Ecclesiastes 12

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:4

The doors shall be shut in the streets . Hitherto the symbolism has been comparatively easy to interpret. With this verse inextricable difficulties seem to arise. Of course, in one view it is natural that in the bitter weather, or on the appearance of a tempest, the doors towards the street should be closed, and none should leave the house. But what are meant by the doors in the metaphorical house, the body of the aged man? Jewish expositors understood them to be the pores, or excretive... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:5

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high . There is no "when" in the original, which runs, "Also, or yea, they fear on high." "They" are old men, or, like the French on , "people" indefinitely; and the clause says that they find difficulty in mounting an ascent, as the Vulgate renders, Excelsa quoque timebant . Shortness of breath, asthmatic tendencies, failure of muscular power, make such an exertion arduous and burdensome, just as in the previous verse a similar cause... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:6

Or ever ; i.e. before, ere ( ad asher lo ). The words recall us to Ecclesiastes 12:1 and Ecclesiastes 12:2 , bidding the youth make the best use of his time ere old age cuts him off. In the present paragraph the final dissolution is described under two figures. The silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken. This is evidently one figure, which would be made plainer by reading "and" instead of "or," the idea being that the lamp is shattered by the snapping of the cord that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:7

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was ; rather, and the dust return, etc.—the sentence begun above being still carried on to the end of the verse. Here we are told what becomes of the complex man at death, and are thus led to the explanation of the allegorical language used throughout. Without metaphor now it is stated that the material body, when life is extinct, returns to that matter out of which it was originally made ( Genesis 2:7 ; Genesis 3:19 ; comp. Job 34:15 ; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:8

It has been much questioned whether this verse is the conclusion of the treatise or the commencement of the epilogue. For the latter conclusion it is contended that it is only natural that the beginning of the final summing-up should start with the same words as the opening of the book ( Ecclesiastes 1:2 ); and that thus the conjunction "and," with which Ecclesiastes 12:9 begins, is readily explained. But the treatise is more artistically completed by regarding this solemn utterance as the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:9

And moreover ; וְיֹתֵר ; καὶ περισσόν ; rather, with the following שֵׁ , besides that . The Preacher was wise. If we render "because the Preacher was wise," we are making an unnecessary statement, as the whole book has demonstrated this fact, which goes without saying. What the writer here asserts is that Koheleth did not merely possess wisdom, but had made good use of it for the instruction of others. The author throws aside his disguise, and speaks of his object in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:9-11

Koheleth as teacher of wisdom. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

THE EPILOGUE . This contains some observations commendatory of the author, explaining his standpoint and the object of the book, the great conclusion to which it leads. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:10

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words ; literally, words of delight ; λόγους θελήματος ; verba utilia (Vulgate); so Aquila, λόγους χρείας . The word chephets, "pleasure," occurs in Ecclesiastes 5:4 ; Ecclesiastes 12:1 . Thus we have "stones of pleasure" ( Isaiah 54:12 ). He added the grace of refined diction to the solid sense of his utterances. Plumptre reminds us of the "gracious words" ( λόγοις τῆς χάριτος , Luke 4:22 ) which proceeded from the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:11

The words of the wise are as goads . The connection of this verse with the preceding is maintained by the fact that the "acceptable words," etc; are words of the wise, emanate from the same persons. Herewith he proceeds to characterize them, with especial reference to his own work. The goad was a rod with an iron spike, or sharpened at the end, used in driving oxen (see 3:31 ; 1 Samuel 13:21 ; Ecclesiasticus 38:25; Acts 9:5 ). Words of wisdom are called goads because they rouse to... read more

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