1Cautions against abuses in divine service; 8against murmuring at oppression. 9The vanity of riches. 18The cheerful enjoyment of what a man hath is good, and the gift of God, and a blessing to him that hath it.
1KEEP12thy 3foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready 4to hear, 5than to give the sacrifice of fools: 6for they consider not that they do evil.
1 This first verse some do add to the end of the fourth chapter, as speaking of one and the same matter.
2 The meaning is: Consider whither thou goest when thou goest to the temple. Thou goest not to a common or ordinary place, but to a place that is holy and dedicated to holy things, so that one must appear there with humility and reverence, as before the face and presence of God.
3 Or, feet, for the Hebrew word is read in two ways.
4 Namely, the holy Word of God, to be thereby instructed in the holy knowledge of Him.
5 That is, than to give what fools give, namely, an outward sacrifice without faith or repentance. The godly and truly religious people offered sacrifices, such did also fools, that is, hypocrites and those who made only an outward show of holiness; the godly did it not, as thinking to appease God by that outward work, and thereby to make satisfaction of their sins; but fools thought so. See 1 Sam. 15:22; Psalm 50:8; Prov. 15:8; 21:27.
6 Namely, when they offer sacrifices with such an heart and mind. Other, surely they know not to do anything but evil. Other, they know not what evil they do.
27Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any 8thing before God: for God is in heaven, and 9thou upon earth: therefore 10let thy words be few.
7 The sense is: When thou comest into the house of the Lord to call upon God, make not too great haste that thou mayest not pray unto Him without reverence and attention. Other, be not too quick, etc., namely, to make any vow unto the Lord unadvisedly or indiscreetly.
8 Or, a word.
9 Therefore, as if he would say, we must not speak unto that great and high exalted God as if we had to do with our equal; but we ought to come before His high and glorious majesty with all humility and lowliness of heart, remembering that we are poor, vile earthworms.
10 Namely, which thou usest in prayer. The rule of praying aright, in few words, is prescribed unto us by the Lord Christ, Mat. 6:7.
3For 11a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
11 That is, as much dreaming issues from the multitude of affairs wherewith a man is troubled and busied in the daytime, so does the babbling and prating of fools issue and proceed from the desire and custom of speaking much.
4Whena thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure 12in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
a Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21.
12 That is, in hypocritical or vain men, who, being in distress, make great and large vows, but when they are delivered out of troubles, they soon forget what they have vowed.
5Betterbis it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
b Deut. 23:21, 22.
6Suffer not thy mouth 13to cause 14thy flesh to sin; 15neither say thou before 16the angel, that it was 17an error: 18wherefore should God be angry 19at thy voice, and 20destroy the work of thine hands?
13 By refusing to pay thy vow.
14 That is, thyself, or thy body, thy corrupt flesh.
15 Namely, when he comes to require at thy hand the thing that thou hast vowed.
16 Some do understand here by the angel our Lord Christ, Who is called the messenger or angel of the covenant, Mal. 3:1. See Exod. 23 on verse 20. Others the priest or teacher, who is an angel or messenger of God, Mal. 2:7; 1 Cor. 11:10; Rev. 2:1, etc.
17 Or, misunderstanding, fault, ignorance, that is, a mistake of ignorance. As if he said: I did not mean it as such, or, I vowed inconsiderately, not thinking of it beforehand, and therefore I desire to be excused and freed from that vow.
18 The meaning is: Why wilt thou make it so that God shall be exceedingly provoked to anger against thee, for such kind of speeches and actions? It shall indeed go very ill with thee, if touching this matter thou lookest not well to thyself in time, Exod. 23:21.
19 That is, at thy saying, by reason of such rash vows, and idle and unprofitable excuses.
20 That is, that God would not cause the things to prosper which thou takest in hand.
7For 21inc the multitude of dreams and 22many words there are also divers vanities: 23but fear thou God.
21 The meaning is: Dreams have oftentimes no signification at all, neither does anything follow upon them; therefore they are mere vanity. Other, For as when dreams multiply, vanities also multiply, so is it likewise with many words.
c Prov. 10:19.
22 Or, in many matters, in many things.
23 As if he would say: It cannot be done with many spoken words, but with deeds and with a true fear of God when one appears before the face of the Lord. Other, therefore fear God, that is, while He hath power to punish thee, thus fear His wrath.
8 ¶ 24If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, 25marvel not at the 26matter: for he that is 27higher than the highest 28regardeth; and there be 29higher 30than they.
24 He wants to say: If there be anyone who thinks that it is in vain to fear and serve God uprightly, because wicked men do almost whatsoever they desire, without being punished for it, the answer to this is: that there is a God in heaven Who diligently heeds all unrighteous dealings, to punish them in wicked men, how highly soever they may be exalted here in this world.
25 Namely, not too much, so as thou wouldest not despair and lose heart or doubt God’s providential government, as if He permitted all things in the world to run at random without any guiding or governing by Him at all.
26 Other, pretence, intent, thing, matter, dealing, that is, at such kind of dealing. It may be applied either to the evil will and practice of wicked men, or to God’s wise and righteous providential government.
27 That is, God, Who is the Most High, much higher and mightier than the highest and mightiest of this world, be they emperors, kings, princes, governors, or what they may be. Other, for the most high takes notice from the height.
28 Namely, the oppressions of the poor, etc., and He so regards them, that He shall certainly punish them in His own due time.
29 Namely, the holy angels, who are under the command of none but God’s dominion alone. They likewise regard and heed the deeds of wicked judges.
30 Namely, above those who violate judgment and justice, and do oppress the poor. See Dan. 10:20; 11:1.
9¶Moreover 31the profit of the earth is 32for all: the king himself 33is served by the field.
31 This is the praise and commendation of agriculture above all other trades and occupations, whereunto men do give and apply themselves in this life.
32 Or, is in all things, that is, it is everywhere in use and useful.
33 The meaning is: A king is himself subject to the necessity of agriculture, without which he can maintain neither himself, nor his court, nor his army, nor his subjects. See hereof examples in Pharaoh, Genesis 41; 47, and in Saul, 2 Sam 9:9, 10. Other, becometh a servant of the field, that is, kings, princes or the great ones of this world do sometimes give themselves to agriculture.
10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he 34that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
34 This verse speaks of the insatiableness of covetous misers, according to the common proverb: Much treasure does not stop a miser’s mouth. Other, he that loveth money, shall have no increase, that is, he who is excessive in costly apparel and household stuff. Who keeps a great retinue both of men and maidservants and lavishes out his money about other unnecessary things, these matters cannot be maintained by his revenues and interest gained on capital. Compare this with Psalm 37:16.
1135When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and 36what good 37is there to the 38owners thereof, 39saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
35 That is, the more goods any man has, the more he stands in need of other men’s help and service, whom to maintain he must needs be at great costs and charges. Therefore riches cannot in any wise tend to the quietness or happiness of him, who possesses them in great abundance.
36 Other, what enjoyment, benefit, profit.
37 On the understanding that they have more than their own necessity; they have no more profit by them over and above, then only to see and behold them with their eyes, that is, no more than a man has of a painted scene. Others take it in this sense: The rich men must daily see before their eyes that their riches are eaten up and devoured by others.
38 Hebr. lords, masters or owners, namely, of the goods.
39 That is, saving the sight of their eyes?
1240The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but 41the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
40 Or, Whoso laboureth, to him sleep is sweet. Other, Whoso doth husbandry work, to him sleep is sweet, for, the Hebrew word is properly used of husbandry work or tilling the ground, as Gen. 2:5; 2 Sam. 9:10.
41 Or, the satiety; namely, not only in regard that the rich is not weary with laboring, but also in regard that he overcharges his stomach with good cheer. Likewise, the rich and wealthy of this world are subject to more danger than are the poor. Besides, rich misers have an insatiable desire to increase and augment their estates, and are always in fear that they shall loose them, which often breaks and hinders their sleep.
13There is a sore 42evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, 43riches kept for 44the owners thereof 45to their hurt.
42 Hebr. a sick evil; see on verse 17.
43 Riches are kept with care, oftentimes to the owner’s or possessor’s own misfortune; for, oftentimes the rich men fall into great troubles by reason of their riches; or riches perish and are wasted by evil and wicked practices, whether by leading a voluptuous or prodigal kind of life, or otherwise; therefore they tend to vexation and uneasiness of their mind. See Eccl. 6:2.
44 As verse 11.
45 That is, to the hurt of those who have them. Hebr. to his evil, that is, to the evil or hurt of everyone who have or possess them.
14But those riches perish 46by evil travail: and 47he begetteth a son, and 48there is nothing in his hand.
46 See Eccl. 1 on verse 13.
47 Namely, the rich man whose goods are vanished and come to nothing.
48 Namely, what he may give to his son, or what he shall get into his hands, namely, after his father’s death.
15As 49he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shalld take nothing 50of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
49 Namely, the rich man or the rich man’s son, being now become poor. Yet this proverb is also true of all people in general, how rich so ever they be, for, let man be ever so rich, yet when they die, they carry nothing away with them. See Job 1:21; 1 Tim. 6:7.
d Psalm 49:17.
50 That is, of the goods which he has gotten and gathered together by his labor, as verses 18, 19.
16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he 51came, so shall he 52go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured 53for the wind?
51 Namely, naked.
52 Namely, out of this world.
53 Or, in the wind, that is, in vain, or for an empty transitory thing, being no more the better for all his labor than if the wind had driven and blown it away. See Job 6 on verse 26.
17All his days also he eateth 54in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and 55wrath with 56his sickness.
54 That is, in sorrow and misery, shunning the society and company of people.
55 Hebr. properly, frothy anger.
56 This is not so much to be understood of a corporal or bodily sickness, as of an inward distemper, or sickness of the mind, heart’s grief and displeasure.
18¶Behold that which I have seen: it is goode and comely for one 57to eat and to drink, and 58to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: 59forf it is his portion.
e Eccl. 2:24; 3:12, 22; 9:7; 11:9.
57 Namely, with joy or rejoicing, not troubling himself too much, or being too anxious and careful about future things, or things that shall come to pass hereafter; yet so, that we never forget to have and set God before our eyes in the enjoyment of His blessings; for seeing signifies here enjoying. See the annotation Job 7 on verse 7.
58 Hebr. to see.
59 Namely, which is allotted to him in this life of his temporal goods; he can expect to have no more of them. Yet the children of God have a further and better portion than this, for, God Himself is their Portion, Psalm 16:5; 73:26; Lam. 3:24. Yea, they are joint heirs with Christ of an inheritance incorruptible, Rom. 8:17; 1 Peter 1:4.
f Eccl. 2:10
19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and 60hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
60 That is, He moves and inclines his heart thereunto, that he takes his share or portion of such things as God has given him, and enjoy the same with comfort and cheerfulness.
20For 61he shall not much remember the days of his life; 62because God answereth him 63in the joy of his heart.
61 That is, he shall not torment himself with thinking often of the grief and sorrow which he has had in his lifetime, nor with the care and fear of the suffering which yet may befall him.
62 That is, because God causes him to have that joy and gladness in his heart, which he so eagerly wished and longed for in his heart.
63 There is a threefold joy or gladness of heart; first, a natural joy of the heart, arising from a sense and apprehension of temporal happiness and prosperity; second, a civil or political joy of the heart, issuing from the practice and exercise of some excellent virtues, as in the heathen, who acquitted themselves most excellently in prudence, justice, valor, etc.; third, there is also a spiritual joy or gladness of the heart, proceeding from a sense and apprehension of our peace and reconciliation made with God. This is the most excellent joy of all, Rom. 5:1.