(Job 10:1).
18, 19. One hope alone was left to the disappointed worldling, the perpetuation of his name and riches, laboriously gathered, through his successor. For selfishness is mostly at the root of worldly parents' alleged providence for their children. But now the remembrance of how he himself, the piously reared child of David, had disregarded his father's dying charge (1Ch 28:9), suggested the sad misgivings as to what Rehoboam, his son by an idolatrous Ammonitess, Naamah, should prove to be; a foreboding too fully realized (1Ki 12:1-18; 14:21-31).
20. I gave up as desperate all hope of solid fruit from my labor.
21. Suppose "there is a man," &c.
equity—rather "with success," as the Hebrew is rendered (Ec 11:6), "prosper," though Margin gives "right" [Holden and Maurer].
evil—not in itself, for this is the ordinary course of things, but "evil," as regards the chief good, that one should have toiled so fruitlessly.
22. Same sentiment as in Ec 2:21, interrogatively.
23. The only fruit he has is, not only sorrows in his days, but all his days are sorrows, and his travail (not only has griefs connected with it, but is itself), grief.
24. English Version gives a seemingly Epicurean sense, contrary to the general scope. The Hebrew, literally is, "It is not good for man that he should eat," &c., "and should make his soul see good" (or "show his soul, that is, himself, happy"), &c. [Weiss]. According to Holden and Weiss, Ec 3:12, 22 differ from this verse in the text and meaning; here he means, "It is not good that a man should feast himself, and falsely make as though his soul were happy"; he thus refers to a false pretending of happiness acquired by and for one's self; in Ec 3:12, 22; 5:18, 19, to real seeing, or finding pleasure when God gives it. There it is said to be good for a man to enjoy with satisfaction and thankfulness the blessings which God gives; here it is said not to be good to take an unreal pleasure to one's self by feasting, &c.
This also I saw—I perceived by experience that good (real pleasure) is not to be taken at will, but comes only from the hand of God [Weiss] (Ps 4:6; Isa 57:19-21). Or as Holden, "It is the appointment from the hand of God, that the sensualist has no solid satisfaction" (good).
25. hasten—after indulgences (Pr 7:23; 19:2), eagerly pursue such enjoyments. None can compete with me in this. If I, then, with all my opportunities of enjoyment, failed utterly to obtain solid pleasure of my own making, apart from God, who else can? God mercifully spares His children the sad experiment which Solomon made, by denying them the goods which they often desire. He gives them the fruits of Solomon's experience, without their paying the dear price at which Solomon bought it.
26. True, literally, in the Jewish theocracy; and in some measure in all ages (Job 27:16, 17; Pr 13:22; 28:8). Though the retribution be not so visible and immediate now as then, it is no less real. Happiness even here is more truly the portion of the godly (Ps 84:11; Mt 5:5; Mr 10:29, 30; Ro 8:28; 1Ti 4:8).
that he—the sinner
may give—that is, unconsciously and in spite of himself. The godly Solomon had satisfaction in his riches and wisdom, when God gave them (2Ch 1:11, 12). The backsliding Solomon had no happiness when he sought it in them apart from God; and the riches which he heaped up became the prey of Shishak (2Ch 12:9).