Ecclésiaste 1:13-14 BDS

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Solomon, having asserted in general that all is vanity, and having given some general proofs of it, now takes the most effectual method to evince the truth of it, 1. By his own experience; he tried them all, and found them vanity. 2. By an induction of particulars; and here he begins with that which bids fairest of all to be the happiness of a reasonable creature, and that is knowledge and learning; if this be vanity, every thing else must needs be so. Now as to this, I. Solomon tells us here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:13

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom ,.... As he had all advantages and opportunities, so he did not want for industry and application to obtain knowledge; he gave his mind to it; he took up a resolution not to be discouraged by any difficulties, but to break through them, if possible; he set about the work with great readiness and cheerfulness; he had a price in his hand to get wisdom, and he had a heart unto it; see Proverbs 17:16 ; and he pursued it with all diligence,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun ,.... All things done by the Lord, that were on the earth, and in it, and in the sea; he considered them, and endeavoured to search into the nature of them; and did attain to a very great knowledge of them, so that he could speak of them to the instruction of others; see 1 Kings 4:33 ; and all that were done by men, by their head, or by their hands; all that were written or wrought by them; all their philosophical works and experiments,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:13

And I gave my heart to seek and search - While Solomon was faithful to his God he diligently cultivated his mind. His giving himself to the study of natural history, philosophy, poetry, etc., are sufficient proofs of it. He had not intuitive knowledge from God; but he had a capacity to obtain every kind of knowledge useful to man. This sore travail - This is the way in which knowledge is to be acquired; and in order to investigate the operations of nature, the most laborious discussions... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:14

Behold, all is vanity - After all these discussions and experiments, when even the results have been the most successful, I have found only rational satisfaction; but not that supreme good by which alone the soul can be made happy. O curas hominum! O quantum est in rebus inane ! "How anxious are our cares, and yet how vain The bent of our desires!" Pers. Sat. i., 5: 1. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Section 1. Vanity of striving for wisdom and knowledge. Esther 1:12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem . Koheleth relates his own experience as king, in accordance with his assumption of the person of Solomon. The use of the past tense in this verse is regarded by many as strong evidence against the Solomonic authorship of the book. "I have been king" (not "I have become king," as Gratz would translate) is a statement introducing the supposed speaker, not as a reigning... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:13

I gave my heart ( Ecclesiastes 1:17 ; Ecclesiastes 7:25 ; Daniel 10:12 ). The heart, in the Hebrew conception, was the seat, not of the affections only, but of the understanding and intellectual faculties generally. So the expression here is equivalent to "I applied my mind." To seek and search out. The two words are not synonymous. The former verb ( דָּרַשׁ , darash ) implies penetrating into the depth of an object before one; the other word ( תּוּר , tur ) taking a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:14

Here is the result of this examination of human actions. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun. In his varied experience nothing had escaped his notice. And behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit ; reuth ruach ; afflictio spiritus (Vulgate); προαίρεσις πνεύματος , "choice of spirit," or, "wind"; νομὴ ἀνέμου (Aquila and Theodotion); βοσκήσις ἀνέμου , "feeding on wind" (Symmachus). This last translation, or "striving after wind," seems to be most... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:13

Wisdom - As including both the powers of observation and judgment, and the knowledge acquired thereby (1 Kings 3:28; 1 Kings 4:29; 1 Kings 10:8, ...). It increases by exercise. Here is noted its application to people and their actions.Travail - In the sense of toil; the word is here applied to all human occupations.God - God is named as אלהים 'elohı̂ym thirty-nine times in this book; a name common to the true God and to false gods, and used by believers and by idolators: but the name Yahweh, by... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:14

Vexation of spirit - A phrase which occurs 7 times, and may be otherwise translated, “feeding on wind.” Modern Hebrew grammarians assert that the word rendered “vexation” must be derived from a root signifying “to feed,” “follow,” “strive after.” This being admitted, it remains to choose between two translations:(1) “striving after wind,” or “windy effort;” adopted by the Septuagint and the majority of modern interpreters; or(2) feeding on wind. Compare Hosea 12:1 : and similar phrases in... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:14

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:13

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:14

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