Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 ESV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

Here is, I. An account of the penman of this book; it was Solomon, for no other son of David was king of Jerusalem; but he conceals his name Solomon, peaceable, because by his sin he had brought trouble upon himself and his kingdom, had broken his peace with God and lost the peace of his conscience, and therefore was no more worthy of that name. Call me not Solomon, call me Marah, for, behold, for peace I had great bitterness. But he calls himself, 1. The preacher, which intimates his present... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher ,.... This is the preacher's text; the theme and subject he after enlarges upon, and proves by an induction of particulars; it is the sum of the whole book; vanity of vanities, all is vanity ; most extremely vain, exceedingly so, the height of vanity: this is repeated, both for the confirmation of it, men being hard of belief of it; and to show how much the preacher was affected with it himself, and to affect others with the same. The Targum... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:3

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? This is a general proof of the vanity of all things, since there is no profit arises to a man of all his labour; for, though it is put by way of question, it carries in it a strong negative. All things a man enjoys he gets by labour; for man, through sin, is doomed and born unto it, Job 5:7 ; he gets his bread by the sweat of his brow, which is a part of the curse for sin; and the wealth and riches got by a diligent... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity of vanities - As the words are an exclamation, it would be better to translate, O vanity of vanities! Emptiness of emptinesses. True, substantial good is not to be found in any thing liable to change and corruption. The author referred to in the introduction begins his paraphrase thus: - "O vain deluding world! whose largest gifts Thine emptiness betray, like painted clouds, Or watery bubbles: as the vapor flies, Dispersed by lightest blast, so fleet thy joys, And leave... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:3

What profit hath a man - What is the sum of the real good he has gained by all his toils in life? They, in themselves, have neither made him contented nor happy. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity (comp. Ecclesiastes 12:8 ). "Vanity" is hebel , which means "breath," and is used metaphorically of anything transitory, frail, unsatisfying. We have it in the proper name Abel, an appropriate designation of the youth whose life was cut short by a brother's murderous hand. "Vanity of vanities," like "heaven of heavens" ( 1 Kings 8:27 ), "song of songs" (So Ecclesiastes 1:1 ), etc; is equivalent to a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

PROLOGUE . The vanity of all human and mundane things, and the oppressive monotony of their continued recurrence. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:3

What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? Here begins the elucidation of the fruitlessness of man's ceaseless activity. The word rendered "profit" ( yithron ) is found only in this book, where it occurs frequently. It means "that which remains over, advantage," περισσεία , as the LXX . translates it. As the verb and the substantive are cognate in the following words, they are better rendered, in all his labor wherein he laboreth . So Euripides has, ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity - This word הבל hebel, or, when used as a proper name, in Genesis 4:2, “Abel”, occurs no less than 37 times in Ecclesiastes, and has been called the key of the book. Primarily it means “breath,” “light wind;” and denotes what:(1) passes away more or less quickly and completely;(2) leaves either no result or no adequate result behind, and therefore(3) fails to satisfy the mind of man, which naturally craves for something permanent and progressive: it is also applied to:(4) idols, as... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:3

What profit ... - The question often repeated is the great practical inquiry of the book; it receives its final answer in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. When this question was asked, the Lord had not yet spoken Matthew 11:28. The word “profit” (or pre-eminence) is opposed to “vanity.”Hath a man - Rather, hath man. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:3

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