The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 213

but also to the froward" (1 Pet. ii. 18). spoken of in the same 'terms ns the irre• Solomon might have given this advice to sistible power of Almighty God. \he Israelites who were ready to follow Jerobonm's lead; though they could have Elt<@II a~ /311~1>.,Js l<rTIII tµ,i,uxos ®eoii. remained loyal to Rehoboam only from high "God's living image is an ecirthly king." religious motives. Ilut it is better to bear e-ren a hea-ry yoke than to rebel. The Ver. 5.-Whoso keepeth the command- Septm,gint has, " Be not hasty ; thou shalt ment shall feel no evil thing. This is an go from his presence "-which seems to encouragement to obedience to royal autho- mean. "Be not impatient. and all will be rity (comp. Prov. xxiv. 21, 22; Rom. xiii well." But tlie authorized rendering is cor- 3). The context pie.inly shows that it is not rect (comp. eh. x. 4). We may quote Men- God's commandment that is spoken of delssohn's comment cited by Chance on Job (though, of course, the maxim would be ve1·y xxxi\'. 16. "This is a great rule in politics, true in this case), but the king's. Nor is it that t!Je people must have no power to pro- necessarily a servile and unreasoning obedi- nounce judgment upon the conduct of a ence the.t is enjoined. Koheleth is dealing king, whether it be good or bad; for the with genera.ls. Such ea.see as that of king judges tho people, and not the reverse ; Daniel and the three children, where obedi- and if it were not for this rule, the country ence would he.vo been sinful, are not here would never be quiet, and without rebels ta.ken into consideration. "Shall feel," against the king e.nd his law." Stand not in litere.lly, "sbe.11 know," i.e. experience no an evil thing; Vulgate, Neque permaneas in physical evil. Quiet submission to the opere malo, •· Persist not in an evil affair." powera that be •guarantees e.. peaceful and But the n,rb here implies rather the en- happy life. Ginsburg a.nd others translate, gaging in a matter tbe.n continuing an "knoweth not e.n evil word," i.e. is saved undertaking already begun. The "affair" from abuse and reproach, which seems is conspiracy, insurrection; and Koheleth somewhat mee.gre, though the Septuagint warns against entering upon and taking gives, Oi, -y11tf,~•-ra.1 ~;,µa. 1ro1111po11. The Vul- part in any such attempt. This seems to gate is better, Non ezperietur quidquam mali. be the correct explanation of the clause; And e. wise ma.n's heart discerneth (1moweth) but it is, perhaps intentionally, ambiguous, both time and judgment. The verb is the and is capable of other interpretations. same in both cle.uses, e.nd ought to ho.ve Thus Ginsburg, "Do not stand up (in a been so translated. The "bee.rt" includes pR.'lsioo) because of an evil word." Others, the more.I a.a well e.s the intellectual facul- "Obey not a sinful command," or "Hesi- ties; and the maxim says the.t the wise tate not at an evil thing," i.e. if the king man bears oppression and remains unex- orders it. Wordsworth, referring to Ps. i. 1, cited even in evil days, because he is con- renders, "Stand not in the way of sinners," vinced tha.t there is e. time of judgment which seems to be unsuitable to the context. coming when all will be righted (eh. xii. The Septuagint gives, "Stand not in an 14). The certainty of retributive justice is evil word " (ll.6-yq,, perhaps "matter"). The so strong in his mind that he does not reason for the injunction follows. For he resort to rebellion in order to rectify matters, doeth whatsoever plee.seth him. The irre- but possesses his soul in patience, leo.ving sponsible power of e. despotic monarch is Lere the correction of a.buses in God's hands. signified, tho1Jgh the terms are npplicable Septuagint, '' The wise me.n's bee.rt knoweth (as some, indeed, take them as alone apper- the time of judgment," me.king e. hendie.dys taining) to God himself (but see Prov. xx. of the two terms. The Vulgate has tempus 2). 'l'he Septuagint combines with tliis et responsionem, "time ancl answer." clanse the commencement of the following Ver. 6.-Beoause. This and the three verse, " For he will do whatsover he pleases, following cle.uses all begin with ki, " since,'' even as a king using authority Cl!ou,rnf.(w11)." "for," and the conjunction ought to have been Some manuscripts add >.all.,,, "he speaks." similo..-Iy renderM in all the places. Thus Ver. 4.-Whet'e the word of a king is, here, For to every purpose there is time e.nd there is power. A further confirmation of judgment. Here commences o. chain of the last thought. More accurately, " Inas- argument to prove the wisdom of keeping much as the woHI of a king is powerful" quiet under oppression or evil rulers. Every- (s/,ilton, ver. 8). This last word is used in thing has its appointed time of duration, Dau id (iii. 2) for "a lord," or " ruler." The nnd in due course will be brought to judg- king does as he thinks fit because his man- ment (see eh. iii. I, 17; xii. 14). There- date is all-powerful, and must he obeyed. fore (for) the misery 6f ma.n is gr~e.t upon And who may ea.y unto him, What doeat him. Thie is a further re1111on, but its exact thou 1 The same expression is found npplied signification is disputed. Litere.lly, the evil to God (Job ix.12; Isa. xlv. 9; Wisd. xii. of the man is heavy upon him (comp. eh. vi. I), l 2). Tile absolute authority of a despot is This may mee.n, as in the Authorized Veroio11,  Cli, VltI, 1-17.J BCCLES!AS'I'ES; OR, THE PRJUOftlm. 201