Ecclesiastes 9:1-10 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:1-3

It has been observed concerning those who have pretended to search for the philosophers? stone that, though they could never find what they sought for, yet in the search they have hit upon many other useful discoveries and experiments. Thus Solomon, when, in the close of the foregoing chapter, he applied his heart to know the work of God, and took a great deal of pains to search into it, though he despaired of finding it out, yet he found out that which abundantly recompensed him for the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:4-10

Solomon, in a fret, had praised the dead more than the living (Eccl. 4:2); but here, considering the advantages of life to prepare for death and make sure the hope of a better life, he seems to be of another mind. I. He shows the advantages which the living have above those that are dead, Eccl. 9:4-6. 1. While there is life there is hope. Dum spiro, spero?While I breathe, I hope. It is the privilege of the living that they are joined to the living, in relation, commerce, and conversation, and,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:1

For all this I considered in mine heart ,.... What goes before, in the latter end of the preceding chapter, concerning the various providences of God, the difficulty of finding out the reasons of them, and the fruitlessness of attempting it; and also what follows, the work of Providence: Solomon gave his mind unto, attended it with great application, and strictly considered and examined it, in order to find it out, but could not; and if he could not, no other man could. And he had a good... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:2

All things come alike to all ,.... That is, all outward things in this life, good and bad men share in alike; which proves that neither love nor hatred can be known by them: so the emperor Mark Antonine, in speaking of life and death, of honour and dishonour, of pain and pleasure, riches and poverty, says F19 De scipso, l. 2. c. 11. , all these things happen alike to good men and bad men; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked ; the same prosperous ones happen to... read more

John Gill

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

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all ,.... A very great evil, a very sore one, the worst of evils. Not an evil, as the providence of God is concerned with it, who does no evil; nor is there any unrighteousness in him; he is righteous in all his ways: but this is an evil, and distressing thing, to the minds of good men; see Psalm 73:2 ; and is what bad men make an ill use of, to harden themselves in sin, and to despise religion... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:4

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope ,.... That is, who is among the living, is one of them, and, as long as he is, there is hope, if his circumstances are mean, and he is poor and afflicted, that it may be better with him in time; see Job 14:7 ; or of his being a good man, though now wicked; of his being called and converted, as some are at the eleventh hour, even on a death bed; and especially there is a hope of men, if they are under the means of grace, seeing... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:5

For the living know that they shall die ,.... Death is certain, it is the demerit of sin, the appointment of God and the time of it is fixed; it may be known that it will be, from the word of God that assures it, from all experience which confirms it, and from the decline of nature, and the seeds of death in men. This "the living" know that live corporeally, even the wicked themselves, though they put the evil day far from them; and so good men, that live spiritually, being quickened by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:6

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished ,.... Not that the separate spirits of the dead are without their affections, or these unexercised; the spirits of just men made perfect will love God and Christ, and angels, and good men, and all that is good, more intensely; love will continue after this life, and be in its height, and therefore said to be the greatest grace, 1 Corinthians 13:13 ; they will hate sin, Satan, and all the enemies of Christ, and be filled... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:7

Go thy way ,.... Thou righteous man, as Jarchi paraphrases it; and indeed epicures and voluptuous persons have no need of the following exhortation, and the reason annexed is not suitable to them; but the whole agrees better with religious persons, who under distressing views of Providence, and from gloomy and melancholy apprehensions of things, and mistaken notions of mortification, deny themselves the free and lawful use of the good things of life; and seeing there is no enjoyment of them... read more

John Gill

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

Let thy garments be always white ,.... That is, neat and clean, not vile and sordid; what is comely and decent, and suitable to a man's circumstances; this colour is particularly mentioned because much used in the eastern countries, and in Judea; hence we so often read of washing garments, and of fullers that whitened them; and especially on festival days and days of rejoicing, to which Horace F1 "Ille repotia natales aliosque dierum, festos albatus celebret". Satyr. l. 2. Sat. 2. v. 60,... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:1-3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:4-10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:2

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:7

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

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