{"commentary":{"id":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","website":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamieson-Fausset-Brown_Bible_Commentary","licenseUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/","licenseNotes":null,"licenseNotice":null,"englishName":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","language":"eng","textDirection":"rtl","sha256":"db3d4c8b3c1f32ef9d1430a57392e02bda3a17aac1f9bbe398461de021a3cb13","availableFormats":["json"],"listOfBooksApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/books.json","listOfProfilesApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/profiles.json","numberOfBooks":66,"totalNumberOfChapters":1187,"totalNumberOfVerses":17056,"totalNumberOfProfiles":0,"languageName":"English","languageEnglishName":"English"},"book":{"id":"ECC","commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Ecclesiastes","commonName":"Ecclesiastes","introduction":"The Hebrew title is Koheleth, which the speaker in it applies to himself (Ecc 1:12), \"I, Koheleth, was king over Israel.\" It means an Assembler or Convener of a meeting and a Preacher to such a meeting. The feminine form of the Hebrew noun, and its construction once (Ecc 7:27) with a feminine verb, show that it not only signifies Solomon, the Preacher to assemblies (in which case it is construed with the verb or noun masculine), but also Divine Wisdom (feminine in Hebrew) speaking by the mouth of the inspired king. In six cases out of seven it is construed with the masculine. Solomon was endowed with inspired wisdom (Kg1 3:5-14; Kg1 6:11-12; Kg1 9:1-9; Kg1 11:9-11), specially fitting him for the task. The Orientals delight in such meetings for grave discourse. Thus the Arabs formerly had an assembly yearly, at Ocadh, for hearing and reciting poems. Compare \"Masters of assemblies\" (see on Ecc 12:11, also Ecc 12:9). \"The Preacher taught the people knowledge,\" probably viva voce (\"orally\"); Kg1 4:34; Kg1 10:2, Kg1 10:8, Kg1 10:24; Ch2 9:1, Ch2 9:7, Ch2 9:23, plainly refer to a somewhat public divan met for literary discussion. So \"spake,\" thrice repeated (Kg1 4:32-33), refers not to written compositions, but to addresses spoken in assemblies convened for the purpose. The Holy Ghost, no doubt, signifies also by the term that Solomon's doctrine is intended for the \"great congregation,\" the Church of all places and ages (Psa 22:25; Psa 49:2-4).\n\nSolomon was plainly the author (Ecc 1:12, Ecc 1:16; Ecc 2:15; Ecc 12:9). That the Rabbins attribute it to Isaiah or Hezekiah is explicable by supposing that one or the other inserted it in the canon. The difference of its style, as compared with Proverbs and Song of Solomon, is due to the difference of subjects, and the different period of his life in which each was written; the Song, in the fervor of his first love to God; Proverbs, about the same time, or somewhat later; but Ecclesiastes in late old age, as the seal and testimony of repentance of his apostasy in the intervening period: Psa 89:30, Psa 89:33 proves his penitence. The substitution of the title Koheleth for Solomon (that is, peace), may imply that, having troubled Israel, meantime he forfeited his name of peace (Kg1 11:14, Kg1 11:23); but now, having repented, he wishes to be henceforth a Preacher of righteousness. The alleged foreign expressions in the Hebrew may have been easily imported, through the great intercourse there was with other nations during his long reign. Moreover, supposed Chaldaisms may be fragments preserved from the common tongue of which Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldee, and Arabic were offshoots.\n\nTHE SCOPE of Ecclesiastes is to show the vanity of all mere human pursuits, when made the chief end, as contrasted with the real blessedness of true wisdom, that is, religion. The immortality of the soul is dwelt on incidentally, as subsidiary to the main scope. Moses' law took this truth for granted but drew its sanctions of rewards and punishments in accordance with the theocracy, which was under a special providence of God as the temporal King of Israel, from the present life, rather than the future. But after Israel chose an earthly king, God withdrew, in part, His extraordinary providence, so that under Solomon, temporal rewards did not invariably follow virtue, and punishments vice (compare Ecc 2:16; Ecc 3:19; Ecc 4:1; Ecc 5:8; Ecc 7:15; Ecc 8:14; Ecc 9:2, Ecc 9:11). Hence the need arises to show that these anomalies will be rectified hereafter, and this is the grand \"conclusion,\" therefore, of the \"whole\" book, that, seeing there is a coming judgment, and seeing that present goods do not satisfy the soul, \"man's whole duty is to fear God and keep his commandments\" (Ecc 12:13-14), and meanwhile, to use, in joyful and serene sobriety, and not abuse, the present life (Ecc 3:12-13).\n\nIt is objected that sensual epicurism seems to be inculcated (Ecc 3:12-13, Ecc 3:22, &c.); but it is a contented, thankful enjoyment of God's present gifts that is taught, as opposed to a murmuring, anxious, avaricious spirit, as is proved by Ecc 5:18, compare with Ecc 5:11-15, not making them the chief end of life; not the joy of levity and folly; a misunderstanding which he guards against in Ecc 7:2-6; Ecc 11:9; Ecc 12:1. Again, Ecc 7:16; Ecc 9:2-10, might seem to teach fatalism and skepticism. But these are words put in the mouth of an objector; or rather, they were the language of Solomon himself during his apostasy, finding an echo in the heart of every sensualist, who wishes to be an unbeliever, and, who, therefore, sees difficulties enough in the world around wherewith to prop up his wilful unbelief. The answer is given (Ecc 7:17-18; Ecc 9:11-12; Ecc 11:1, Ecc 11:6; Ecc 12:13). Even if these passages be taken as words of Solomon, they are to be understood as forbidding a self-made \"righteousness,\" which tries to constrain God to grant salvation to imaginary good works and external strictness with which it wearies itself; also, that speculation which tries to fathom all God's inscrutable counsels (Ecc 8:17), and that carefulness about the future forbidden in Mat 6:25.\n\nTHE CHIEF GOOD is that the possession of that which makes us happy, is to be sought as the end, for its own sake; whereas, all other things are but means towards it. Philosophers, who made it the great subject of inquiry, restricted it to the present life, treating the eternal as unreal, and only useful to awe the multitude with. But Solomon shows the vanity of all human things (so-called philosophy included) to satisfy the soul, and that heavenly wisdom alone is the chief good. He had taught so when young (Pro 1:20; Pro 8:1); so also; in Song of Solomon, he had spiritualized the subject in an allegory; and now, after having long personally tried the manifold ways in which the worldly seek to reach happiness, he gives the fruit of his experience in old age.\n\nIt is divided into two parts-- Ecc. 1:1-6:10 showing the vanity of earthly things; Ecc. 6:10-12:14, the excellence of heavenly wisdom. Deviations from strict logical methods occur in these divisions, but in the main they are observed. The deviations make it the less stiff and artificial, and the more suited to all capacities. It is in poetry; the hemistichal division is mostly observed, but occasionally not so. The choice of epithets, imagery, inverted order of words, ellipses, parallelism, or, in its absence, similarity of diction, mark versification. \n\n\n\nNext: Ecclesiastes Chapter 1\n\n","order":21,"numberOfChapters":12,"sha256":"62a4e2df92d463e33901953fd7e9216b7cdda1901a15b41c1d5d575025baa481","firstChapterNumber":1,"firstChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ECC/1.json","firstChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ECC","chapter":1},"lastChapterNumber":12,"lastChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ECC/12.json","lastChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ECC","chapter":12},"totalNumberOfVerses":202},"chapter":{"number":10,"content":[{"type":"verse","number":2,"content":["(Ecc 2:14). \n\nright--The right hand is more expert than the left. The godly wise is more on his guard than the foolish sinner, though at times he slip. Better a diamond with a flaw, than a pebble without one.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":3,"content":["by the way--in his ordinary course; in his simplest acts (Pro 6:12-14). That he \"saith,\" virtually, \"that he\" himself, &c. [Septuagint]. But Vulgate, \"He thinks that every one (else whom he meets) is a fool.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":4,"content":["spirit--anger. \n\nyielding pacifieth-- (Pro 15:1). This explains \"leave not thy place\"; do not in a resisting spirit withdraw from thy post of duty (Ecc 8:3).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":5,"content":["as--rather, \"by reason of an error\" [MAURER and HOLDEN].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":6,"content":["rich--not in mere wealth, but in wisdom, as the antithesis to \"folly\" (for \"foolish men\") shows. So Hebrew, rich, equivalent to \"liberal,\" in a good sense (Isa 32:5). Mordecai and Haman (Est 3:1-2; Est 6:6-11).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":7,"content":["servants upon horses--the worthless exalted to dignity (Jer 17:25); and vice versa (Sa2 15:30).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":8,"content":["The fatal results to kings of such an unwise policy; the wrong done to others recoils on themselves (Ecc 8:9); they fall into the pit which they dug for others (Est 7:10; Psa 7:15; Pro 26:27). Breaking through the wise fences of their throne, they suffer unexpectedly themselves; as when one is stung by a serpent lurking in the stones of his neighbor's garden wall (Psa 80:12), which he maliciously pulls down (Amo 5:19).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":9,"content":["removeth stones--namely, of an ancient building [WEISS]. His neighbor's landmarks [HOLDEN]. Cuts out from the quarry [MAURER]. \n\nendangered--by the splinters, or by the head of the hatchet, flying back on himself. Pithy aphorisms are common in the East. The sense is: Violations of true wisdom recoil on the perpetrators.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":10,"content":["iron . . . blunt--in \"cleaving wood\" (Ecc 10:9), answering to the \"fool set in dignity\" (Ecc 10:6), who wants sharpness. More force has then to be used in both cases; but \"force\" without judgment \"endangers\" one's self. Translate, \"If one hath blunted his iron\" [MAURER]. The preference of rash to judicious counsellors, which entailed the pushing of matters by force, proved to be the \"hurt\" of Rehoboam (1Ki. 12:1-33). \n\nwisdom is profitable to direct--to a prosperous issue. Instead of forcing matters by main \"strength\" to one's own hurt (Ecc 9:16, Ecc 9:18).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":11,"content":["A \"serpent will bite\" if \"enchantment\" is not used; \"and a babbling calumniator is no better.\" Therefore, as one may escape a serpent by charms (Psa 58:4-5), so one may escape the sting of a calumniator by discretion (Ecc 10:12), [HOLDEN]. Thus, \"without enchantment\" answers to \"not whet the edge\" (Ecc 10:10), both expressing, figuratively, want of judgment. MAURER translates, \"There is no gain to the enchanter\" (Margin, \"master of the tongue\") from his enchantments, because the serpent bites before he can use them; hence the need of continual caution. Ecc 10:8-10, caution in acting; Ecc 10:11 and following verses, caution in speaking.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":12,"content":["gracious--Thereby he takes precaution against sudden injury (Ecc 10:11). \n\nswallow up himself-- (Pro 10:8, Pro 10:14, Pro 10:21, Pro 10:32; Pro 12:13; Pro 15:2; Pro 22:11).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":13,"content":["Illustrating the folly and injuriousness of the fool's words; last clause of Ecc 10:12.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":14,"content":["full of words-- (Ecc 5:2). \n\na man cannot tell what shall be-- (Ecc 3:22; Ecc 6:12; Ecc 8:7; Ecc 11:2; Pro 27:1). If man, universally (including the wise man), cannot foresee the future, much less can the fool; his \"many words\" are therefore futile.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":15,"content":["labour . . . wearieth-- (Isa 55:2; Hab 2:13). \n\nknoweth not how to go to the city--proverb for ignorance of the most ordinary matters (Ecc 10:3); spiritually, the heavenly city (Psa 107:7; Mat 7:13-14). MAURER connects Ecc 10:15 with the following verses. The labor (vexation) caused by the foolish (injurious princes, Ecc 10:4-7) harasses him who \"knows not how to go to the city,\" to ingratiate himself with them there. English Version is simpler.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":16,"content":["a child--given to pleasures; behaves with childish levity. Not in years; for a nation may be happy under a young prince, as Josiah. \n\neat in the morning--the usual time for dispensing justice in the East (Jer 21:12); here, given to feasting (Isa 5:11; Act 2:15).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":17,"content":["son of nobles--not merely in blood, but in virtue, the true nobility (Sol 7:1; Isa 32:5, Isa 32:8). \n\nin due season-- (Ecc 3:1), not until duty has first been attended to. \n\nfor strength--to refresh the body, not for revelry (included in \"drunkenness\").\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":18,"content":["building--literally, \"the joining of the rafters,\" namely, the kingdom (Ecc 10:16; Isa 3:6; Amo 9:11). \n\nhands-- (Ecc 4:5; Pro 6:10). \n\ndroppeth--By neglecting to repair the roof in time, the rain gets through.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":19,"content":["Referring to Ecc 10:18. Instead of repairing the breaches in the commonwealth (equivalent to \"building\"), the princes \"make a feast for laughter (Ecc 10:16), and wine maketh their life glad (Psa 104:15), and (but) money supplieth (answereth their wishes by supplying) all things,\" that is, they take bribes to support their extravagance; and hence arise the wrongs that are perpetrated (Ecc 10:5-6; Ecc 3:16; Isa 1:23; Isa 5:23). MAURER takes \"all things\" of the wrongs to which princes are instigated by \"money\"; for example, the heavy taxes, which were the occasion of Rehoboam losing ten tribes (Kg1 12:4, &c.).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":20,"content":["thought--literally, \"consciousness.\" \n\nrich--the great. The language, as applied to earthly princes knowing the \"thought,\" is figurative. But it literally holds good of the King of kings (Psa. 139:1-24), whose consciousness of every evil thought we should ever realize. \n\nbed-chamber--the most secret place (Kg2 6:12). \n\nbird of the air, &c.--proverbial (compare Hab 2:11; Luk 19:40); in a way as marvellous and rapid, as if birds or some winged messenger carried to the king information of the curse so uttered. In the East superhuman sagacity was attributed to birds (see on Job 28:21; hence the proverb).\n\n\n\n\nNext: Ecclesiastes Chapter 11\n\n"]}],"introduction":"(Ecc. 10:1-20)\n\nFollowing up Ecc 9:18. \n\nhim that is in reputation--for example, David (Sa2 12:14); Solomon (1Ki. 11:1-43); Jehoshaphat (2Ch. 18:1-34; Ch2 19:2); Josiah (Ch2 35:22). The more delicate the perfume, the more easily spoiled is the ointment. Common oil is not so liable to injury. So the higher a man's religious character is, the more hurt is caused by a sinful folly in him. Bad savor is endurable in oil, but not in what professes to be, and is compounded by the perfumer (\"apothecary\") for, fragrance. \"Flies\" answer to \"a little folly\" (sin), appropriately, being small (Co1 5:6); also, \"Beelzebub\" means prince of flies. \"Ointment\" answers to \"reputation\" (Ecc 7:1; Gen 34:30). The verbs are singular, the noun plural, implying that each of the flies causes the stinking savor.\n\n"},"thisChapterLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ECC/10.json","thisChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ECC","chapter":10},"nextChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ECC/11.json","nextChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ECC","chapter":11},"previousChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/ECC/9.json","previousChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"ECC","chapter":9},"numberOfVerses":19}