While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened - i.e., in the Spring, prime, and prosperity of life. Nor the clouds return - The infirmities of old age of which Winter is a proper emblem, as spring is of youth, in the former clause of this verse. read more
In the day when the keepers of the house - The Body of man is here compared to a House: - mark the metaphors and their propriety. 1. The keepers shall tremble - the hands become paralytic, as is constantly the case, less or more, in old age. 2. The strong men shall bow - The legs become feeble, and unable to support the weight of the body. 3. The grinders cease because they are few - The teeth decayed and mostly lost; the few that remain being incapable of... read more
And the doors shall be shut in the streets - read more
When they shall be afraid of that which is high - read more
Or ever the silver cord be loosed - We have already had all the external evidences of old age, with all its attendant infirmities; next follow what takes place in the body, in order to produce what is called death, or the separation of body and soul. 1. The silver cord - The medulla oblongata or spinal marrow, from which all the nerves proceed, as itself does from the brain. This is termed a cord, from its exact similitude to one; and a silver cord, from its color, as it strikingly... read more
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God - read more
This affecting and minute description of old age and death is concluded by the author with the same exclamation by which he began this book: O vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, all is vanity. Now that man, the masterpiece of God's creation, the delegated sovereign of this lower world, is turned to dust, what is there stable or worthy of contemplation besides? All - All is Vanity! read more
Because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge - And in order to do this he took good heed - considered what would be most useful. He set in order - collected and arranged, many parables, probably alluding to the book over which we have already passed. read more
He sought to find out acceptable words - חפץ דברי dibrey chephets , words of desire, words of will; the best, the most suitable words; those which the people could best understand. But these words were not such as might merely please the people; they were words of truth; such as came from God, and might lead them to him. read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember thy Creator - בוראיך Boreeycha , thy Creators. The word is most certainly in the plural number in all our common Hebrew Bibles; but it is in the singular number, בוראך Borecha , in one hundred and seventy-six of Dr. Kennicott's MSS., and ninety-six of De Rossi's; in many ancient editions; and in all the ancient versions. There is no dependence on the plural form in most of the modern editions; though there are some editions of great worth which exhibit the word in this form,... read more