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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:8-12

Solomon is here drawing towards a close, and is loth to part till he has gained his point, and prevailed with his hearers, with his readers, to seek for that satisfaction in God only and in their duty to him which they can never find in the creature. I. He repeats his text (Eccl. 12:8), 1. As that which he had fully demonstrated the truth of, and so made good his undertaking in this sermon, wherein he had kept closely to his text, and both his reasons and his application were to the purpose.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:8

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher ,.... The wise man, or preacher, set out in the beginning of the book with this doctrine, or proposition, which he undertook to prove; and now having proved it by an induction of particulars, instanced in the wisdom, wealth, honours, pleasures, and profit of men, and shown the vanity of them, and that the happiness of men lies not in these things, but in the knowledge and fear of God; he repeats it, and most strongly asserts it, as an undoubted truth... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:9

And moreover ,.... Or "besides" F26 ויתר "praeterea", Tigurine version, Vatablus, Schmidt. what has been said; or "as to what remains" F1 "Quod reliquum est", Piscator, Gejerus, Amama. ; or "but what is better", or "more excellent" F2 "Quamobrem potius", Junius & Tremeillius; "and this is a matter of excellency", Broughton, , is to "hear the conclusion of the whole matter", the sum and substance of the whole book in a few words, Ecclesiastes 12:13 ; to which ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:10

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words ,.... Not mere words, fine and florid ones, the words which man's wisdom teacheth, an elegant style, or eloquent language; not but that it is proper for a preacher to seek out and use words suitable and apt to convey right ideas to the minds of men of what he says; but doctrines are rather here meant, "words of desire", "delight", and "pleasure" F4 דברי חפץ "verba complacentiae vel beneplaciti", Vatablus; "verba desiderii", Amama,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 12:11

The words of the wise are as goads ,.... As the goad teacheth the ox; so the Targum. Not the words of the wise philosophers of that age, or of ages before, or since; but of the inspired penmen of the Scriptures, as Moses, David, Solomon, and of others since; and of all good men, whose doctrines are agreeably to them; these are like "goads" or "pricks", sharp pointed sticks or staves, with which men push and prick their cattle, when driving them from place to place, or ploughing with them:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 12:8

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 12:9

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 12:10

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 12:11

The words of the wise - Doctrines of faith, illustrated by suitable language, are as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, אספות בעלי baaley asuphoth , the masters of collections, those who had made the best collections of this kind, the matter of which was of the most excellent nature; every saying sinking as deeply into the mind, by the force of the truth contained in it, as a nail well pointed does into a board, when impelled by the hammer's force. These masters of collections... 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

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