Ecclesiastes 4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:5

The fool foldeth his hands together ,.... In order to get more sleep, or as unwilling to work; so the Targum adds, "he folds his hands in summer, and will not labour;' see Proverbs 6:10 . Some persons, to escape the envy which diligence and industry bring on men, will not work at all, or do any right work, and think to sleep in a whole skin; this is great folly and madness indeed: and eateth his own flesh ; such a man is starved and famished for want of food, so that his flesh is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:6

Better is a handful with quietness ,.... These are the words of the fool, according to Aben Ezra; and which is the sense of other interpreters, particularly Mr. Broughton, who connects this verse with Ecclesiastes 4:5 by adding at the end of that the word "saying"; making an excuse or an apology for himself and conduct, from the use and profitableness of his sloth; that little had with ease, and without toil and labour, is much better than both the hands full with travail and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:7

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. Another vanity besides what he had taken notice of, and is as follows. Aben Ezra's note is, "I turned from considering the words of this fool, and I saw another fool, the reverse of the former.' read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:8

There is one alone , and there is not a second ,.... According to Aben Ezra, either no friend or companion, or no servant, or no wife, which last sense he prefers; no friend or companion he chooses, because friendship and fellowship lead to expenses; and no servant who would be chargeable to him; and no wife, which would be more expensive, and bring on a family of children; wherefore, to save charges, he chooses to have neither of these; for this is a covetous man who is here desert bed;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:9

Two are better than one ,.... The wise man takes occasion, from the solitariness Of the covetous man before described, to show in this and some following verses the preferableness and advantages of social life; which, as it holds true in things natural and civil, so in things spiritual and religious; man is a sociable creature, was made to be so; and it was the judgment of God, which is according to truth, and who can never err, that it was not good for man to be alone, Genesis 2:18 . It... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:10

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow ,.... That is, if anyone of them fall, the other will lift him up, as they are travelling together, in whatsoever manner; if one falls from his horse, or out of his carriage, or into a ditch, the other will endeavour to raise him up again: this, as it is true in a natural, so in a figurative and metaphorical sense, with religious persons especially; "if one of them falls upon the bed, and lies sick,' as the Targum paraphrases it, his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:11

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat ,.... The Targum adds, in the winter; when it is a cold season, they warm one another by lying together. The Targum interprets it of a man and his wife; it is true of others; see 1 Kings 1:1 ; but how can one be warm alone ? not soon, nor easily, in time of cold weather. This is true in a spiritual sense of persons in a Christian communion and religious society; when they are grown cold in their love, lukewarm in their affections, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:12

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him ,.... If an enemy, or a thief, or a robber, attack anyone of them, in friendship and fellowship together, and is more than a match for him; both joined together will be able to resist him; so that he shall not succeed in his enterprise, and do the mischief he designed; see 2 Samuel 10:11 ; Thus, when Satan attacks a single believer, which he chooses to do when alone; so he tempted Eve in the garden, and Christ in the wilderness; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:13

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king ,.... The wise man proceeds to show the vanity of worldly power and dignity, in the highest instance of it, which is kingly; and, in order to illustrate and exemplify this, he supposes, on the one hand, a person possessed of royal honour; who has long enjoyed it, is settled in his kingdom, and advanced in years; and who otherwise, for his gravity and dignity, would be venerable; but that he is foolish, a person of a mean genius... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:14

For out of prison he cometh to reign ,.... That is, this is sometimes the case of a poor and wise child; he rises out of a low, mean, abject, obscure state and condition, to the highest dignity; from a prison house, or a place where servants are, to sit among princes, and even to have the supreme authority: so Joseph, to whose case Solomon is thought to have respect, and which is mentioned in the Midrash; who was but a young man, and poor and friendless, but wise; and was even laid in... read more

Group of Brands