Ecclesiastes 9:4 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

That is joined to all the living; that continueth in the land and society of living men. Or, according to the reading of the Hebrew text, that is chosen or allotted to life, whom God hath appointed yet to live in the world, when he hath appointed that many others shall die; or who are written among the living, as the phrase is, Isaiah 4:3, which is borrowed from the custom of cities, where men are first chosen, and then enrolled citizens. There is hope; he hath not only some comfort for the present, but also hopes of further and greater happiness in this world, which men are very prone to entertain and cherish in themselves. Yea, they may have the hopes of a better life, if they improve their opportunities. But he seems to confine himself here to the present life. Better, i.e. much happier, as to the comforts and privileges of this world, though in other respects death be better than life, as was said, Ecclesiastes 7:1.