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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:7-10

The preacher here further shows the vanity and folly of heaping up worldly wealth and expecting happiness in it. I. How much soever we toil about the world, and get out of it, we can have for ourselves no more than a maintenance (Eccl. 6:7): All the labour of man is for his mouth, which craves it of him (Prov. 16:26); it is but food and raiment; what is more others have, not we; it is all for the mouth. Meats are but for the belly and the belly for meats; there is nothing for the head and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:8

For what hath the wise more than the fool ,.... More delight and pleasure, in gratifying his senses, by eating and drinking: the wise man enjoys no more than the fool; the fool finds as much pleasure in the labour of his hands, which is for his mouth, as the wise man does; and the wise man can get no more satisfaction to his mind, from these outward gratifications, than the fool; what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living ? either, what does the poor man want more than... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:9

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire ,.... By "the sight of the eyes" is not meant the bare beholding outward riches, as in Ecclesiastes 5:11 ; but the enjoyment of present mercies; such things as a man is in the possession of, and with which he should be content, Hebrews 13:5 ; and by "the wandering of the desire", the craving appetite and insatiable lust of the covetous mind, which enlarges its desire as hell, after a thousand things, and everything it can... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:10

That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man ,.... Which may be understood of the first man Adam, who has been, has existed, was produced by the immediate power of God, creating and forming him out of the dust of the earth; was made after the image, and in the likeness of God, a wise and knowing creature, a rich and powerful one, the figure of him that was to come, being the head and representative of all his posterity; and he has been named already, he had his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 6:8

For what hath the wise more than the fool? - They must both labor for the same end. Both depend upon the labor of themselves or others for the necessaries of life. Both must eat and drink in order to live; and the rich man can no more eat two meals at a time, than he can comfortably wear two changes of raiment. The necessaries of life are the same to both, and their condition in life is nearly similar; liable to the same diseases, dissolution, and death. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 6:9

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire - This is translated by the Vulgate, as a sort of adage: Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias, "It is better to see what one desires than to covet what one knows not." It is better to enjoy the present than to feed one's self with vain desires of the future. What we translate the wandering of desire, נפש מהלך mehaloch nephesh , is the travelling of the soul. What is this? Does it simply mean desire?... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 6:10

That which hath been is named already - The Hebrew of this verse might be translated, "Who is he who is? His name has been already called. And it is known that he is Adam; and that he cannot contend in judgment with him who is stronger than he." "What is more excellent than man; yet can he not, in the lawe, get the victory of him that is mightier than he." - Coverdale. Adam is his name; and it at once points out, His dignity; he was made in the image of God. His fall; he sinned... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:7-9

Section 10. Desire is insatiable ; men are always striving after enjoyment, but they never gain their wish completely—which fortifies the old conclusion that man's happiness is not in his own power. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:8

For what hath the wise more fire than the fool? i . e . What advantage hath the wise man over the fool? This verse confirms the previous one by an interrogative argument. The same labor for support, the same unsatisfied desires, belong to all, wise or foolish; in this respect intellectual gifts have no superiority. (For a similar interrogation implying an emphatic denial, see Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 :30) What hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? The Septuagint gives... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:9

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire ( nephesh , "the soul," Ecclesiastes 6:7 ). This is a further confirmation of the misery and unrest that accompany immoderate desires. "The sight of the eyes" means the enjoyment of the present, that which lies before one, in contrast to the restless craving for what is distant, uncertain, and out of reach. The lesson taught is to make the best of existing circumstances, to enjoy the present, to control the roaming of... read more

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