1. (See see on Ec 6:12).
name--character; a godly mind and life; not mere reputation with man,
but what a man is in the eyes of God, with whom the name and
reality are one thing (@Isa 9:6). This alone is "good," while
all else is "vanity" when made the chief end.
ointment--used lavishly at costly banquets and peculiarly refreshing
in the sultry East. The Hebrew for "name" and for "ointment," have a
happy paronomasia, Sheem and Shemen. "Ointment" is fragrant only in
the place where the person is whose head and garment are scented, and
only for a time. The "name" given by God to His child (@Re 3:12) is
for ever and in all lands. So in the case of the woman who received an
everlasting name from Jesus Christ, in reward for her precious ointment
(@Isa 56:5 Mr 14:3-9). Jesus Christ Himself hath such a name, as
the Messiah, equivalent to Anointed (@So 1:3).
and the day of [his] death, &c.--not a general censure upon God
for creating man; but, connected with the previous clause, death is to
him, who hath a godly name, "better" than the day of his birth; "far
better," as @Php 1:23 has it.
2. Proving that it is not a sensual enjoyment of earthly goods which is meant in @Ec 3:13 5:18. A thankful use of these is right, but frequent feasting Solomon had found dangerous to piety in his own case. So Job's fear (@Ec 1:4,5). The house of feasting often shuts out thoughts of God and eternity. The sight of the dead in the "house of mourning" causes "the living" to think of their own "end."
3. Sorrow--such as arises from serious thoughts of eternity.
laughter--reckless mirth (@Ec 2:2).
by the sadness . . . better--(@Ps 126:5,6 2Co 4:17 Heb 12:10,11).
MAURER translates: "In sadness of countenance there is (may be) a good
(cheerful) heart." So Hebrew, for "good," equivalent to
"cheerful" (@Ec 9:7); but the parallel clause supports
English Version.
5. (@Ps 141:4,5). Godly reproof offends the flesh, but benefits the spirit. Fools' songs in the house of mirth please the flesh, but injure the soul.
6. crackling--answers to the loud merriment of fools. It is the very fire consuming them which produces the seeming merry noise (@Joe 2:5). Their light soon goes out in the black darkness. There is a paronomasia in the Hebrew, Sirim ("thorns"), Sir ("pot"). The wicked are often compared to "thorns" (@2Sa 23:6 Na 1:10). Dried cow-dung was the common fuel in Palestine; its slowness in burning makes the quickness of a fire of thorns the more graphic, as an image of the sudden end of fools (@Ps 118:12).
7. oppression--recurring to the idea (@Ec 3:16 5:8). Its connection
with @Ec 7:4-6 is, the sight of "oppression" perpetrated by "fools"
might tempt the "wise" to call in question God's dispensations, and
imitate the folly (equivalent to "madness") described (@Ec 7:5:6).
WEISS,
for "oppression," translates, "distraction," produced by
merriment. But @Ec 5:8 favors English Version.
a gift--that is, the sight of bribery in "places of judgment"
(@Ec 3:16) might cause the wise to lose their wisdom (equivalent to
"heart"), (@Job 12:6 21:6,7 24:1, &c.). This suits the parallelism
better than "a heart of gifts"; a benevolent heart, as
WEISS.
8. connected with @Ec 7:7. Let the "wise" wait for "the end," and the "oppressions" which now (in "the beginning") perplex their faith, will be found by God's working to be overruled to their good. "Tribulation worketh patience" (@Ro 5:3), which is infinitely better than "the proud spirit" that prosperity might have generated in them, as it has in fools (@Ps 73:2,3,12-14,17-26 Jas 5:11).
9. angry--impatient at adversity befalling thee, as Job was (@Ec 5:2 Pr 12:16).
10. Do not call in question God's ways in making thy former days better than thy present, as Job did (@Job 29:2-5). The very putting of the question argues that heavenly "wisdom" (Margin) is not as much as it ought made the chief good with thee.
11. Rather, "Wisdom, as compared with an inheritance, is good," that is, is as good as an inheritance; "yea, better (literally, and a profit) to them that see the sun" (that is, the living, @Ec 11:7 Job 3:16 Ps 49:19).
12. Literally, (To be) in (that is, under) the shadow (@Isa 30:2) of wisdom (is the same as to be) in (under) the shadow
of money; wisdom no less shields one from the ills of life than money
does.
is, that--rather, "the excellency of the knowledge of wisdom
giveth life," that is, life in the highest sense, here and hereafter
(@Pr 3:18 Joh 17:3 2Pe 1:3). Wisdom (religion) cannot be lost as
money can. It shields one in adversity, as well as prosperity; money,
only in prosperity. The question in @Ec 7:10 implies a want of it.
13. Consider as to God's work, that it is impossible to alter
His dispensations; for who can, &c.
straight . . . crooked--Man cannot amend what God wills to be "wanting"
and "adverse" (@Ec 1:15 Job 12:14).
14. consider--resumed from @Ec 7:13. "Consider," that is, regard
it as "the work of God"; for "God has made (Hebrew, for 'set') this
(adversity) also as well as the other (prosperity)." "Adversity" is one
of the things which "God has made crooked," and which man cannot "make
straight." He ought therefore to be "patient" (@Ec 7:8).
after him--equivalent to "that man may not find anything (to blame)
after God" (that is, after "considering God's work," @Ec 7:13).
Vulgate and Syriac, "against Him"
(compare @Ec 7:10 Ro 3:4).
15. An objection entertained by Solomon
in the days of his vanity--his apostasy (@Ec 8:14 Job 21:7).
just . . . perisheth--(@1Ki 21:13). Temporal not eternal death
(@Joh 10:28). But
see on Ec 7:16;
"just" is probably a self-justiciary.
wicked . . . prolongeth--See the antidote to the abuse of this
statement in @Ec 8:12.
16. HOLDEN makes
@Ec 7:16 the scoffing inference of the objector,
and @Ec 7:17 the answer of Solomon, now repentant. So (@1Co 15:32)
the skeptic's objection; (@1Co 15:33) the answer. However, "Be not
righteous over much," may be taken as Solomon's words, forbidding a
self-made righteousness of outward performances, which would wrest
salvation from God, instead of receiving it as the gift of His grace. It is a fanatical, pharisaical righteousness, separated from God; for
the "fear of God" is in antithesis to it
(@Ec 7:18 Ec 5:3,7 Mt 6:1-7 9:14 23:23,24 Ro 10:3 1Ti 4:3).
over wise--(@Job 11:12 Ro 12:3,16), presumptuously self-sufficient,
as if acquainted with the whole of divine truth.
destroy thyself--expose thyself to needless persecution, austerities
and the wrath of God; hence to an untimely death. "Destroy thyself"
answers to "perisheth" (@Ec 7:15); "righteous over much," to "a just
man." Therefore in @Ec 7:15 it is self-justiciary, not a truly
righteous man, that is meant.
17. over much wicked--so worded, to answer to "righteous over much." For if not taken thus, it would seem to imply that we may be wicked a little. "Wicked" refers to "wicked man" (@Ec 7:15); "die before thy time," to "prolongeth his life," antithetically. There may be a wicked man spared to "live long," owing to his avoiding gross excesses (@Ec 7:15). Solomon says, therefore, Be not so foolish (answering antithetically to "over wise," @Ec 7:16), as to run to such excess of riot, that God will be provoked to cut off prematurely thy day of grace (@Ro 2:5). The precept is addressed to a sinner. Beware of aggravating thy sin, so as to make thy case desperate. It refers to the days of Solomon's "vanity" (apostasy, @Ec 7:15), when only such a precept would be applicable. By litotes it includes, "Be not wicked at all."
18. this . . . this--the two opposite excesses (@Ec 7:16,17),
fanatical, self-wise righteousness, and presumptuous, foolhardy
wickedness.
he that feareth God shall come forth of them all--shall escape all
such extremes (@Pr 3:7).
19. Hebrew, "The wisdom," that is, the true wisdom, religion
(@2Ti 3:15).
than ten mighty--that is, able and valiant generals
(@Ec 7:12 9:13-18 Pr 21:22 24:5). These "watchmen wake in vain,
except the Lord keep the city" (@Ps 127:1).
20. Referring to @Ec 7:16. Be not "self-righteous," seek not to make thyself "just" before God by a superabundance of self-imposed performances; "for true 'wisdom, or 'righteousness,' shows that there is not a just man," &c.
21. As therefore thou being far from perfectly "just" thyself, hast much to be forgiven by God, do not take too strict account, as the self-righteous do (@Ec 7:16 Lu 18:9,11), and thereby shorten their lives (@Ec 7:15,16), of words spoken against thee by others, for example, thy servant: Thou art their "fellow servant" before God (@Mt 18:32-35).
22. (@1Ki 2:44).
23. All this--resuming the "all" in @Ec 7:15 Ec 7:15-22 is
therefore the fruit of his dearly bought experience in the days of his
"vanity."
I will be wise--I tried to "be wise," independently of God. But true
wisdom was then "far from him," in spite of his human wisdom, which he
retained by God's gift. So "over wise" (@Ec 7:16).
24. That . . . far off . . . deep--True wisdom is so when sought independently of "fear of God" (@Ec 7:18 De 30:12,13 Job 11:7,8 28:12-20,28 Ps 64:6 Ro 10:6,7).
25. Literally, "I turned myself and mine heart to." A phrase peculiar
to Ecclesiastes, and appropriate to the penitent turning back to
commune with his heart on his past life.
wickedness of folly--He is now a step further on the path of penitence
than in @Ec 1:17 2:12, where "folly" is put without "wickedness"
prefixed.
reason--rather, "the right estimation" of things.
HOLDEN translates also "foolishness
(that is, sinful folly, answering to 'wickedness' in the parallel)
of madness" (that is, of man's mad pursuits).
26. "I find" that, of all my sinful follies, none has been so
ruinous a snare in seducing me from God as idolatrous women
(@1Ki 11:3,4 Pr 5:3,4 22:14). As "God's favor is better than life,"
she who seduces from God is "more bitter than death."
whoso pleaseth God--as Joseph (@Ge 39:2,3,9).
It is God's grace alone that keeps any from falling.
27. this--namely, what follows in @Ec 7:28.
counting one by one--by comparing one thing with another
[HOLDEN and
MAURER].
account--a right estimate. But @Ec 7:28 more favors
GESENIUS.
"Considering women one by one."
28. Rather, referring to his past experience, "Which my soul sought further, but I found not."
one man--that is, worthy of the name, "man," "upright"; not more than
one in a thousand of my courtiers (@Job 33:23 Ps 12:1). Jesus Christ
alone of men fully realizes the perfect ideal of "man." "Chiefest among
ten thousand" (@So 5:10). No perfect "woman has ever existed, not
even the Virgin Mary. Solomon, in the word "thousand," alludes to his
three hundred wives and seven hundred concubines. Among these it was not
likely that he should find the fidelity which one true wife pays to
one husband. Connected with @Ec 7:26, not an unqualified
condemnation of the sex, as @Pr 12:4 31:10, &c., prove.
29. The "only" way of accounting for the scarcity of even comparatively upright men and women is that, whereas God made man upright, they (men) have, &c. The only account to be "found" of the origin of evil, the great mystery of theology, is that given in Holy Writ (@Ge 2:1-3:24). Among man's "inventions" was the one especially referred to in @Ec 7:26, the bitter fruits of which Solomon experienced, the breaking of God's primeval marriage law, joining one man to "one" woman (@Mt 19:4,5,6). "Man" is singular, namely, Adam; "they," plural, Adam, Eve, and their posterity.