Ecclesiastes 1:15 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And that which is wanting cannot be numbered— Nor can men's wants be numbered. For the first clause of this verse, see chap. Ecclesiastes 7:13. From the 12th to this verse, we have the second proof of the first proposition, taken from the various occupations of men in search of happiness, which Solomon had both opportunities to observe from his high station, and abilities to observe rightly, from the wisdom he was endowed with, Ecclesiastes 1:12-13. These he found to be such, that no lasting advantage could accrue from them to mankind; and this for two reasons; first, because that which is, or appears to be, wrong, cannot by their utmost efforts be redressed; secondly, because their wants are so many, that they are not able to number them, Ecclesiastes 1:14-15. This double consideration seems to point out a twofold distribution of the occupations of men, as they propose to themselves either to rectify what is wrong, or to satisfy their own wants: the one is the business of the philosopher, the other of the man of pleasure; and both subjects are immediately resumed; First, singly, in the next verses, and chap. Ecclesiastes 2:1-2 and then jointly, chap. Ecclesiastes 2:3-10 in order to be more particularly considered.