Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ecclesiastes 5

Introduction

1  Vanities in divine service;
8  in murmuring against oppression;
9  and in riches.
18  Joy in riches is the gift of God.
Verse 1

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
thy foot
Genesis 28:16,17, Exodus 3:5, Leviticus 10:3, Joshua 5:15, 2 Chronicles 26:16, Psalms 89:7, Isaiah 1:12-20, 1 Corinthians 11:22, Hebrews 12:28,29
ready
Acts 10:33, 17:11, James 1:19, 1 Peter 2:1,2
give
Genesis 4:3-5, 1 Samuel 13:12,13, 15:21,22, Psalms 50:8-18, Proverbs 15:8, 21:27, Isaiah 1:12-15, 66:3, Jeremiah 7:21-23, Hosea 6:6,7, Malachi 1:10,11, Hebrews 10:26
Verse 2

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
not rash
Genesis 18:27,30,32, 28:20,22, Numbers 30:2-5, Judges 11:30, 1 Samuel 14:24-45, Mark 6:23
thing
or, word. for.
Psalms 115:3, Isaiah 55:9, Matthew 6:9
let thy
3,7, Proverbs 10:19, Matthew 6:7, James 3:2
Verse 3

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
a fool's
10:12-14, Proverbs 10:19, 15:2
Verse 4

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
vowest
Genesis 28:20, 35:1,3, Numbers 30:2, Deuteronomy 23:21-23, Psalms 50:14, 76:11, 119:106, Isaiah 19:21, Matthew 5:33
for
Psalms 147:10,11, Malachi 1:10, Hebrews 10:6
pay
Psalms 66:13,14, 116:14,16-18, Jonah 2:9
Verse 5

Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Deuteronomy 23:22, Proverbs 20:25, Acts 5:4
Verse 6

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
thy mouth
1,2, James 1:26, 3:2
before
Or, "before the messenger," hammalach, the priest whose business it was to take cognizance of vows and offerings.
Leviticus 5:4,5, Genesis 48:16, Hosea 12:4,5, Malachi 2:7, 3:1, Acts 7:30-35, 1 Corinthians 11:10, 1 Timothy 5:21, Hebrews 1:14
it was
Leviticus 5:4-6, 27:9,10
destroy
Haggai 1:9-11, 2:14-17, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, 2 John 1:8
Verse 7

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
in the
3, Matthew 12:36
but
7:18, 8:12, 12:13, Proverbs 23:17, Isaiah 50:10,11
Verse 8

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
thou seest
3:16, 4:1, Psalms 12:5, 55:9, 58:11, Proverbs 8:17, Habakkuk 1:2,3,13
marvel
Zechariah 8:6, 1 John 3:13, Revelation 17:6,7
matter
Heb. will, or purpose.
Isaiah 10:5-7,12, 46:10,11, Habakkuk 1:12, Acts 4:27,28, Romans 11:33
for
Isaiah 57:15, Luke 1:32,35,76
regardeth
1 Kings 21:19,20, Job 20:19-29, 27:8-23, Psalms 10:17,18, 12:5, 58:10,11, Psalms 82:1, 83:18, 140:11,12, Isaiah 3:15, 5:7, 59:13-16, Jeremiah 22:17-19, Ezekiel 22:6-14, Amos 5:12, 6:2-6,12, 8:4-7, Micah 2:1-3,9, 3:1-4,9-12, Micah 6:10-13, Zechariah 7:9-13, Malachi 3:5, James 2:13, 5:2-7
higher than they
1 Chronicles 21:15,16, Psalms 95:3, Isaiah 37:36, Matthew 13:41,42, Acts 12:7-10,23
Verse 9

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
the profit
Genesis 1:29,30, 3:17-19, Psalms 104:14,15, 115:16, Proverbs 13:23, 27:23-27, Proverbs 28:19, Jeremiah 40:10-12
the king
1 Samuel 8:12-17, 1 Kings 4:7-23, 1 Chronicles 27:26-31
Verse 10

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
He that
The more he gets, the more he would get; for Crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit, "The love of money increases, in proportion as money itself increases."
4:8, 6:7, Psalms 52:1,7, 62:10, Proverbs 30:15,16, Habakkuk 2:5-7, Matthew 6:19,24, Luke 12:15, 1 Timothy 6:10
this
1:17, 2:11,17,18,26, 3:19, 4:4,8,16
Verse 11

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
they
Genesis 12:16, 13:2,5-7, 1 Kings 4:22,23, 5:13-16, Nehemiah 5:17,18, Psalms 119:36,37
what
6:9, 11:9, Joshua 7:21-25, Proverbs 23:5, Jeremiah 17:11, Habakkuk 2:13, 1 John 2:16
Verse 12

The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
Psalms 4:8, 127:2, Proverbs 3:24, Jeremiah 31:26
Verse 13

There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
a sore
4:8, 6:1,2
riches
8:9, Genesis 13:5-11, 14:16, 19:14,26,31-38, Proverbs 1:11-13,19,32, Proverbs 11:4,24,25, Isaiah 2:20, 32:6-8, Zephaniah 1:18, Luke 12:16-21, Luke 16:1-13,19,22,23, 18:22,23, 19:8, 1 Timothy 6:9,10, James 2:5-7, 5:1-4
Verse 14

But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
those
2:26, Job 5:5, 20:15-29, 27:16,17, Psalms 39:6, Proverbs 23:5, Haggai 1:9, Haggai 2:16,17, Matthew 6:19,20
and he
1 Samuel 2:6-8,36, 1 Kings 14:26, Psalms 109:9-12
Verse 15

As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
Job 1:21, Psalms 49:17, Luke 12:20, 1 Timothy 6:7
Verse 16

And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
a sore
13, 2:22,23
what
1 Samuel 12:21, Jeremiah 2:8, Mark 8:36
for
1:3, Proverbs 11:29, Isaiah 26:18, Hosea 8:7, John 6:27
Verse 17

All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
he eateth
Genesis 3:17, 1 Kings 17:12, Job 21:25, Psalms 78:33, 102:9, 127:2, Ezekiel 4:16,17
much
2 Kings 1:2,6, 5:27, 2 Chronicles 16:10-12, 24:24,25, Psalms 90:7-11, Proverbs 1:27-29, Acts 12:23, 1 Corinthians 11:30-32
Verse 18

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
it is good and comely
Heb. there is a good which is comely, etc.
2:24, 3:12,13,22, 8:15, 9:7, 11:9, 1 Timothy 6:17
the days
Heb. the number of the days. it is his.
2:10, 3:22, Jeremiah 52:34
Verse 19

Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
to whom
2:24, 3:13, 6:2, Deuteronomy 8:18, 1 Kings 3:13
this is
2:24-26
Verse 20

For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
For he shall not much remember
or, Though he give not much, yet he rembemereth, etc.
Psalms 37:16
because
Deuteronomy 28:8-12,47, Psalms 4:6,7, Isaiah 64:5, 65:13,14,21-24, Romans 5:1,5-11

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