Ecclesiastes 2:11-20 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Solomon here, in pursuit of the summum bonum?the felicity of man, adjourns out of his study, his library, his elaboratory, his council-chamber, where he had in vain sought for it, into the park and the playhouse, his garden and his summer-house; he exchanges the company of the philosophers and grave senators for that of the wits and gallants, and the beaux-esprits, of his court, to try if he could find true satisfaction and happiness among them. Here he takes a great step downward, from the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:12-16

Solomon having tried what satisfaction was to be had in learning first, and then in the pleasures of sense, and having also put both together, here compares them one with another and passes a judgment upon them. I. He sets himself to consider both wisdom and folly. He had considered these before (Eccl. 1:17); but lest it should be thought he was then too quick in passing a judgment upon them, he here turns himself again to behold them, to see if, upon a second view and second thoughts, he... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

Business is a thing that wise men have pleasure in. They are in their element when they are in their business, and complain if they be out of business. They may sometimes be tired with their business, but they are not weary of it, nor willing to leave it off. Here therefore one would expect to have found the good that men should do, but Solomon tried this too; after a contemplative life and a voluptuous life, he betook himself to an active life, and found no more satisfaction in it than in the... 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

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:12-16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

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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