Ecclesiastes 4:16 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Bible Comments

There is no end of the people The sense seems to be, either, 1st, The people who have this humour are without end, or innumerable: or, 2d, This humour of the common people hath no end, but passes from one generation to another: they ever were, and are, and will be, unstable and restless, and given to change: which sense the following words favour: Even of all that have been before them Before the present generation of subjects, who earnestly desired and promoted the change of government here expressed. And so, here are three generations of people mentioned; the authors of the present change, and their parents, and their children; and all are observed to have the same inclinations in these matters. They also that come after shall not rejoice in him They shall be as weary of the successor, though a wise and worthy prince, as their parents were of his foolish predecessor. Surely, this also is vanity From all this it appears, that happiness is not to be found in honour and power; no, not in the very highest pitch of it: for there also is not only dissatisfaction to be found, but many dangers, troubles, and vexatious cares, which much disturb and perplex the minds of those that possess it. See Bishop Patrick.

Ecclesiastes 4:16

16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.