Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Epilogue.

Ecclesiastes 12:9-12 is an editor's praise of Qoheleth, who is identified with Solomon, the sage compiler of proverbial wisdom, who wrote words of truth in a pleasing and elegant (acceptable) style; uprightly may also refer to correctness of form.

Ecclesiastes 12:11 a reminds us of the stimulus of a good teacher; Socrates called himself the gadfly of Athens, and the words of Pericles were said to have a sting in them.

Ecclesiastes 12:11 b may be rendered Like nails driven home are collections of sayings made by one master; the only difficulty is that Shepherd in OT usually refers to God. As to what lies beyond these (cf. mg.) there is need of warning; one can easily miss the true way in one's reading, perhaps a reference to heathen libraries, and a good deal of Jewish literature which the writer regarded as unedifying. study: cf. Ecclesiastes 1:18; the word seems to mean close application.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 f. The last words of the pious annotator of Ecclesiastes 3:17; Ecclesiastes 11:9 b, etc. What man should really devote and apply himself to is the fear of God and the keeping of His commandments. Whole belongs to man, and should be translated every; for the literal expression, this is every man, cf. Psalms 109:4, I am prayer; Psalms 11:03, Thy people are free-will offerings.

Ecclesiastes 12:14. Render, For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every secret thing, etc.

(See also Supplement)

Related Commentaries of Ecclesiastes 12:1

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grindersa cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

9 And moreover,b because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10 The preacher sought to find out acceptablec words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much studyd is a weariness of the flesh.

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.