Ecclesiastes 2:1-23 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:8

I gathered me also silver and gold ,.... In great quantities: the weight of gold which came to him in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents; see 1 Kings 9:14 ; and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces ; whatsoever was valuable and precious, such as is laid up in the cabinets of kings, as jewels and precious stones; and everything rare and curious, to be found in all provinces of the earth, or which were brought from thence as presents to him; the Targum is,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:9

So I was great ,.... Became famous for the great works wrought by him before mentioned; and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem ; the Targum adds, "in riches"; but it seems rather to respect his fame and glory among men; though in general it may include his increase of wealth, power, and honour, and everything that contributed to his external happiness; also my wisdom remained with me ; the Targum adds, "and it helped me"; which he exercised and showed in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:10

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them ,.... Though this sense is only mentioned, all are designed; he denied himself of nothing that was agreeable to him, that was pleasing to the eye, to the ear, to the taste, or any other sense; he indulged himself in everything, observing a proper decorum, and keeping himself within the due bounds of sobriety and good sense; I withheld not my heart from any joy : the Targum says, "from all joy of the law"; but it is to be understood of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:11

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do ,.... He had looked at them, and on them, over and over again, and had taken pleasure therein; but now he sits down and enters into a serious consideration of them, what prodigious expenses he had been at; what care and thought, what toil and labour of mind, he had taken in contriving, designing, and bringing these works to perfection; what pleasure and delight he had found in them, and what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:12

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly ,.... Being disappointed in his pursuit of pleasure, and not finding satisfaction and happiness in that, he turns from it, and reassumes his study of natural wisdom and knowledge, to make a fresh trial, and see whether there might be some things he had overlooked in his former inquiries; and whether upon a revise of what he had looked into he might not find more satisfaction than before; being convinced however that the pursuit of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:13

Then I sat that wisdom excelleth folly ,.... However, this upon a review of things he could not but own, that natural wisdom and knowledge, though there was no true happiness and satisfaction in them, yet they greatly exceeded folly and madness; as far as light excelleth darkness ; as the light of the day the darkness of the night; the one is pleasant and delightful, the other very uncomfortable; the one useful to direct in walking, the other very unsafe to walk in: light sometimes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:14

The wise man's eyes are in his head ,.... And so are the eyes of every man; but the sense is, he makes use of them, he looks about him, and walks circumspectly; he takes heed to his goings, he foresees the evil, and avoids it; or the danger he is exposed unto, and guards against it. Some understand it, in a more spiritual and evangelical sense, of Christ, who is the head of the body the church, and of every true believer; of everyone that is wise unto salvation, whose eyes are on him alone... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:15

Then said I in my heart, as it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me ,.... The wisest of kings, and the wisest of men; that is, he looked over things in his mind, and considered what had befallen him, or what were his present circumstances, or what would be his case, especially at death; and said within himself, the same things happen to me, who have attained to the highest pitch of wisdom, as to the most errant fool; and therefore no true happiness can be in this sort of wisdom.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:16

For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever ,.... The Targum interprets it, in the world to come; but even in this world the remembrance of a wise man, any more than of a fool, does not always last; a wise man may not only be caressed in life, but may be remembered after death for a while; the fame of him may continue for a little time, and his works and writings may be applauded; but by and by rises up another genius brighter than he, or at least is so thought,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:17

Therefore I hated life ,.... Not strictly and simply understood, since life is the gift of God; and a great blessing it is, more than raiment, and so dear to a man, that he will give all he has for it: but comparatively, in comparison of the lovingkindness of God, which is better than life; or in comparison of eternal life, which a good man desires to depart from this world, for the sake of enjoying it. The sense seems to be this, that since the case of wise men and fools was equal, he had... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:17

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