Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:9-11

Two things we are apt to take a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction in, and value ourselves upon, with reference to our business and enjoyments in the world, as if they helped to save them from vanity. Solomon shows us our mistake in both. 1. The novelty of the invention, that it is such as was never known before. How grateful is it to think that none ever made such advances in knowledge, and such discoveries by it, as we, that none ever made such improvements of an estate or trade, and... read more

John Gill

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

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be ,.... The thing that has been seen and heard is no other than what shall be seen and heard again; so that what is now seen and heard is only what has been seen and heard before; it is but the same thing over again; and that is the reason why the eye and ear are never satisfied; the same objects, as the visible heavens and earth, and all therein, which have been from the beginning, these are they which shall be, and there is nothing else... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:10

Is there any thing whereof it may be said, see, this is new ?.... This is an appeal to all men for the truth of the above observation, and carries in it a strong denial that there is anything new under the sun; and is an address to men to inquire into the truth of it, and thoroughly examine it, and see if they can produce any material objection to it; look into the natural world, and the same natural causes will be seen producing the same effects; or into the moral world, and there are... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:9

The thing that hath been - Every thing in the whole economy of nature has its revolutions; summer and winter, heat and cold, rain and drought, seedtime and autumn, with the whole system of corruption and generation, alternately succeed each other, so that whatever has been shall be again. There is really, physically, and philosophically, nothing absolutely new under the sun, in the course of sublunary things. The same is the case in all the revolutions of the heavens. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:10

Is there any thing, etc. - The original is beautiful. "Is there any thing which will say, See this! it is new?" Men may say this of their discoveries, etc.; but universal nature says, It is not new. It has been, and it will be. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

PROLOGUE . The vanity of all human and mundane things, and the oppressive monotony of their continued recurrence. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:9

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be. The LXX . and the Vulgate render the first clauses of the two parts of the verse in both cases interrogatively, thus: "What is that which hath been? The very thing which shall be. And what is that which hath been done? The very thing which shall be done." What has been affirmed of phenomena in the material world is now affirmed of the events of man's life. They move in an analogous circle, whether they are concerned with actions or... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:10

Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? The writer conceives that objection may be taken to his statement at the end of the preceding verse, so he proceeds to reiterate it in stronger terms. "Thing" is dabar (see on Ecclesiastes 1:8 ). Septuagint, "He who shall speak and say, Behold, this is new," seil . Where is he? Vulgate, "Nothing is new under the sun, nor is any one able to say, Lo! this is fresh." The apparent exceptions to the rule are mistaken inferences.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:9

Hath been ... is done - i. e., Hath happened in the course of nature ... is done by man. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 1:8-9

Ecclesiastes 1:8-9. All things Not only the sun, and winds, and rivers, but all other creatures; are full of labour They are in continual restlessness and change, never abiding in the same state. The eye is not satisfied As there are many things in the world vexatious to men, so even those things which are comfortable are not satisfactory, but men are constantly desiring some longer continuance or fuller enjoyment of them, or variety in them. The eye and ear are here put for all the... read more

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