Ecclesiastes 8:9-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:9-13

Solomon, in the beginning of the chapter, had warned us against having any thing to do with seditious subjects; here, in these verses, he encourages us, in reference to the mischief of tyrannical and oppressive rulers, such as he had complained of before, Eccl. 3:16; 4:1. 1. He had observed many such rulers, Eccl. 8:9. In the serious views and reviews he had taken of the children of men and their state he had observed that many a time one man rules over another to his hurt; that is, (1.) To... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:14-17

Wise and good men have, of old, been perplexed with this difficulty, how the prosperity of the wicked and the troubles of the righteous can be reconciled with the holiness and goodness of the God that governs the world. Concerning this Solomon here gives us his advice. I. He would not have us to be surprised at it, as though some strange thing happened, for he himself saw it in his days, Eccl. 8:14. 1. He saw just men to whom it happened according to the work of the wicked, who,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:9

All this have I seen ,.... Observed, taken notice of, and thoroughly considered; all that is said above, concerning the scarcity of good men and women, the fall of our first parents, the excellency of wisdom, the necessity and advantage of keeping the king's commandment, the time and manner of doing it, the evil consequences that follow an inattention to these things, ignorance of what is to come, and the unavoidableness of death; and applied my heart unto every work that is done under... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:10

And so I saw the wicked buried ,.... Or "truly" F11 ובכן "et vere", Vatablus. , verily, as the Targum, this is matter of fact; or "then I saw", as Aben Ezra and others, upon applying his heart to every work; or when be observed particularly wicked magistrates, he took notice that some of them continued in their power until death, and died in their beds, and were carried to their graves in great pomp and state, and interred in a very magnificent manner, when they deserved no burial at... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:11

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily ,.... Any evil work done by magistrates, or others, against which the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, and is threatened with his vengeance; the decree is gone forth, the sentence is passed, God is determined upon punishment; but there is a delay of it, he exercises patience and longsuffering to answer some end of his, both towards his own people and the wicked; as well as to display some of his own perfections; but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:12

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times ,.... That is ever so many times, a certain number for an uncertain; though he lives in a continued course of sin, being resolved upon the above consideration to give himself a swing to his lusts. The Targum renders it a hundred years; though be should live so long in sin, yet at last should be accursed Isaiah 65:20 . This and what follows are said to check the boldness and presumption of the sinner upon the patience of God; and to make the people... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:13

But it shall not be well with the wicked ,.... It shall be ill with him; more is designed than is expressed, Isaiah 3:11 ; in life they have no solid peace and comfort; at death they will be turned into at judgment they will hear the awful sentence, "Go, ye cursed", and will be in torment to all eternity, Matthew 25:41 ; neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow : wicked men sometimes do not live out half their days, which, according to the course of nature, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:14

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth ,.... Transacted in this lower world under the sun, through the permission and direction of divine Providence; not that it is a vanity on the part of God, who has wise ends to answer by it, for the good of his people, the trial of their graces, &c.; or to bring sinners to repentance, or harden them in sin; but this shows the vanity and uncertainty of all worldly things, and that there is no happiness to be had in them; that there be just ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:15

Then I commended mirth ,.... Innocent mirth, a cheerfulness of spirit in whatsoever state condition men are; serenity and tranquillity of mind, thankfulness for what they have, and a free and comfortable use of it; this the wise man praised and recommended to good men, as being much better than to fret at the prosperity of the wicked, and the seemingly unequal distribution of things in this world, and because they had not so much of them: as others; who yet had reason to be thankful for what... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 8:9

One man ruleth over another to his own hurt - This may be spoken of rulers generally, who, instead of feeding, fleece the flock; tyrants and oppressors, who come to an untimely end by their mismanagement of the offices of the state. All these things relate to Asiatic despots, and have ever been more applicable to them than to any other sovereigns in the world. They were despotic; they still are so. read more

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