John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:12
For man also knoweth not his time ,.... Though it is fixed and settled by the Lord, yet times and seasons are kept in his own power, and not known by men; not the time of his death, nor of any calamity and distress coming upon him, nor the proper season and opportunity of doing himself good, and avoiding evil; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare ; as fishes are suddenly taken in a net, unhappy for them, which is at once east over... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:11-12
The preacher here, for a further proof of the vanity of the world, and to convince us that all our works are in the hand of God, and not in our 4563 own hand, shows the uncertainty and contingency of future events, and how often they contradict the prospects we have of them. He had exhorted us (Eccl. 9:10) to do what we have to do with all our might; but here he reminds us that, when we have done all, we must leave the issue with God, and not be confident of the success. I. We are often... read more