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Ecclesiastes 9:1 open_in_new
I considered. I have taken to heart.
even to declare. Septuagint and Syriac read, "and my heart proved".
the righteous =. just ones. God. Hebrew. Elohim. (with Art.). the [true] God: the Deity. App-4.
hatred by all that is before them. hatred. All lies before them (i.e. in the future).
them: i.e. the righteous and the lawless.
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Ecclesiastes 9:2 open_in_new
All things come alike to all. Just as before all others. Reading on from Ecclesiastes 9:1.
one event: i.e. death. See note on Ecclesiastes 2:14.
the wicked. a lawless one. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44.
sinner. Hebrew. chata. App-44. All the nouns in this verse are singular.
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Ecclesiastes 9:3 open_in_new
an evil. The Preposition (= B) in bebol, gives the force of the superlative: i.e. the greatest or worst calamity of all, &c.
evil. calamity. Hebrew. ra'a' App-44.
under the sun. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:3.
madness. Plural as elsewhere. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:17.
they go. Omit these words and note the Figure of speech Aposiopesis (App-6), "and after that to the dead! "See the following note.
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Ecclesiastes 9:4 open_in_new
For to him that is joined. Connect this with the end of preceding verse and render "For who is excepted? To all the living", &c.
hope. confidence. Hebrew. bittahon (from batah). App-69. Occurs only here, 2 Kings 18:19, and Isaiah 36:4.
a living dog, &c. Figure of speech Paroemia, App-6. Same proverb in Arabic.
living dog. Regarded by the Jews as the most unclean and despicable creature (1 Samuel 17:43; 1 Samuel 24:14. 2Sa 9:8. 2 Samuel 16:9; 2 Kings 8:13.Matthew 7:6; Matthew 15:26; Revelation 22:15). Hence Gentiles so called.
is. he [is]: i.e. even he.
better. See note on Ecclesiastes 2:24.
lion. Regarded as the noblest of animals (Genesis 49:10; Job 10:16; Isaiah 38:13.Lamentations 3:10; Hosea 13:7; Revelation 5:5).
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Ecclesiastes 9:5 open_in_new
the dead know not any thing. See and Compare Ecclesiastes 9:10; Psalms 6:5; Psalms 30:9; Psalms 31:17; Psalms 88:11.Isaiah 38:18; Isaiah 38:19.
a reward. any advantage [to them].
memory. the faculty of remembering. See note on "them", below.
them. The Hebrew suffix "them" must be taken as the subject in all the four nouns alike. As in Ecclesiastes 9:6, the possessive pronoun "their" is, and must be, taken alike in each case.
is forgotten. ceases to exist, as in Psalms 77:9, where it is parallel with "clean gone for ever "and "evermore", and in the next verse here(Ecclesiastes 9:6), where it stands parallel with "perished" and "for ever".
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Ecclesiastes 9:6 open_in_new
perished. Like the knowledge and memory of Ecclesiastes 9:5.
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Ecclesiastes 9:7 open_in_new
wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27.
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Ecclesiastes 9:8 open_in_new
ointment. perfume.
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Ecclesiastes 9:9 open_in_new
labour... takest. toil... toilest.
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Ecclesiastes 9:10 open_in_new
thy hand findeth to do. Hand put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the strength put forth by it (Leviticus 12:8; Leviticus 25:28).
do it with thy might. do it while thou art able, and have time to do it.
nor knowledge, &c. See note on Ecclesiastes 9:5, above.
wisdom. Hebrew. chakmah. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:2. t
he grave. Hebrew Sheol. App-35.
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Ecclesiastes 9:11 open_in_new
men. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14.
chance. occurrence. Hebrew. phega': i.e. "time[of misfortune]". Occurs only here and 1 Kings 5:4, where it is associated with "evil" (or calamity).
happeneth. meeteth, or befalleth.
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Ecclesiastes 9:12 open_in_new
For man, &c. Connect this sentence with Ecclesiastes 9:11.
man... men. Hebrew. 'adam (with Art.) App-14.
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Ecclesiastes 9:14 open_in_new
a little city. For the application of verses: Ecclesiastes 9:14-16, note the following illustrations: poor (2 Corinthians 8:9; Philippians 1:2; Philippians 1:6-8); wise (1 Corinthians 1:24); delivered (1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:25); none remembered (Isaiah 53:3); despised (1 Corinthians 1:28); words heard in quiet (Job 6:24.Ezekiel 1:24; Ezekiel 1:25.Luke 10:39; Luke 10:39).
men. Hebrew, plural of 'enosh. App-14.
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Ecclesiastes 9:15 open_in_new
there was found. [some one] was found.
poor. unfortunate. Hebrew. misken. See note on Proverbs 6:11.
poor wise. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "poor but wise".
man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14.
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Ecclesiastes 9:17 open_in_new
fools. fat, inert. Hebrew. kesil. See note on Proverbs 1:7.