Ecclesiastes 7:23 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:23-29

Solomon had hitherto been proving the vanity of the world and its utter insufficiency to make men happy; now here he comes to show the vileness of sin, and its certain tendency to make men miserable; and this, as the former, he proves from his own experience, and it was a dear-bought experience. He is here, more than any where in all this book, putting on the habit of a penitent. He reviews what he had been discoursing of already, and tells us that what he had said was what he knew and was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:23

All this have I proved by wisdom ,.... Referring either to all that he had been discoursing of hitherto in this book, concerning the vanity of natural wisdom and knowledge, of pleasure, power, and riches; or to the several useful instructions given in this chapter, particularly concerning patiently bearing everything from the hands of God or men, Ecclesiastes 7:8 . This, by the help and use of that wisdom which God had given him, he had made trial of, and found it to be right, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 7:23

All this have I proved by wisdom - These rules I have laid down for my own conduct, and sought after more wisdom; but have fallen far short of what I wished to be. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:23

All this have I proved by wisdom ; i.e. wisdom was the means by which he arrived at the practical conclusions given above ( Ecclesiastes 7:1-22 ). Would wisdom solve deeper questions? And if so, could he ever hope to attain it? I said, I will be wise . This was his strong resolve. He desired to grow in wisdom, to use it in order to unfold mysteries and explain anomalies. Hitherto he had been content to watch the course of men's lives, and find by experience what was good and what was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:23-29

Section 4. Further in sight into essential wisdom was not obtain able; but Koheleth learned some other practical lessons, viz. that wickedness was folly and madness ; that woman was the most evil thing in the world ; that man had perverted his nature , which was made originally good . read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 7:23

I will be - Or, I am. There was a time when Solomon thought himself wise enough to comprehend the work of God, and therefore needed for himself the self-humbling conviction declared in this verse.It - i. e. Wisdom. Compare Ecclesiastes 8:17. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 7:23-24

Ecclesiastes 7:23-24. All this have I proved All these things, of which I have here discoursed, I have diligently examined and found to be true; by wisdom By the help of that singular wisdom which God had given me. I said, I will be wise I determined that I would, by all possible means, seek to attain perfection of wisdom, and I persuaded myself that I should attain it; but it was far from me I found myself greatly disappointed, and the more I knew the more I saw mine own folly. That... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:15-29

Avoid extremes (7:15-29)One of the puzzles of life is that bad people often have long and prosperous lives, but good people suffer and sometimes die before they have had a chance to enjoy life. The writer suggests that people follow a middle course through life, where they do not ruin their lives through being either over-zealous for goodness and wisdom or over-tolerant towards sin and foolishness. Those who fear God will be successful in avoiding both extremes (15-18).Certainly, wisdom is... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 7:23

SOLOMON'S DESIRE TO PROVE WHAT GOD HAD SAID"All this have I proved in wisdom; I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out? I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.""But it was far from me" (Ecclesiastes 7:23). Why would the wisest man of his day have failed to find wisdom? He was searching... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 7:23

Ecclesiastes 7:23. All this have I proved by wisdom— All this have I knowingly examined: I said, I will be wise; but wisdom went far from me: Ecclesiastes 7:24. Whatever is so far off, nay, removed to the greatest depth, who shall find it? Desvoeux. read more