Ecclesiastes 7:7-8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:7-10

Solomon had often complained before of the oppressions which he saw under the sun, which gave occasion for many melancholy speculations and were a great discouragement to virtue and piety. Now here, I. He grants the temptation to be strong (Eccl. 7:7): Surely it is often too true that oppression makes a wise man mad. If a wise man be much and long oppressed, he is very apt to speak and act unlike himself, to lay the reins on the neck of his passions, and break out into indecent complaints... read more

John Gill

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

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad ,.... Which is to be understood either passively, when he is oppressed by others, or sees others oppressed; it raises indignation in him, disturbs his mind, and he is ready to pass a wrong judgment on the dispensations of Providence, and to say rash and unadvised things concerning them, Psalm 73:2 ; or actively, of oppression with which he oppresses others; when he gives into such measures, his wisdom departs from him, his mind is besotted, he acts... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:8

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof ,.... If the thing is good, other ways the end of it is worse; as the end of wickedness and wicked men, whose beginning is sweet, but the end bitter; yea, are the ways of death, Proverbs 5:4 ; and so the end of carnal professors and apostates, who begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh, Galatians 3:3 ; but the end of good things, and of good men, is better than the beginning; as the end of Job was, both with respect to things... read more

Adam Clarke

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

Oppression maketh a wise man mad - This has been translated with good show of reason, "Surely oppression shall give lustre to a wise man: but a gift corrupteth the heart." The chief difference here is in the word יהולל yeholel , which, from the root הלל halal , signiffes to glister, irradiate, as well as to move briskly, to be mad, furious, in a rage; and certainly the former meaning suits this place best. We cannot think that the wise man - he that is truly religious, (for this is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 7:8

Better is the end - We can then judge of the whole, and especially if the matter relate to the conduct of Divine Providence. At the beginning we are often apt to make very rash conjectures, and often suppose that such and such things are against us; and that every thing is going wrong. Dr. Byrom gives good advice on such a subject: - "With patient mind thy course of duty run: God nothing does, nor suffers to be done, But thou wouldst do thyself, couldst thou but see The and of all... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:1-7

Section 1. Though no man knows for certain what is best, yet there are some practical rules for the conduct of life which wisdom gives . Some of these Koheleth sets forward in the proverbial form, recommending a serious, earnest life in preference to one of gaiety and frivolity. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:7

The verse begins with ki , which usually introduces a reason for what has preceded; but the difficulty in finding the connection has led to various explanations and evasions. The Authorized Version boldly separates the verse from what has gone before, and makes a new paragraph beginning with "surely:" Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad. Delitzsch supposes that something has been lost between Ecclesiastes 7:6 and Ecclesiastes 7:7 , and he supplies the gap by a clause borrowed... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:8

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. This is not a repetition of the assertion in verse. I concealing the day of death and the day of birth, but states a truth in a certain sense generally true. The end is better because we then can form a right judgment about a matter; we see what was its purpose; we know whether it has been advantageous and prosperous or not. Christ's maxim, often repeated (see Matthew 10:22 ; Matthew 24:13 ; Romans 2:7 ; Hebrews 3:6 , etc.),... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:8-14

Section 2. Here follow some recommendations to patience and resignation under the ordering of God's providence. Such conduct is shown to be true wisdom. read more

Albert Barnes

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

Rather, oppression (or extortions) maketh a wise man foolish; and a bribe etc. If a wise man, being in a high position, exercises oppression (see Psalms 62:10), or practices extortion, he becomes a fool in so doing. This verse is a warning against impatience in the exercise of power or the acquisition of riches. read more

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