Ecclesiastes 9:8-18

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

Matthew Henry

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:13-18

Solomon still recommends wisdom to us as necessary to the preserving of our peace and the perfecting of our business, notwithstanding the vanities and crosses which human affairs are subject to. He had said (Eccl. 9:11), Bread is not always to the wise; yet he would not therefore be thought either to disparage, or to discourage, wisdom, no, he still retains his principle, that wisdom excels folly as much as light excels darkness (Eccl. 2:13), and we ought to love and embrace it, and be... 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

John Gill

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

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest ,.... Or "see", or "enjoy life" F4 ראה חיים "vide vitam", Pagninus, Vatablus, Drusius, Mercerus, Cocceius; "vel vitas", Montanus; "perfruere vita", V. L. "fracre vita", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus, Rambachius; so Broughton. : this is one of the ways of enjoying life comfortably, and one of the principal ones; that if a man has a wife whom he ought to love as himself as his own flesh, to take delight in her company, be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:10

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do ,.... Not anything that is evil, which is near at hand, and easy to be found, and is in the power of men's hands to do, Romans 7:21 ; for this is forbidden of God, abominable to him, and hurtful to men; but whatsoever is good; so the Targum, "to do good and alms to the poor;' even all good works in general, which God requires of men, and it is their duty to do; though they are not meritorious of anything at his hands, nor is there justification or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:11

I returned, and saw under the sun ,.... The wise man returned to his former subject, concerning the same events happening to all sorts of persons, righteous and wicked, wise and unwise, Ecclesiastes 10:1 ; and enlarged upon it in his mind; and took notice of various things done under the sun, and made the following remarks: and whereas he had exhorted men to use all their might in doing the duties of their calling while they lived here; he suggests, that they should not depend upon, and... read more

John Gill

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:13

This wisdom have I seen also under the sun ,.... Or, "this also I have seen under the sun, even wisdom" F8 גם זה ראיתי חכמה תחת השמש "Hoc etiam vidi sub sole, nempe sapientiam", Tigurine version; "etiam hoc vidi, sapientiam sub sole", Cocceius; "etiam hoc vidi, videlicet, sapientiam sub sole", Gejerus. : besides those things he had, just now observed, he took notice that there was such a thing as wisdom among men; though success did not always attend the wise, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:14

There was a little city, and few men within it ,.... Which some take to be a piece of history, a real matter of fact; that as the city of Abel, when besieged by Joab, was delivered by the counsel of a wise woman, 2 Samuel 20:15 ; so there was a city, which Solomon had knowledge of, which was delivered from the siege of a powerful king, by the wise counsel of a poor wise man: though others think it is only a fiction, fable, or parable; the moral of which is, that political wisdom, even in... read more

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