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Ecclesiastes 2:1 open_in_new
enjoy. look thou into.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.
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Ecclesiastes 2:2 open_in_new
of laughter. to laughter.
It is mad. See note on "madness", Ecclesiastes 1:17.
of mirth. to mirth.
What doeth it?. What doth she do?
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Ecclesiastes 2:3 open_in_new
in mine heart: i.e. resolved.
to give myself unto: or, how to enlist, by wine, my very flesh [in the work]: i.e. the work of proving the heart with mirth "yet retaining wisdom".
wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27.
wisdom. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:13. men. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14. Note the use of this word in Ecc. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:13.
under the heaven. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:3. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "sun", to which it is equivalent.
all the days. the numbered days.
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Ecclesiastes 2:4 open_in_new
made me great works. increased or multiplied my possessions.
works. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the results and effects gained by work. Compare Exodus 23:12; 1 Samuel 25:2.Isaiah 26:12.
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Ecclesiastes 2:5 open_in_new
orchards. Hebrew. pardesim. paradises, parks, or pleasure grounds. Different from "gardens", which were cultivated (Deuteronomy 11:10; 1 Kings 21:2). Paradises were formed by eastern monarchs. In the British Museum may be seen the inscriptions of Gudea, the greatest of the Sumerian rulers of Chaldea (2500 B.C.), and Tiglath-pileser I, king of Assyria (1120 B. C), describing what could be only. botanical and zoological park. Assur-nazir-pal, king of Assyria (885 B. C), founded such. public paradise, and describes how he stocked it; what he brought, and whence he brought the natural history collection. The British Museum contains. portion of. similar catalogue of Sennacherib. The Paradise in Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:1; Revelation 22:2, refers to the future paradise, which will be as literal and real, not figurative.
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Ecclesiastes 2:6 open_in_new
wood. forest.
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Ecclesiastes 2:7 open_in_new
got me servants. bought me servants. Hebrew bondage has nothing in common with Greek, Roman, or African slavery. There is no word for such slavery in Hebrew; 'ebed = labourer, is the name of all Jehovah's servants.
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Ecclesiastes 2:8 open_in_new
gathered. amassed. Hebrew. kanas, said to be. later Hebrew word (see App-76.)
the provinces. Hebrew. medinah, from dun. to rule, hence. country. There is no article before "kings", because they constantly change, whereas countries do not change. This is another word which is said to be of later date, but it is found in 1 Kings 20:14; 1 Kings 20:15 1 Kings 20:17, 1 Kings 20:19; Lamentations 1:1.Ezekiel 19:8. See App-76. Compare note on "event" in Ecclesiastes 2:14.
remained. The Divine wisdom given by God (1 Kings 3:5-15) had not been taken away. See note at foot of p. 906. This must be remembered in reading this book. Like Luke's "understanding" it came "from above". See note on "very first" (Luke 1:3).
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Ecclesiastes 2:11 open_in_new
Then. But when.
looked. turned in order to look, as in Ecclesiastes 2:12.
vanity. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:2.
vexation of spirit. feeding on wind. Compare Ecclesiastes 1:14.
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Ecclesiastes 2:12 open_in_new
behold. consider.
under the sun. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:1.
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Ecclesiastes 2:14 open_in_new
fool. Hebrew. kesil. fat, inert. Same word as in verses: Ecclesiastes 2:15; Ecclesiastes 2:16. not the same word as in Ecclesiastes 2:19.
and. myself perceived. and. too knew: i.e. as well as they.
event. a happening. Hebrew. mikreh. Said to be. later word, but it occurs in 1Sa 6:9. 1 Samuel 20:26; Ruth 2:3. See note on Ecclesiastes 2:8.
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Ecclesiastes 2:15 open_in_new
said. in my heart. spake with myself.
to me. Hebrew "to me, even to me" (Emphatic).
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Ecclesiastes 2:16 open_in_new
remembrance. memorial, as in Ecclesiastes 1:11; Ecclesiastes 1:11.
of. for.
for ever. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:4.
seeing that which now is. for, as in time past.
as the fool. Compare Psalms 49:10; 2 Samuel 3:33.
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Ecclesiastes 2:17 open_in_new
life. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Subject) for the pleasure enjoyed in it.
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Ecclesiastes 2:18 open_in_new
labour. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for all that is produced by toil.
taken. toiled.
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Ecclesiastes 2:19 open_in_new
fool. Hebrew. sakal = stupid. Not the game word as in verses: Ecclesiastes 2:14; Ecclesiastes 2:15; Ecclesiastes 2:16.
have rule. Hebrew. shaLatin Supposed to be. later Hebrew word, but it occurs in Psalms 119:133.
shewed myself wise. acted wisely.
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Ecclesiastes 2:20 open_in_new
took. toiled. Some codices, with two early printed editions, add wherein. had acted wisely
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Ecclesiastes 2:21 open_in_new
there. here.
leave it. "leave it [to another]".
evil. calamity. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44.
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Ecclesiastes 2:22 open_in_new
vexation. feeding, or delight. Same word as in Ecclesiastes 1:17; Ecclesiastes 4:16. Not the same as in verses: Ecclesiastes 2:11; Ecclesiastes 2:17; Ecclesiastes 2:26.
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Ecclesiastes 2:23 open_in_new
travail. toil that brings about fatigue. The same word as in Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 2:26; Ecclesiastes 3:10; Ecclesiastes 4:8; Ecclesiastes 5:14. Not the same word as in Ecclesiastes 4:4; Ecclesiastes 4:6. Occurs only in Ecclesiastes.
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Ecclesiastes 2:24 open_in_new
nothing better. no goodness.
better. Occurs in Ecclesiastes 2:24; Ecclesiastes 3:22; Ecclesiastes 4:3; Ecclesiastes 4:6; Ecclesiastes 4:9; Ecclesiastes 4:13, &c.
than. Ginsburg thinks this "than" should be in the text.
his soul. himself. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
it: i.e. true enjoyment. Omit the preceding italics.
God. Hebrew. h a- 'Elohim. the [true] God (App-4. with Art.) God (as Creator) is the subject which is continued through the next verse as the source and giver of all good. It is not therefore necessary to suppose that "another hand has been here at work".
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Ecclesiastes 2:25 open_in_new
who else can hasten hereunto. who can enjoy?
more than I. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, read mimmennu, instead of mimmenni, "without Him" (i.e. without His favour).
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Ecclesiastes 2:26 open_in_new
sinner. Hebrew. chata'. App-44. Occurs again in Ecclesiastes six times. (Ecclesiastes 5:6; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Ecclesiastes 7:26; Ecclesiastes 8:12; Ecclesiastes 9:2; Ecclesiastes 9:18).
gather. gather in. Not the same word as Ecclesiastes 2:8.