Ecclesiastes 12:9-12 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And moreover, because the Preacher was wise.— And moreover the orator, as he was wise, still taught the people knowledge, and made himself to be listened to; nay, he sought out many important sentences, and set them in proper order; Ecclesiastes 12:10. The orator, I say, spared no trouble to find out pleasant words, and one who could well write down this true discourse, Ecclesiastes 12:11. One shepherd gave the words of the wise like goads, and appointed the masters of collections, like planted repostories: Ecclesiastes 12:12. And father, my son, be instructed by them. There is no end of making many books, and it is a great trouble to examine much. Desvoeux; who observes, that the 11th verse might be translated, The words of the wise are like goads, and the masters of collections are like planted garden-houses: they were given by one shepherd; which, as to the turn of the phrase, agrees with the version of Geneva; and he is of opinion, that the masters of collections were officers appointed to examine into the merit of the collections which were published, and to declare which contained the genuine sayings of the wise, and which not. It is said of these masters, that they were given or appointed by the monarch or sole-shepherd; which shews that they were public officers; and it is possible that they were the same as the rulers or princes of the synagogue; but as it is at the least doubtful whether there were any such things as synagogues in Solomon's time, it is more proper not to assign any other employment to these officers than that of taking care of the collections of wise sayings, and being a kind of guardians of their authenticity. That this was, or at least made part of, their business, is plain from the advice, And farther, my son, be instructed by them, &c. and as to the propriety of the expression, they might be called masters of the collection which they had in charge, as the magister supplicium libellorum in Latin, and the master of the rolls in English. How long that employment lasted among the Jews, is more than we can tell; but it is probable, that the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, (Proverbs 25:1.) to whose care we are indebted for several Chapter s of the book of Proverbs belonged to the college or board instituted by Solomon; of which number I suppose his secretary to have been, whom I understand to be specified by the words, One who could well write down this true discourse. The author's design was, to recommend a work which may be viewed in two different lights; as a discourse spoken, and a book written. Its first public appearance was in the first shape; but it is probable that it was taken in writing, and perhaps from the orator's own mouth, by his secretary. This made it proper to mention the abilities of that officer, that those who had not heard Solomon speaking might depend on the exactness of the copy, and if he had been chosen from among the masters of collections, which we suppose, the honourable mention made of him naturally brought in that of the board of which he was a member. The fourth and last precept (see Ecclesiastes 12:9.) contained in these verses, consists in a high commendation of the present discourse, whether heard, as it was when Solomon spoke it, or read, as it was intended it should be when published according to his directions. The commendation is taken, First, From his personal abilities and reputation. Secondly, From the pains that he had taken to make this work perfect, with respect both to the matter and style. Thirdly, From the reasonableness of depending on the care and capacity of those whom he himself had appointed either to take his words down in writing as he spoke them, or to preserve his collections. To this effect, having represented the words of the wise as instruments of agriculture; perhaps because they serve to cultivate the mind, he does, pursuant to the same figure, represent those officers as the places where such instruments are kept, and where any one that wants them must resort to get them. Thus, by applying to the proper officers, any one may save himself the trouble of going through the endless collections of others, which, to pursue the simile a little farther, we may compare to a large garden, where you might look a great while for the gardener's tools, without finding them, if there was not a known repository.