The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 22

green loCLves on a thick tree, some fall· and place;" and then carries the idea into the some grow; so is the generation of flesh following verse: "Arising there, it proceedeth and blood, one cometh to an end, and another southward," etc. The Vnlgate supports the is born. Every work rotteth and consnmeth rendering; but there is no doubt that the away, and the worker thereof 'shall go Authorized Version givee substantially the withal" (Ecolus. xiv. 17, etc.; comp. Job x, sense of the Hebrew text BB accentuated, 21; Ps. xxxix. 13). The famous pasS11ge in 'l'he verb 9Nrll (shaaph), as Delitzsch shows, Homer,' Iliad,' vi. 146,etc., is thus rendered impliee " panting," not from fatigue, but in by Lord Derby- • • • eager pursuit of something; and all notions "The race of man .is as the .race of leaves of panting steeds or morning exhalations are Of leaves, one generatic,n by the wind quite foreign from the conception of the Is scattered on the earth; anotber'soon passage. The notion which Kobeleth desues In .sp;-iog'11 lo.xtiriant verdur_e bttrsts to to convey is tnat the sun makes no real li fit. • ' progress; its eager panting merely brings it 'So ~ith our race : these tlourish, those to the old place, there ·to recommence its dec'ii.y." • • • • monotonous routine. Rosenmiiller q notes Ce.tnllus, 'Carm.,' v. 4-6, on which Doering (Comp. ibid., xxi. 464, .etc.; Bor11ce, 'Are cite!! Lotich., 'Eleg.,' iii. 7. 23- Poet.,' 60.) .But (and) the earth abideth for ever. While the constant succession of " Ergo ubi permensus ccalum sol occidit, generations of m,en goes on, the earth re- idem mains uncb11,nged and immovable. If men Purpuceo vestit lnmine rursus humum ; were as permanent as is their dwelling-place, Noe, ubi decidimns, defuncti mnnere vitm, their labours might profit ; .but as thi,ngs Urget perpetna lumina nocte eopor." are, the painful contrast between the two But our passage does not contrast the re- makes itself felt. The term. "for ever," like vive.I of the sun every morning with man's the Greek •ir·.,.bv a1.ilva,does not necessarily eternal sleep in death. imply eternity, but often denotes limitccl or Ver. 6.-The wind goeth toward the south, conditioned duration, as when the sl11.ve is and turneth about unto the north; literally, engaged to serve Lis master "for ever" going t01~ards the south, and circling toicarda (Exod. xxi. 6), or the hills.are called" ever- the north. These words, as we have seen lasting" (Gen xliL 2G). This verse gives above, are referred to the sun by the Septua- one instance of growth 11.nd decay in contrast gint, Vulgate, and Syriao; but it is best to with insens11.te continuance. The following make this verse refer only to the wind~a verses give further examples. fresh example of motion continually re- Ver. 5.-The sun also a.riseth, and the sun peated with no real progress to an end. goeth down. The sun is another instance Thus each verse comprises one subject and of ever-recurring change in the face of un idea, ver. 4 being concerned with the earth, endul'ing sameness, rising and setting day yer. 5 with the sun, ver. 6 with the wind, hy day, and resting never. The legencla1:;y: and ver. 7 with the w11ters. There seems 'Life of Abrom' relates how, having been to be no particulllr force in the naming of hidden for some years in a eave in order north and south, unless it be in contrast to to escape the search, of Nimrod, when he the sun's motion from east to west, mentioned emerged from his concealment, and for the in the preceding verse. The words following first time beheld hea.ven and earth, he began show th11.t these two dfreetions are not alone fo inquire who •w,,s the Creator of the intended. Thus the four qua.rters 11.re virtu- wonders around him. When the sun arose ally included. It whirleth about continu- and tlooded the acene with its glorious light, ally. The original is more forcible, giving he at o;nce concluded that tha.t bright orb by its very form the idea of weary monotony. must be the crea.tive Deity, .and offered his The subject is delayed till the last, thus: prayers to it all day.long. But when it sank Going towards tl~ so1tth . , . circling, circlin!], in darkness, he repented of his illusion, goeth the u.-ind; i.e.il blows from all quarters being persuaded that the sun could not have at its own CO.J?rice. And the wind returneth made the world e.nd • be itself subject to aga.fu e.ccordmg to his cirouits. ~nd on it8 extinction (see 'Abraham : his Life and circling, returneth the wind ; it comes back Times,' p. 12). And haeteth to his plaoe to the point whence it started. Th_e wind, where he arose ; literally, and _panteth seemingly the freest of nll created thiugs, (equiva.lent to 11aateth, longeth to go) to it, is bound by the same law of immuto.blu place arising there; i.e. the· ·sun, sinking in changeableness, insensate repetition. the west, eagerly during .the night returns Ver. 7.-All the rivers run into the sea; to the east, duly to l"ise there in the morning. yet the sea is not full. Here is 11.nother The " pie.co" is the region of rc11ppe11rnnco. instance of unv11rying operation producing Tho Septmtgiut gives, "The sun arises, and uo tangible result. The phenomenon men• the ~nn sets, 11nd dr11,ws (iAKe,) \1\1,tO its tioued is ofton the subject of rem11.rk 11.nd  ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. [cu. r. 1-18,