THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
fertility of his thought and writings, Ebrard made little impress upon the study of theology. While his many-sided activity had no creative effect in any individual sphere, the beneficent influences which proceeded from his engaging personality are immeasurable.
His works not already mentioned include Das Dogma vom heiligen Abendmahl und seiner Geschichte (2 vols., Frankfort, 1845-46); Christliche Dogmatik (2 vols., Konigsberg, 1851); Vorlesungen uber praktische Theologie (1854); Das Buch Hiob als poetisches Kunstwerk tibersetzt und erklart (Landau, 1S5S); Handbuch der christlichen Kirchen- und Dogmengeschichte (4 vols., Erlangen, 1865-66); Die iroschottische Missionskirche des sechsten, siebenten, und achten Jahrhunderts (Giitersloh, 1873); Bonifatius (1SS2). He edited and completed Olshausen's commentary by writing on the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Apocalypse, and the Epistles of John, published many sermons, and, under various pseudonyms, issued a long series of Christian belletristic productions.
(E. F. Karl Muhler.)
Bibliography: The first part of his autobiography, Lebensfiihrungen, in jungen Jahren, was published at Criitersloh, 1S8S; ths rest of it, in MS., remains unprinted. Consult: P. Schaff, Germany, Its Universities, Theology, and Religion, pp. 389-397, New York, 1857; G. A. Scartazzini, in Beilage zur Allgemeinen Kirchenzeilung, no. 219-220, 1888.
ECCHELLENSIS, ABRAHAM. See Abraham Ecchellexsis.
ECCLESIASTES.
The Contents (§ 1).
Who is the " Preacher "? (§ 2).
The Date (§ 3).
Egypt the Place of Composition (§ 4).
The Author's Viewpoint (§ 5).
Ecclesiastes (Heb. Koheleth) is the title of the book which in the English Bible stands between -Proverbs and the Song of Songs. A prologue, i. 2-11, and an epilogue, xii. 9-14, enclose the body of the book, and in both Koheleth "The Preacher" is spoken of in the third person. The prologue gives the theme of the composition: All is vanity; man has no abiding profit from his toil; there is nothing new under the sun. The key-note is struck in i. 2, " all is vanity," and the book proper
ends with the same note (xii. 8). In
i. The i. 12 the Preacher, in the first person,
Contents, begins his proof of the fruitlessness of
all man's striving, and presents in the first section, i. 12-ii. 23, the results of his collected experience a=; king in Jerusalem. Striving after wisdom, enjoyment, possessions, contented activity, he found unsatisfying, and the results insecure. This, however, is not the consequence of chance, but is the ordering of God which stands fast (ii. 24-iii. 22). Fear of God and moderation are the duties of man. The next section, iv.-vi., contains a series of observations and statements, the result of experience, which supplement and emphasize what precedes. The best rule of living is, according to the next division, vii. 1-ix. 10, to get out of life the most enjoyment possible. For although wisdom is best, yet the riddle of life is that rewards are proportionate neither to wisdom nor virtue. The last section, ix. 11-xii. 8, commends
a prudential morality and grasping of present opportunities. The epilogue adds some words on the Preacher's wisdom, on wisdom-literature in general, and the conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments.
Who is the person whose "I" appears so often in the book? In i. 2, vii. 27, and xii. 8 he is called Koheleth ; in i. 12 he gives himself this name and identifies himself with a wise, rich, brilliant king over Israel in Jerusalem who, according to the conception of the author, can be no other than Solomon. Of the many meanings of the word Koheleth proposed only two call for serious consideration: (1) The word is a participial form with feminine ending but masculine meaning such as is found in late Hebrew (Pochereth, Ezra ii. 57; Sophereth, Neh. vii. 57), taken to mean " he who calls the assembly together " (and 2. Who harangues). (2) The feminine sense is the of the ending is retained and some "Preacher" ? personified being (expressed in Greek as He ekklesiazousa, " she who harangues ") is represented as speaking. This can be no other than Hokhma, " Wisdom," but a specialized wisdom which deals with practicalities, with the art of living (cf. Prov. i. 21, viii. 1-3, ix. 3; Is. xl. 9). Herself timeless, in the days of Solomon (whose person was more or less in the writer's eye) she had begun to make observations, which she had continued through the centuries only to find ceaseless repetition characterizing the issue of events up to the time of the writing of the Book.
All data, — the historical references, the linguistic character, marking it as at the transition from the use of Hebrew to that of Mishnaic Aramaic, and the general tone of the work — compel the placing of the book at the end of the period when Hebrew was used. To secure a more exact dating than this is difficult. The view of Graetz that the book belongs to the time of Herod the 3. The Great involves a series of impossibil- Date. ities and contradictions. Nor is the assignment by Jewish tradition to the " Men of Hezekiah " or to Solomon himself any more defensible. A more definite datum seems to be furnished in the fact that the Wisdom of Solomon stands to this book in a relation of hostility (cf. Wisd. of Sol. ii. 1-5, iii. 2-3 with Eccles. ix. 2, 5, 10, viii. 8, i. 11, etc., and Wisd. of Sol. ii. 6-9 with Eccles. ix. 7-9, iii. 22, v. 17). If the Wisdom of Solomon can be placed about 100 B.C., that furnishes the date than which Koheleth can not be later. Whether the book of Sirach, the date of which does not go back of 200 B.C., implies the prior existence of Ecclesiastes can not with certainty be decided. The parallels between the two do not prove the dependence of Sirach, though it does seem possible that in Ecclus. xi. 11, xiv. IS, xxi. 12 the influence of Eccles. i. 2 can be discerned; similarly in the parallels Eccles. ix. 11 and Ecclus. xi. 12-13, the latter seems the younger. Koheleth gives no sign that its author had shared in the awakening of patriotism and zeal for the national religion which the Maeeabean rising inspired. The atmosphere of the book is that of the