Ecclesiastes 1:13 NIV

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

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

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

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

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 1:13

Ecclesiastes 1:13. I gave my heart Which phrase denotes his serious and fixed purpose, and his great industry in it. To search out by wisdom To seek diligently and accurately, by the help of that wisdom wherewith God had endowed me. Concerning all things, &c. Concerning all the works of God and men in this lower world; the works of nature; the works of divine providence; and the works and depths of human policy. This sore travail This difficult and toilsome work of searching out... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Lessons from experience (1:12-2:26)Writing as Solomon, the author now looks back and describes the experiences of a truly wise and wealthy man who searched for a meaning to life. First he tried the study of wisdom, but it led only to misery and frustration. Some things could not be made to fit any sort of consistent pattern; others, which in theory may have solved some problems, in practice did not exist (12-15). His learning and experience enabled him to tell the difference between wisdom and... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ecclesiastes 1:13

wisdom. Hebrew. chokmah. See note on Proverbs 1:2 . under heaven = under the heavens. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "under the sun". God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . The title "Jehovah" is not used in Ecclesiastes, as this book refers to man in relation to his Creator only; not to man in covenant with Him as "Jehovah". Hence the frequent use of Hebrew. 'adam for "man" in this book. exercised = humbled. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:13

Ecclesiastes 1:13. This sore travail hath God given— That is to say, the fatiguing employment which God gave to the sons of men, to give evidence of himself. See the paraphrase on the 15th verse. read more