The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 53

AulhorizoJ. Version is not very probable, the lust of the flesh, aud the lust of tho eyoP, though somewhe.t supported by Kimchi, o.nd the vain-glory of life, is not of the Fnther, Luther, etc., and the Greek Venetian, which but is of the world. And the wol'id pnsse~h hos, rJ"6rJ",,...,,µ.a. r,,al <rvrJ"rf,µ.aTa., a musical term a.way, nnd the lust thereof: but he that doeth •ignifying "combination of tones," or har- the will of God nbideth for <Jver" (1 John mony. Other interpretations are" captives," ii. 16, 17). "litters," "coaches," "baths," "treasures," Ver. 11.-Then I looked on-I turned to "ohests," "demons.'' Ewald, followed by oontemple.te-all the works whioh my hands Motais and others, suggests that the word had wrought. He examined carefully the implies a strong or high degree of a effects of tbe conduct and prooeedings men- quality, so that, connecting the two clauses tioned in vers. 1-10, nud he now gives his together, we should render, "And in n matured judgment concerning them. They word, all the delights of the sons of men in hn<l con tl'ibuted nothing to his11uxious inquiry abundance." This seems a more appro- for man's real good. Hie sorrowful conclusion priate termination to the catalogue than uny again is that all we.s vanity, e. huntino- of spL'cification of farther sources of pleasure; wind; in all the pursuits and labours that but there is no ve;ry strong etymological reason men undertake there is no real profit ( eh. i. a), to recommend it ; and we can ha.rdly suppose no le.sting happiness, nothing to satisfy the that, in the enumera.tion of Solomon's prodi- cravings of the spirit. galities, his multitudinous seraglio would be omitted. Rather it comes in here naturally Vere. 12 - 26. - Section 3. Vanity oj as the climax and completion of his pursuit wisdom, in view of the fate that awaits the wi•e of earthly delight. man equally with the fool, and the uncertair,ty Ver. 9.-So I was great (see on eh. i. 16). of the future of his labours, especially as man This refers to the magnificence and exteut of his possessions and luxury, e.s the former is not master of his oion fate. passage to the surpassing excellence of his Ver. 12.-And I turned myself to behold wisdom. We may compare the mention of wisdom, and madness, and folly ( eh. i. 17), Abraham (Gen. xxvi. 13), "The man waxed He studied the three in their mutual con- great, e.nd grew more and more until he nection and relation, comparing them in became very great" (so Job i. 3). Also my their resnlte and effects on man's nature wisdom rem.a.ined with me ; peneveravit and life, and deducing thence their real mecum (Vulge.te); lunl.671 µ.o, (Septuagint). value. On one side he set wisdom, on th& In e.ccordance with the purpose mentioned other the action, and ha.bits which he in ver. 3, Le retained command of himself, rightly terms "madness and folly," e.nd ax- studying philosophically the effects a.nd e.mined them calmly aud critice.lly. For nature of the pleasures of which he par- what can the man do that oometh after the took, and keeping ever in view the object of king 1 even that which hath been already his pursuit. Volnptuou.sness was not the end done. Both the Authorized Version and which he sought, but one of the means to Revised Version render the passage tbus, obtain the end; and wliat he calls his wisdom though the latter, in the margin, gives two is not pure Divine wisdom that comes from alternative renderings of the second clause, above, but an earthly prudence and self- viz. even him whom they .made liing long ago, restraint. and, e.s in the .Authorized Version margin, in Ver. 10.-Whatsoever mine eyes desired. those things which have been already done. The lust of the eyes (1 John ii. 16), all that The LXX., following a different ree.ding, he 118.W and desired, he took measures to obtain. gives, "For what me.n is there who will He denied himself no gre.tification, however . follow after counsel in whatsoever things he foolish (ver. 3). For my heart rejoiced in all employed it?" Vulge.te, " What is me.n, my labour; i.e. fonnd joy in what my labour so.id I, that he should be able to follow the procured for it (comp. Prov. v. 18). This King, his Maker?" Wright, Delitzsch, was the reason why he withheld not his heart Nowack, etc., "For what is the me.n that from any joy; kept it, as it were, ready to is to come after the king whom they me.de te.ste a.ny pleasure which his exertions might so long ago?" i.e. who ce.n he,ve greater obtain. Thill was my portion of all my labour. experience than Solomon made king in old Buch joy was that which he won from his time amid universe.I e.colame.tion (1 Chrou. labonr. He had hie reward, such as it was xxix. 22)? or, who can hope to equal his (Matt. vi. 2; Luke xvi. 25). This term fe.me ?-which does not seem quite suitable, "portion" (chew;) recurs often (e.g. ver. 21 ; as it is the abnormal opportunities of investi- eh. iii. 22; v. 18, etc. ; so Wied. ii. 9) in the gation given by his unique position which 6enee of the result obtained by labour or con- would be the point of the query. 'fhe duct. And what a meagre ond unsatisfying Authorized Version gives a fairly satis- result it was which be gained I Contrast the factory (and grammatically unohjectionnble) 11postle'e teaching, "All that is in the world, meaning-What oe.n nny one effect who tries CH. II, 1-26.] ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHEH. 35