Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:8

A time to love, and a time to hate ,.... For one to love his friend, and to hate a man, a sinner, as the Targum; to love a friend while he continues such, and hate him, or less love him, when he proves treacherous and unfaithful; an instance of a change of love into hatred may be seen in the case of Amnon, 2 Samuel 13:15 . A time of unregeneracy is a time of loving worldly lusts and sinful pleasures, the company of wicked men, and all carnal delights and recreations; and a time of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:9

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? That is, he has none. This is an inference drawn from the above premises, and confirms what has been before observed, Ecclesiastes 1:3 ; Man has no profit of his labour, since his time is so short to enjoy it, and he leaves it to another, he knows not who; and, while he lives, is attended with continual vicissitudes and changes; sometimes it is a time for one thing, and sometimes for its contrary, so that there is nothing... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:10

I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men ,.... The pains and trouble they are at to get a little wisdom and knowledge, Ecclesiastes 1:13 ; and so to obtain riches and honour, peace and plenty, which sometimes they do obtain, and sometimes not; and when they do, do not keep them long, for there is a time for everything. This the wise man had observed, in a variety of instances; and he considered the end of God in it, which was for men to be exercised in it , or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:11

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time ,.... That is, God has made everything; as all things in creation are made by him, for his pleasure and glory, and all well and wisely, there is a beauty in them all: so all things in providence; he upholds all things; he governs and orders all things according to the counsel of his will; some things are done immediately by him, others by instruments, and some are only permitted by him; some he does himself, some he wills to be done by others,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:12

I know that there is no good in them ,.... In these things; as the Arabic version; in the creatures, as Jarchi; in all sublunary enjoyments; in everything the wise man had made a trial of before, as natural Wisdom and knowledge, worldly pleasure, riches, and wealth; the "summun bonum", or happiness of men, did not lie in these things; this he knew by experience, and had the strongest assurance of it: or in them, that is, the children of men, as the Targum: there is no real good thing in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:13

And also that every man should eat and drink ,.... Not to excess, but in moderation; and yet freely, plentifully, and cheerfully; and not alone, but giving the poor a portion with him; and in all having in view the glory of God, 1 Corinthians 10:31 ; and enjoy the good of all his labour ; take the comfort of what he has been labouring for, and not lay it up for, and leave it to, he knows not who: the Targum is, "and see good in his days, and cause his children, at the time of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:14

I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever ,.... Which some, as Jarchi, understand of the works of creation, the heavens and the earth, which are however of long standing and duration; and though they shall be dissolved and perish, as to their form and quality, yet not as to the substance of them: the earth particularly is said to abide for ever, Ecclesiastes 1:4 ; the sun and moon, and stars, keep their course or station; and the several seasons of the year have their constant... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:15

That which hath seen is now; and that which is to be hath already been ,.... That which has been from the beginning now is; that which cometh, and what shall be in the end of days, has been already, as the Targum. Jarchi interprets this of God and his attributes, which are always the same; he is the "I am that I am", Exodus 3:14 ; the immutable and eternal Jehovah, which is, and was, and is to come, invariably the same. Or rather it designs his decrees and purposes; what has been decreed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:16

And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment ,.... Courts of judicature, where judges sit, and, causes are brought before them, and are heard and tried; such as were the Jewish sanhedrim, of which the Midrash and Jarchi interpret it; that wickedness was there , wicked judges sat there, and wickedness was committed by them; instead of doing justice they perverted it; condemned the righteous, and acquitted the wicked; and oppressed the widow, fatherless, and stranger, whose... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 3:17

I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked ,.... This he considered in his mind, and set it down for a certain truth, and which relieved him under the consideration of the sad perversion of justice; and made him easy under it, and willing to leave things to him that judgeth righteously, and wait his time when everything that was now wrong would be set right: he knew from reason, from tradition, and from the word of God, that there was a judgment to come, a general,... read more

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