The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 266

Prrs AND FALLING INTO THEM, "He that diggeth o pit shall (Clr, •may'] fall into it" (ver. 8). An old proverb, borrowed from Solomon (Prov. xxvi. 27), who in turn may bnve learnt it from David (Ps. vii. 15; ix. 15; !vii, 6), it may point to one or other of two thoughts. 1. The necessity of exercising caution in all works of dang~. One who hollows ~ut a trench.or pit for the ;purpose of snaring wild animals-a perfectly legiti- mate design-may, either by standmg too near the edge and causina the treacherous earth to give way, or by stumbling on it in the dark at an unexpected° moment, fall in, in which caso he will suffer not for having done wrong, but merely for having failed to act with circumspection and prudence (Prov. xiv. 15; xxii. 3; xxvii. 12). 2. The possibility of evil-doers overreaching themselves. In this case the pit is supposed to be dug for a wicked purpose, as e.g. to ensnare another to his ruin. In this sense the proverb has found expression in almost all literatures. Shakespeare speaks of the engineer being "hoist with his own petard." Haman was hanged upon the gallows he had built for Mordecai (Esth. vii. 10). "Plots and conspiracies are often as fat.al t.o the conspirators as to the intended victims" (Plumptre). II. BROKEN REDOES AND BITING SERPENTS. " Whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him" (ver. 8). The hedge, or rather fence, or stone wo.11, was a. customary haunt of serpents; so that one engaged in breaking down such a strncturc had need to beware of being bitten by the reptiles infesting it. Hence a variety of lessons according as the words are viewed. 1. An admonition to work~s. To go cautiously about their employments, if these are dangerous, as a person would who had to pull down or break through an old wall in which serpents were lodged. l\Iany accidents occur, inflicting damage on the workers, for want of a little foresight. 2. .d warning to transgressor.9. That Nemesis may overtake them in the very act of their evil-doing. If they break through a neighbour's fence to steal his fruit, or pull down his wall so as to injure his prClperty, they need not be surprised if they are caught in the act. Wickedness has a habit of avenging itself, sometimes with great rapidity and with terrible severity, on those who perpetrate it. This is true of all breaking down of those fences or laws with which God has girt man. Every violation of law -physical, intellectual, moral, social, religious-is visited with its own particub.r biting serpent of penalty. 3. A caution to reformers. If they will set themselves to pull down •the old walls of decayed and worthless institutions, or to break through the fences of time-honoured customs, they must prepare themselves for being bitten by the serpents in the crannies-for encountering the opposition, criticism, hate, and often persecution of those who have vested interests in the a.buses proposed to be rectified or swept away. Reformers should count the cost before beginning their work of reformation. III. HEWING OR REMOVING STONES AND HURTING ONE'S SELF. "Whoso heweth out [ or, 'moveth '] stones shall be hurt therewith" (ver. 9). Again of double import, teaching: I. The duty of guai·ding one's selfagainst the perils that may attend a pe1fectly legilimate occupation. Viewed in this light, the stone-moving mny simply mean the pulling down of a wall, which, if it be carelessly performed, may fall and inflict a. hurt upon the worker; and the stone-hewing may refer to the work of quarrying, which may be attended with great risk from the flying about of chips. 2. The inevitable recompense of all wrong-doing. If the stone-moving alludes to the removing of a neighbqur's land- mark, then the proverb stands as a reminder of the curse pronounced against that ancient sin (Deut. xix. 14; xxvii. 17). 'fhe use of landmarks, a.t least as then employed, has ceased; but the distinction between "mine" and " thine "remains ; and every invasion of another's rights is a wickedness which in course of providence will receive its just recompense of reward (Exod. xx. 15). IV. CLEAVING LOGS AND,ClJTTING FINGERS. "He that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby" (ver. 9). 'l'he three thoughts already mentioned nre again repeated. 1. The need of caution. Wood-splitting being a. dangerous occupation. 2. The CR-rtainty vf retribution. The cutting down of trees, especially fruit trees, being regarded as a.n act of wrongful oppression, and as such forbidden by the Law, even in a siege (Deut. xx. 19 20) the hurt that miiht cume to one in wood-cutting (Deut. xix. 5) ruay be viewed as 'suggestive of the penalty of di~obcdienctJ. 3. The peril of reform. The cutting down of trees is, in this illstnnce, takeu as symbolic of the hewing down of decayed institutions, 260 ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. [ea. x. 1-20.