1 So I returned, H7725 and considered H7200 all the oppressions H6217 that are done H6213 under the sun: H8121 and behold the tears H1832 of such as were oppressed, H6231 and they had no comforter; H5162 and on the side H3027 of their oppressors H6231 there was power; H3581 but they had no comforter. H5162
And moreover I saw H7200 under the sun H8121 the place H4725 of judgment, H4941 that wickedness H7562 was there; and the place H4725 of righteousness, H6664 that iniquity H7562 was there.
If thou seest H7200 the oppression H6233 of the poor, H7326 and violent H1499 perverting of judgment H4941 and justice H6664 in a province, H4082 marvel H8539 not at the matter: H2656 for he that is higher H1364 than the highest H1364 regardeth; H8104 and there be higher H1364 than they. H5921
She weepeth H1058 sore H1058 in the night, H3915 and her tears H1832 are on her cheeks: H3895 among all her lovers H157 she hath none to comfort H5162 her: all her friends H7453 have dealt treacherously H898 with her, they are become her enemies. H341
Thou feedest H398 them with the bread H3899 of tears; H1832 and givest them tears H1832 to drink H8248 in great measure. H7991
A poor H7326 man H1397 that oppresseth H6231 the poor H1800 is like a sweeping H5502 rain H4306 which leaveth no food. H3899
As a roaring H5098 lion, H738 and a ranging H8264 bear; H1677 so is a wicked H7563 ruler H4910 over the poor H1800 people. H5971 The prince H5057 that wanteth H2638 understanding H8394 is also a great H7227 oppressor: H4642 but he that hateth H8130 covetousness H1215 shall prolong H748 his days. H3117
But I will put H7760 it into the hand H3027 of them that afflict H3013 thee; which have said H559 to thy soul, H5315 Bow down, H7812 that we may go over: H5674 and thou hast laid H7760 thy body H1460 as the ground, H776 and as the street, H2351 to them that went over. H5674
Their feet H7272 run H7323 to evil, H7451 and they make haste H4116 to shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood: H1818 their thoughts H4284 are thoughts H4284 of iniquity; H205 wasting H7701 and destruction H7667 are in their paths. H4546
In transgressing H6586 and lying H3584 against the LORD, H3068 and departing away H5253 from H310 our God, H430 speaking H1696 oppression H6233 and revolt, H5627 conceiving H2029 and uttering H1897 from the heart H3820 words H1697 of falsehood. H8267 And judgment H4941 is turned away H5253 backward, H268 and justice H6666 standeth H5975 afar off: H7350 for truth H571 is fallen H3782 in the street, H7339 and equity H5229 cannot H3201 enter. H935 Yea, truth H571 faileth; H5737 and he that departeth H5493 from evil H7451 maketh himself a prey: H7997 and the LORD H3068 saw H7200 it, and it displeased H3415 H5869 him that there was no judgment. H4941
And this have ye done H6213 again, H8145 covering H3680 the altar H4196 of the LORD H3068 with tears, H1832 with weeping, H1065 and with crying out, H603 insomuch that he regardeth H6437 not the offering H4503 any more, or receiveth H3947 it with good will H7522 at your hand. H3027
And I will come near H7126 to you to judgment; H4941 and I will be a swift H4116 witness H5707 against the sorcerers, H3784 and against the adulterers, H5003 and against false H8267 swearers, H7650 and against those that oppress H6231 the hireling H7916 in his wages, H7939 the widow, H490 and the fatherless, H3490 and that turn aside H5186 the stranger H1616 from his right, and fear H3372 not me, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
But G1161 all G3650 this G5124 was done, G1096 that G2443 the scriptures G1124 of the prophets G4396 might be fulfilled. G4137 Then G5119 all G3956 the disciples G3101 forsook G863 him, G846 and fled. G5343
At G1722 my G3450 first G4413 answer G627 no man G3762 stood G4836 with me, G3427 but G235 all G3956 men forsook G1459 me: G3165 I pray God that it may G3049 not G3361 be laid G3049 to their charge. G846 Notwithstanding G1161 the Lord G2962 stood G3936 with me, G3427 and G2532 strengthened G1743 me; G3165 that G2443 by G1223 me G1700 the preaching G2782 might be fully known, G4135 and G2532 that all G3956 the Gentiles G1484 might hear: G191 and G2532 I was delivered G4506 out of G1537 the mouth G4750 of the lion. G3023
Behold, G2400 the hire G3408 of the labourers G2040 who G3588 have reaped down G270 your G5216 fields, G5561 which G3588 is of G575 you G5216 kept back by fraud, G650 crieth: G2896 and G2532 the cries G995 of them which have reaped G2325 are entered G1525 into G1519 the ears G3775 of the Lord G2962 of sabaoth. G4519
Return, H7725 I pray you, let it not be iniquity; H5766 yea, return again, H7725 my righteousness H6664 is in it.
And it came to pass in process H1992 H7227 of time, H3117 that the king H4428 of Egypt H4714 died: H4191 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 sighed H584 by reason of H4480 the bondage, H5656 and they cried, H2199 and their cry H7775 came up H5927 unto God H430 by reason of the bondage. H5656 And God H430 heard H8085 their groaning, H5009 and God H430 remembered H2142 his covenant H1285 with Abraham, H85 with Isaac, H3327 and with Jacob. H3290
There is no straw H8401 given H5414 unto thy servants, H5650 and they say H559 to us, Make H6213 brick: H3843 and, behold, thy servants H5650 are beaten; H5221 but the fault H2398 is in thine own people. H5971 But he said, H559 Ye are idle, H7503 ye are idle: H7503 therefore ye say, H559 Let us go H3212 and do sacrifice H2076 to the LORD. H3068 Go H3212 therefore now, and work; H5647 for there shall no straw H8401 be given H5414 you, yet shall ye deliver H5414 the tale H8506 of bricks. H3843 And the officers H7860 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did see H7200 that they were in evil H7451 case, after it was said, H559 Ye shall not minish H1639 ought from your bricks H3843 of your daily H3117 H3117 task. H1697
Therefore shalt thou serve H5647 thine enemies H341 which the LORD H3068 shall send H7971 against thee, in hunger, H7458 and in thirst, H6772 and in nakedness, H5903 and in want H2640 of all things: and he shall put H5414 a yoke H5923 of iron H1270 upon thy neck, H6677 until he have destroyed H8045 thee.
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 cried H6817 unto the LORD: H3068 for he had nine H8672 hundred H3967 chariots H7393 of iron; H1270 and twenty H6242 years H8141 he mightily H2394 oppressed H3905 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
And the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was hot H2734 against Israel, H3478 and he sold H4376 them into the hands H3027 of the Philistines, H6430 and into the hands H3027 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 And that year H8141 they vexed H7492 and oppressed H7533 the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 eighteen H8083 H6240 years, H8141 all the children H1121 of Israel H3478 that were on the other side H5676 Jordan H3383 in the land H776 of the Amorites, H567 which is in Gilead. H1568
And there was a great H1419 cry H6818 of the people H5971 and of their wives H802 against their brethren H251 the Jews. H3064 For there were H3426 that said, H559 We, our sons, H1121 and our daughters, H1323 are many: H7227 therefore we take up H3947 corn H1715 for them, that we may eat, H398 and live. H2421 Some also there were H3426 that said, H559 We have mortgaged H6148 our lands, H7704 vineyards, H3754 and houses, H1004 that we might buy H3947 corn, H1715 because of the dearth. H7458 There were H3426 also that said, H559 We have borrowed H3867 money H3701 for the king's H4428 tribute, H4060 and that upon our lands H7704 and vineyards. H3754 Yet now our flesh H1320 is as the flesh H1320 of our brethren, H251 our children H1121 as their children: H1121 and, lo, we bring into bondage H3533 our sons H1121 and our daughters H1323 to be servants, H5650 and some of our daughters H1323 are H3426 brought unto bondage H3533 already: neither is it in our power H410 H3027 to redeem them; for other men H312 have our lands H7704 and vineyards. H3754
And the Egyptians H4714 made H5647 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 to serve H5647 with rigour: H6531 And they made H4843 their lives H2416 bitter H4843 with hard H7186 bondage, H5656 in morter, H2563 and in brick, H3843 and in all manner of service H5656 in the field: H7704 all their service, H5656 wherein they made them serve, H5647 was with rigour. H6531
Have pity H2603 upon me, have pity H2603 upon me, O ye my friends; H7453 for the hand H3027 of God H433 hath touched H5060 me. Why do ye persecute H7291 me as God, H410 and are not satisfied H7646 with my flesh? H1320
They cause the naked H6174 to lodge H3885 without clothing, H3830 that they have no covering H3682 in the cold. H7135 They are wet H7372 with the showers H2230 of the mountains, H2022 and embrace H2263 the rock H6697 for want of a shelter. H4268 They pluck H1497 the fatherless H3490 from the breast, H7699 and take a pledge H2254 of the poor. H6041 They cause him to go H1980 naked H6174 without clothing, H3830 and they take away H5375 the sheaf H6016 from the hungry; H7457 Which make oil H6671 within H996 their walls, H7791 and tread H1869 their winepresses, H3342 and suffer thirst. H6770 Men H4962 groan H5008 from out of the city, H5892 and the soul H5315 of the wounded H2491 crieth out: H7768 yet God H433 layeth H7760 not folly H8604 to them.
He lieth in wait H693 secretly H4565 as a lion H738 in his den: H5520 he lieth in wait H693 to catch H2414 the poor: H6041 he doth catch H2414 the poor, H6041 when he draweth H4900 him into his net. H7568 He croucheth, H1794 and humbleth H7817 himself, that the poor H2426 H2489 may fall H5307 by his strong ones. H6099
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Ec 4:1-16.
1. returned—namely, to the thought set forth (Ec 3:16; Job 35:9).
power—Maurer, not so well, "violence."
no comforter—twice said to express continued suffering without any to give comfort (Isa 53:7).
2. A profane sentiment if severed from its connection; but just in its bearing on Solomon's scope. If religion were not taken into account (Ec 3:17, 19), to die as soon as possible would be desirable, so as not to suffer or witness "oppressions"; and still more so, not to be born at all (Ec 7:1). Job (Job 3:12; 21:7), David (Ps 73:3, &c.), Jeremiah (Jer 12:1), Habakkuk (Hab 1:13), all passed through the same perplexity, until they went into the sanctuary, and looked beyond the present to the "judgment" (Ps 73:17; Hab 2:20; 3:17, 18). Then they saw the need of delay, before completely punishing the wicked, to give space for repentance, or else for accumulation of wrath (Ro 2:15); and before completely rewarding the godly, to give room for faith and perseverance in tribulation (Ps 92:7-12). Earnests, however, are often even now given, by partial judgments of the future, to assure us, in spite of difficulties, that God governs the earth.
3. not seen—nor experienced.
4. right—rather, "prosperous" (see on Ec 2:21). Prosperity, which men so much covet, is the very source of provoking oppression (Ec 4:1) and "envy," so far is it from constituting the chief good.
5. Still the
fool (the wicked oppressor) is not to be envied even in this life, who "folds his hands together" in idleness (Pr 6:10; 24:33), living on the means he wrongfully wrests from others; for such a one
eateth his own flesh—that is, is a self-tormentor, never satisfied, his spirit preying on itself (Isa 9:20; 49:26).
6. Hebrew; "One open hand (palm) full of quietness, than both closed hands full of travail." "Quietness" (mental tranquillity flowing from honest labor), opposed to "eating one's own flesh" (Ec 4:5), also opposed to anxious labor to gain (Ec 4:8; Pr 15:16, 17; 16:8).
7. A vanity described in Ec 4:8.
8. not a second—no partner.
child—"son or brother," put for any heir (De 25:5-10).
eye—(Ec 1:8). The miser would not be able to give an account of his infatuation.
9. Two—opposed to "one" (Ec 4:8). Ties of union, marriage, friendship, religious communion, are better than the selfish solitariness of the miser (Ge 2:18).
reward—Advantage accrues from their efforts being conjoined. The Talmud says, "A man without a companion is like a left hand without the right.
10. if they fall—if the one or other fall, as may happen to both, namely, into any distress of body, mind, or soul.
11. (See on 1Ki 1:1). The image is taken from man and wife, but applies universally to the warm sympathy derived from social ties. So Christian ties (Lu 24:32; Ac 28:15).
12. one—enemy.
threefold cord—proverbial for a combination of many—for example, husband, wife, and children (Pr 11:14); so Christians (Lu 10:1; Col 2:2, 19). Untwist the cord, and the separate threads are easily "broken."
13. The "threefold cord" [Ec 4:12] of social ties suggests the subject of civil government. In this case too, he concludes that kingly power confers no lasting happiness. The "wise" child, though a supposed case of Solomon, answers, in the event foreseen by the Holy Ghost, to Jeroboam, then a poor but valiant youth, once a "servant" of Solomon, and (1Ki 11:26-40) appointed by God through the prophet Ahijah to be heir of the kingdom of the ten tribes about to be rent from Rehoboam. The "old and foolish king" answers to Solomon himself, who had lost his wisdom, when, in defiance of two warnings of God (1Ki 3:14; 9:2-9), he forsook God.
will no more be admonished—knows not yet how to take warning (see Margin) God had by Ahijah already intimated the judgment coming on Solomon (1Ki 11:11-13).
14. out of prison—Solomon uses this phrase of a supposed case; for example, Joseph raised from a dungeon to be lord of Egypt. His words are at the same time so framed by the Holy Ghost that they answer virtually to Jeroboam, who fled to escape a "prison" and death from Solomon, to Shishak of Egypt (1Ki 11:40). This unconscious presaging of his own doom, and that of Rehoboam, constitutes the irony. David's elevation from poverty and exile, under Saul (which may have been before Solomon's mind), had so far their counterpart in that of Jeroboam.
whereas … becometh poor—rather, "though he (the youth) was born poor in his kingdom" (in the land where afterwards he was to reign).
15. "I considered all the living," the present generation, in relation to ("with") the "second youth" (the "legitimate successor" of the "old king," as opposed to the "poor youth," the one first spoken of, about to be raised from poverty to a throne), that is, Rehoboam.
in his stead—the old king's.
16. Notwithstanding their now worshipping the rising sun, the heir-apparent, I reflected that "there were no bounds, no stability (2Sa 15:6; 20:1), no check on the love of innovation, of all that have been before them," that is, the past generation; so
also they that come after—that is, the next generation,
shall not rejoice in him—namely, Rehoboam. The parallel, "shall not rejoice," fixes the sense of "no bounds," no permanent adherence, though now men rejoice in him.