Ecclesiastes 2:26

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

Business is a thing that wise men have pleasure in. They are in their element when they are in their business, and complain if they be out of business. They may sometimes be tired with their business, but they are not weary of it, nor willing to leave it off. Here therefore one would expect to have found the good that men should do, but Solomon tried this too; after a contemplative life and a voluptuous life, he betook himself to an active life, and found no more satisfaction in it than in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:26

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight ,.... No man is of himself good, or naturally so, but evil, very evil, as all the descendants of Adam are; there are some that are good in their own eyes, and in the sight of others, and yet not truly good; they are only really good, who are so in the sight of God, who sees the heart, and knows what is in man; they are such who are made good by his efficacious grace; who are inwardly, and not merely outwardly so; who are good at heart, or... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 2:26

Giveth - wisdom, and knowledge, and joy - God gives wisdom - the knowledge of himself, light to direct in the way of salvation. Knowledge - understanding to discern the operation of his hand; experimental acquaintance with himself, in the dispensing of his grace and the gifts of his Spirit. Joy; a hundred days of ease for one day of pain; one thousand enjoyments for one privation; and to them that believe, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost. But to the sinner he giveth... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:12-26

Section 3. Vanity of wisdom, in view of the fate that awaits the wise man equally with the fool, and the uncertainty of the future of his labors, especially as man is not master of his own fate. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:21-26

From what has been said, Koheleth concludes that man may indeed enjoy the good things which he has provided, and find a certain happiness therein, but only according to God's will and permission; and to expect to win pleasure at one's own caprice is vain. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:26

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight . The subject "God" is not, in the Hebrew, an omission which is supposed to justify its virtual insertion in Ecclesiastes 2:25 . The Vulgate boldly supplies it here, Homini bone in conspectu sue dedit Deus . To the man that finds favor in God's sight ( 1 Samuel 29:6 ; Nehemiah 2:5 ), i . e . who pleases him, ha gives blessings, while he withholds them or takes them away from the man who displeases him. The blessings specified... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 2:12-26

Solomon having found that wisdom and folly agree in being subject to vanity, now contrasts one with the other Ecclesiastes 2:13. Both are brought under vanity by events Ecclesiastes 2:14 which come on the wise man and the feel alike from without - death and oblivion Ecclesiastes 2:16, uncertainty Ecclesiastes 2:19, disappointment Ecclesiastes 2:21 - all happening by an external law beyond human control. Amidst this vanity, the good (see Ecclesiastes 2:10 note) that accrues to man, is the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 2:26

Ecclesiastes 2:26. For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight Who not only seems to men to be good, as many bad men do, but is really and sincerely good; or, who pleaseth him, as the same phrase, שׂוב לפניו , is rendered, Ecclesiastes 7:26, and often elsewhere: whereby he seems to intimate the reason why he found no more comfort in his labours, namely, because his ways had been very displeasing to God, and therefore God justly denied him that gift; wisdom and knowledge To direct... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 2:1-26

Lessons from experience (1:12-2:26)Writing as Solomon, the author now looks back and describes the experiences of a truly wise and wealthy man who searched for a meaning to life. First he tried the study of wisdom, but it led only to misery and frustration. Some things could not be made to fit any sort of consistent pattern; others, which in theory may have solved some problems, in practice did not exist (12-15). His learning and experience enabled him to tell the difference between wisdom and... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ecclesiastes 2:26

sinner. Hebrew. chata'. App-44 . Occurs again in Ecclesiastes six times. (Ecclesiastes 5:6 ; Ecclesiastes 7:20 , Ecclesiastes 7:26 ; Ecclesiastes 8:12 ; Ecclesiastes 9:2 , Ecclesiastes 9:18 ). gather = gather in. Not the same word as Ecclesiastes 2:8 . read more

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