Ecclesiastes 6:12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:11-22

Here, 1. Solomon lays down his conclusion which he had undertaken to prove, as that which was fully confirmed by the foregoing discourse: There be many things that increase vanity; the life of man is vain, at the best, and there are abundance of accidents that concur to make it more so; even that which pretends to increase the vanity and make it more vexatious. 2. He draws some inferences from it, which serve further to evince the truth of it. (1.) That a man is never the nearer to true... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:12

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life ?.... To be in a higher or lower station of life, to live in grandeur or meanness, to be rich or poor, learned or unlearned; since that which seems most agreeable to human nature is at, ended with so much vanity, the occasion of so much sin, and often issues in ruin and misery, that no man knows what is best for him; and therefore it is the wisest way to be content with what a man has, and enjoy it in the most comfortable manner, and use... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 6:12

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life - Those things which we deem good are often evil. And those which we think evil are often good. So ignorant are we, that we run the greatest hazard in making a choice. It is better to leave ourselves and our concerns in the hands of the Lord, than to keep them in our own. For who can tell a man what shall be after him - Futurity is with God. While he lives, man wishes to know what is before him. When he is about to die, he wishes to know... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:10-12

Section 11. All things are foreknown and foreordained by God ; it is useless to murmur against or to discuss this great fact ; and as the future is beyond our knowledge and control, it is wise to make the best of the present. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:12

This verse in the Greek and Latin versions, as in some copies of the Hebrew, is divorced from its natural place, as the conclusion of the paragraph, Ecclesiastes 6:10 , Ecclesiastes 6:11 , and is arranged as the commencement of Ecclesiastes 7:1-29 . Plainly, the Divine prescience of Ecclesiastes 7:10 , Ecclesiastes 7:11 is closely connected with the question of man's ultimate good and his ignorance of the future, enunciated in this verse. For who knoweth what is good for man in this... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 6:12

After him - i. e., On earth, in his own present sphere of action, after his departure hence (compare Ecclesiastes 2:19; Ecclesiastes 3:22). read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 6:11-12

Ecclesiastes 6:11-12. Seeing there be many things which increase vanity This seems to be added as a conclusion from all the foregoing chapters; seeing not only man is a vain creature in himself, but there are also many other things, which, instead of diminishing, do but increase this vanity, as wisdom, pleasure, power, wealth; seeing even the good things of this life bring so much toil, and cares, and fears with them; what is man the better By all that he can either desire or enjoy here? ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 6:1-12

Advice about money (5:8-6:12)Greed for money is a common social evil and the cause of much suffering. Because of such greed, government officials exploit poor farmers. Each official makes sure he takes as much money as he can, so that after he has passed some of it on to those above him who protect him, he has enough left for himself. As for the farmers, besides losing their profits to corrupt officials, they must also give some of their harvest as a tax to the king (8-9).Prosperity does not... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ecclesiastes 6:12

all the days of his vain life = the numbered days of his vain life. for = as to which. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 6:12

Ecclesiastes 6:12. Which he spendeth as a shadow— Though he spendeth them under a shadow, in which who will shew a man what shall be after him? Desvoeux: who has shewn, that the phrase, to spend his days under a shadow, signifies, to spend them in ease and tranquillity. See p. 324. The 3rd general proposition is contained in this verse. Men know not what is, or is not, truly advantageous to them, because they are either ignorant or unmindful of that which must come to pats after they are dead.... read more

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