Ecclesiastes 2:8 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

As musical instruments, &c.— A captive woman, nay, several captive women. It is doubted, whether the Hebrew words, rendered by us musical instruments, &c. signify things or persons. Mr. Desvoeux is of opinion that they signify persons. Any one, says he, who will read the original with attention, may easily perceive that this catalogue of Solomon's acquisitions from Ecclesiastes 2:4-8 is divided into several members by as many verbs; each of which has one or more substantives either governed by it, if it be an active one, or belonging to it, as its nominative, if it be a passive verb. But it must be farther observed, that none of these members take in both things and persons. Our author was so accurately exact in preserving that distinction, that, though slaves and cattle were considered in nearly the same light by the ancients, and though he made use of the same verb with respect to both, yet he repeated that verb twice, rather than bring both under the same head. This seems a probable reason that שׁדה shiddah, and שׁדות shiddoth, which are brought by Solomon under the same head with men-singers and women-singers, are persons and not things. שׁדה shiddah, is very properly derived from the verb שׁדד shadad, signifying to plunder, or lay waste; and so may signify a woman who is the subject of warlike devastation; a fair captive; and it is very reasonable to suppose, that in the catalogue of the acquisitions he made in order to indulge his pleasure, Solomon would not forget that circumstance whereof the historian speaks so strongly: Solomon had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, 1 Kings 11:1-3. And besides we should remember, that the possession of female captives was one of the most distinguished marks of ancient grandeur. This mention of the peculiar treasure of kings and provinces, confirms this opinion; for these treasures did not consist of gold and silver only; female captives made no inconsiderable part of it. See Joshua 5:30 and Homer, Il. 2: line 355. We may farther observe, that the phrase, The delights of the sons of men, confirms this interpretation. I do not know how far some people's fondness for music may influence their judgment in the application of this character; but when I consider not only Solomon's inclination for the sex, but chiefly the general taste and manners of his time, which was not long after the Trojan war; I can scarcely imagine how it is possible to take the delights of the sons of men in any other sense than we have given above. Whoever has read any thing of the profane history of those early times, must know, that the main spring of all the transactions of the most celebrated heroes was love; if one may give that name to an unbounded lust, which prompted them to lay violent hands on all that was fair; and many particulars contained both in the historical and moral books of scripture prove, that beauty was no less admired in Judaea than in other parts of the world. See Desvoeux, p. 487 and the Inquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer.