Eclesiastes 1
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Eclesiastes 1
Wiersbe - Ecclesiastes 1:2 WHETHER VAIN Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures - Page 44 " 'Meaningless! Meaningless!' says the Teacher. 'Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless" (Ecc. 1:2). Vanity of vanities," lamented Solomon, "all is vanity!" (according to the King James Version of v. 2). Solomon liked that word vanity; he used it thirty-eight times in Ecclesiastes as he wrote about life under the sun. The word means emptiness, futility, vapor, that which vanishes quickly and leaves nothing behind. From the human point of view ("under the sun"), life does appear futile, and it is easy for us to get pessimistic. The Jewish writer Sholom Aleichem once described life as "a blister on top of a tumor, and a boil on top of that." You can almost feel that definition! The American poet Carl Sandburg compared life to "an onion—you peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep." And British playwright George Bernard Shaw said that life was "a series of inspired follies." What a relief to turn from these pessimistic views and hear Jesus Christ say, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). Or to read Paul's majestic declaration, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor for the Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor. 15:58). Life is not in vain if it is lived according to the will of God, and that is what Solomon teaches in this neglected and often misunderstood book. IN CONCLUSION…- Greg Laurie - borrow For Every Season “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) Before I became a Christian I was, like most young people, looking for purpose and meaning in life. The thinking of the day was that we, the young people, were going to change our world. The adult “establishment” didn’t have the answers. Our faith in government was shattered. So we thought we would change things. But after a little time, I began to realize that the youth movement had the same phony love and hypocrisy I had seen in the adult world. It was the same selfishness and emptiness of the generation that preceded it…and the generations that would follow. It was only a pale version of what can really be known in a relationship with God and as you walk with His people. On my high school campus, there was a very outspoken group of Christians who weren’t ashamed of the gospel. I went to one of their meetings, heard the gospel, and—much to my own surprise—gave my life to Christ. As I saw God’s promises coming to literal fulfillment in my own life, in the days that followed my faith in Jesus Christ—His love and power—grew and grew. Having lived in the world for seventeen years and having sampled many of the pleasures it had to offer, I knew the futility and emptiness of it all. I knew it was a dead-end street. I knew then that this world was empty. And it still is. As Solomon said, “Everything is meaningless…utterly meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2, NLT). So what’s the answer? “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Without God, life is vain and empty. But experiencing the reality of His Holy Spirit living in the very core of our being gives life a dimension that defies all description. Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Just Living? I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. —Philippians 3:8 There’s a gulf of difference—far wider than the Grand Canyon—between living for something and merely living. But what is a worthy purpose for our existence? Ty Cobb, one of baseball’s all-time greats, made a revealing admission: “For years I ate baseball, I slept baseball, I talked baseball, I thought baseball, I lived baseball.” But then he added, “When you get beyond those years of playing professional baseball, you can’t live on baseball.” Certainly there is a vast multitude of purposes to which we can devote our energies. But in the end none of them will prove sufficient. One purpose alone gives enduring motivation to life. The apostle Paul stated that lasting purpose this way: “For to me, to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). Those searching to know life's true meaning Can find it in only one way: By serving the Lord with commitment And living for Him day by day. —JDB Life's purpose is found in a person—the Lord Jesus Christ. Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Treadmill The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. --Proverbs 4:18 In bad weather I get my exercise on a treadmill. But it's so boring! When the odometer says I've walked a mile, I've actually gone nowhere. Life without God is like being on a treadmill. Generations come and generations go (Eccl. 1:4). The sun rises and sets day after day, year after year (v.5). The wind follows a repetitive course as it blows and swirls over the earth (v.6). Rivers flow into the sea, but it is never full (v.7). Like these natural phenomena, life is always moving but never arriving, always encountering changes but never finding anything really new. Then comes death. People without God are without hope and know they will soon be forgotten. What a dismal prospect! How different for those who know God! Yes, they too sometimes experience routine, monotony, and difficulty, but instead of being on a treadmill they are on a journey. That's how Ernest Pike, an 83-year old friend of mine, viewed his life. Shortly before he died, he greeted me with a smile and said, "All my Christian life I've been preparing for heaven. Now I'm about to go there." If we commit ourselves to Christ And follow in His way, He'll give us life that satisfies With purpose for each day. --Sper Life without Christ is a hopeless end; life with Christ is an endless hope. Ecclesiastes 1:3 What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? KJV Ecclesiastes 1:3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? BGT Ecclesiastes 1:3 τίς περισσεία τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐν παντὶ μόχθῳ αὐτοῦ ᾧ μοχθεῖ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον LXE Ecclesiastes 1:3 What advantage is there to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun? NET Ecclesiastes 1:3 What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth? CSB Ecclesiastes 1:3 What does a man gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? ESV Ecclesiastes 1:3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? NIV Ecclesiastes 1:3 What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? NLT Ecclesiastes 1:3 What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? YLT Ecclesiastes 1:3 What advantage is to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun? NJB Ecclesiastes 1:3 What profit can we show for all our toil, toiling under the sun? NRS Ecclesiastes 1:3 What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? NAB Ecclesiastes 1:3 What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? GWN Ecclesiastes 1:3 What do people gain from all their hard work under the sun? profit: Ec 2:22 3:9 5:16 Pr 23:4,5 Isa 55:2 Hab 2:13,18 Mt 16:26 Mk 8:36,37 Joh 6:27 under: Ec 2:11,19 4:3,7 5:18 6:12 7:11 8:15-17 9:3,6,13 Related Passages: Luke 12:19-20+ ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ Genesis 3:17–19+ Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. 18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” THE VANITY OF TOILING UNDER THE SUN What advantage (yithron; Lxx - perisseia - that which is beyond the regular or expected amount) does man have in all his work (amal; Lxx - mochthos = hard, difficult labor involving suffering) Which he does under the sun? - Advantage (yithron) appears 10 times in Ecclesiastes and each time it questions what is the lasting benefit or eternal value of all this effort? Thus Solomon opens his argument on all is vanity with a rhetorical question calling for a negative response. Answer? NONE! Advantage (yithron) is a commercial term so the idea is life "pays no dividends." Solomon, despite having wealth, wisdom, and success, looks around and sees that everything under the sun is fleeting. Ultimately, the answer Ecclesiastes points toward is that is no lasting advantage (yithron) exists apart from God. Solomon in effect is forcing us to look beyond earthly accomplishments to eternal purpose. He is forcing us to (See Vertical Vision) Solomon's words remind us of the words of Jesus in Mark 8:36+ declaring “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" That is the ultimate vanity of vanities! NET NOTE - This rhetorical question expects a negative answer: “Man has no gain in all his toil.” Ecclesiastes often uses rhetorical questions in this manner (e.g., Ecc 2:2; 3:9; 6:8, 11, 12) IN AFFIRMATIVE NEGATION This is a very important division, because some of the weightiest truths are conveyed by this form of question: i.e., where the question is put in the affirmative, and the answer to be supplied by the mind is a very emphatic negative. “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14). No! there is nothing too hard for Him, for compare Jer. 32:17. Zech. 8:6. Matt. 3:9; 19:26. Luke 1:37. (Source- E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949). Does man have in all his work (amal; Lxx - mochthos = hard, difficult labor involving suffering) which he does under the sun? Note that the Hebrew word for work (amal; Lxx - mochthos = hard, difficult labor involving suffering) can denote physical labor but also alludes to mental anguish (cf Ps 25:18YLT = "my misery"; Joseph's trouble - Ge 41:51, Job's trouble - Job 3:10) and this makes sense because physical labor is often associated with mental pain. Eaton - If the earthly realm is subject to vanity, there is no hope of finding ultimate gain or satisfaction from its resources alone....If our view of life goes no further than ‘under the sun’, all our endeavours will have an undertone of misery. (Borrow Ecclesiastes : an introduction and commentary page 56) What does "under the sun" mean? It means that since no place on earth is hidden from the sun, Solomon is referring to life on earth, in the visible, temporal realm (not the supernatural realm as with angels). If his resources are entirely this-worldly, ‘ No profit’ is the motto over all he does. Michael Eaton - Vanity characterizes man and the realm he occupies and dominates. If his resources are entirely this-worldly, ‘No profit’ is the motto over all he does. There is another realm altogether (ED: "OTHER WORLDLY"), the Preacher will contend later (Eccl 5:2), when he will speak of God who may be approached and worshipped (Eccl 5:1-7). Meanwhile the abyss of pessimism has to be explored. (Borrow Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – Ecclesiastes page 58)(Bolding added) Solomon affirmed at the outset that people gain no ultimate advantage or profit from all their toil. -- Donald Glenn John Stevenson Having given the answer, the Preacher now asks the question. What advantage does a man have in anything he does in this life? What's the use? Why are we here? Why do we work and labor and strive? You've heard about the man who climbed the ladder of success, only to find that it was leaning against the wrong wall. Is there a right wall? Why do we climb? The scope of the question is seen in verse 3. It is under the sun. That is the perspective from which this question is asked. It looks at life down here as opposed to life "up there." It looks at life from man's perspective rather than from God's perspective. It looks at life "under the sun" instead of at life "over the sun." Is this a Christian perspective? No! It is a humanistic perspective. When you look at this life only, it doesn't make a lot of sense. It is empty. This is confirmed in the New Testament. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:19+). If life is only viewed from our earthly perspective, then there isn't much for which to live because you really don't make much of a difference. You are born in one hospital and you die in another hospital and in between you try to stay out of any hospitals. But eventually you die. And when you compare your life with the world around you, it is your life that comes up short. This is illustrated in four areas: Illustrated By Passage The Earth A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever (Ec1:4). The Sun The sun rises and the sun sets; and hastening to its place it rises there again (Ec1:5). Wind Patterns Blowing toward the south, then turning toward the north, the wind continues swirling along; and on its circular courses the wind returns (Ec1:6). Water Cycle All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again (Ec1:7). Under the sun is only found in Ecclesiastes and describes life viewed solely from a horizontal, earthly perspective and is Solomon's way of saying that without God, everything is ultimately meaningless. Solomon uses (yithron) to probe whether anything "under the sun" can give true satisfaction or permanence. 🙏 THOUGHT - How much better would life under the sun be if all of our life was lived under the Son, in Word centered, Spirit enabled submission and obedience to Him? That's a rhetorical question. It reminds me of Paul's words in 1Ti 4:7-8+ where he instructs Timothy to "have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) yourself for the purpose of godliness; for (term of explanation - explains why spiritually discipline yourself) bodily discipline is only of little profit (CF "VANITY"), but godliness is profitable for all things (ED: COUNTERS SOLOMON'S "ALL" IN Ec 1:2!), since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." This begs the simple question Under the sun - 30x/28v (often used in connection with man's toil) - 2Sa 12:12; Eccl. 1:3; Eccl. 1:9; Eccl. 1:14; Eccl. 2:11; Eccl. 2:17; Eccl. 2:18; Eccl. 2:19; Eccl. 2:20; Eccl. 2:22; Eccl. 3:16; Eccl. 4:1; Eccl. 4:3; Eccl. 4:7; Eccl. 4:15; Eccl. 5:13; Eccl. 5:18; Eccl. 6:1; Eccl. 6:12; Eccl. 8:9; Eccl. 8:15; Eccl. 8:17; Eccl. 9:3; Eccl. 9:6; Eccl. 9:9; Eccl. 9:11; Eccl. 9:13; Eccl. 10:5 NET NOTE on advantage - The term “profit” (יֹתְרוֹן, yotéron) is used in Ecclesiastes to evaluate the ultimate benefit/effects of human activities, as is טוֹב (tov, “good, worthwhile”) as well (e.g., Eccl 2:1, 3). While some relative advantage/profit is recognized (e.g., light over darkness, and wisdom over folly), Qoheleth denies the ultimate advantage of all human endeavors (e.g., Eccl 2:11, 15). NET NOTE on His work which he does - The Hebrew root עָמָל, (’amal, “toil”) is repeated here for emphasis: “What gain does anyone have in his toil with which he toils.” For all his efforts, man’s endeavors and secular achievements will not produce anything of ultimate value that will radically revolutionize anything in the world. (ED: EVEN "ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE" CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION!) The term “toil” is used in a pejorative sense to emphasize that the only thing that man obtains ultimately from all his efforts is weariness and exhaustion. Due to sin, mankind has been cursed with the futility of his labor that renders work a “toilsome” task (Gen 3:17–19+). Although it was not yet revealed to Qoheleth, God will one day deliver the redeemed from this plight in the future kingdom when man’s labor will no longer be toilsome, but profitable, fulfilling, and enjoyable (Isa 65:17–23). Advantage (03504) yithron (from yathar = to remain over, remain, be left over) is a masculine noun refers literally to what is left over (a gain or a profit) or metaphorically to what is advantageous or of benefit, or that which remains after one's work (Eccl. 1:3; 5:16, 10:11); or knowledge (Eccl 7:12). The word yithrôn appears 10 times, all in Ecclesiastes and each time it appears, it questions what is the lasting benefit or eternal value does all this effort really yield? Yithrôn is not just about material gain, but about meaning, enduring value, or spiritual profit. Complete Biblical Library - Likely a loanword from Aramaic, yitron is derived from the cognate of Hebrew verb yathar, "to remain". Appearing exclusively in Ecclesiastes, the noun is attested in Jewish Aramaic, Christian Palestinian Aramaic, Syriac and Mandaean. The nuance of "profit" is a direct extension of the verbal nuance of "to be left over," as it denotes that which is superfluous or more than the necessary amount. It appears in two broad contexts, that of the lack of profit of labor and in the context of the advantage of wisdom. It appears twice in the comparative simile "wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness" (Eccl 2:13). Near the conclusion of a proclamation concerning the greatness of wisdom, the statement is: "the advantage of knowledge is wisdom" (Eccl 7:12). It also appears with this nuance in a series of metaphors which express the defilement of folly. Wisdom achieves profit (Eccl 10:10). "A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different (Eccl 10:11, NKJV). The second broad context for this noun is that of the rhetorical question, "What profit is labor?" The pointlessness of work is manifested in the realization that the earth is eternal, and generations continually do the same work, minimizing the significance of any individual (Eccl 1:3); as the only profit gained was the reward of the work itself (Eccl 2:11). Indeed, labor itself gains one nothing, not only in this life (Eccl 3:9), nor beyond as well, as one leaves life in the same financial state they entered (Eccl 5:16). Financially, a king is better than anarchy, in regard to land claims (Eccl 5:9). YITHRON - 10x/9v - advantage(5), excels(2), profit(3). Eccl. 1:3; Eccl. 2:11; Eccl. 2:13; Eccl. 3:9; Eccl. 5:9; Eccl. 5:16; Eccl. 7:12; Eccl. 10:10; Eccl. 10:11 Labor (mischief, toil trouble, anguish) (05999) amal from verb amal = to labor especially the dark side of labor, the grievous and unfulfilling aspects of work) means trouble, labor, toil. In Eccl 1:3 the Septuagint translates amal with the noun mochthos which describes hard and difficult labor involving suffering hardship, struggle, strenuous toil. Note that amal is not just describing physical toil but can also describe mental anguish as in the following passages -- anguish (Ps. 25:18), Joseph’s ‘anguish’ of mind (Ge 41:51), the ‘misery’ from which Israel was delivered (Nu 23:21NIV), Job’s ‘trouble’ (Job 3:10). Labor (amal) is used by Solomon in Ps 127:1+ explaining how man's labor is in vain without the LORD! = "Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor (amal) in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain." Gilbrant - This is the noun that describes the labor that Qoheleth, the Preacher of Ecclesiastes, considered vanity, because the laborer could never enjoy the fruit of the labor (Ecc. 1:3; 2:11). The term is used figuratively to describe the heaviness of certain painful thoughts, particularly the psalmist's concern over the prosperity of the wicked (Ps. 73:16). ʿāmāl can also refer to the fruit or produce of labor (Ps. 105:44; Ecc. 2:19) and the notion of trouble or vexation (general weariness or weariness of situations and circumstances). Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh since God had made him forget all his toil (Gen. 41:51). The Lord heard the affliction and toil of his people in Egypt and sent Moses to deliver them (Deut. 26:7). Job's so-called friends are called "troublesome comforters" (Job 3:10; 16:2). The Suffering Servant, Jesus Christ, experienced for our sakes "the anguish of his soul" (Isa. 53:11). ʿāmāl may also be translated "wickedness" (cf. Num. 23:21; Isa. 10:1), which conveys the emotion of vexation and anguish associated with sinful behavior, especially by those who are the recipients of such evil acts. (Complete Biblical Library) AMAL USES IN ECCLESIASTES - Eccl. 1:3; Eccl. 2:10; Eccl. 2:11; Eccl. 2:18; Eccl. 2:19; Eccl. 2:20; Eccl. 2:22; Eccl. 2:24; Eccl. 3:13; Eccl. 4:4; Eccl. 4:6; Eccl. 4:8; Eccl. 4:9; Eccl. 5:15; Eccl. 5:18; Eccl. 5:19; Eccl. 6:7; Eccl. 8:15; Eccl. 9:9; Eccl. 10:15; Ray Pritchard - Something New Under the Sun THE ULTIMATE QUESTION What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Ecclesiastes 1:3NIV Solomon’s question in verse 3 begs for an answer. Mine goes like this: What you gain from your labor depends on why you are doing it. There is a huge difference between living for your career and being sent on a mission. The Bible never talks about having a career. You'll never find the word in the Bible. Having a career is not a biblical issue. Having a mission is. It is not that Christians don't have careers. We do. Some of us are painters, some are doctors, some are computer scientists, some are bankers, some are nurses, some are teachers, and some are writers. And some are home-makers and mothers (an honorable and often overlooked career). But the difference is this: The people of the world live for their careers; the people of God don't. When your career is central in your life, then you are career-driven and career-minded as you climb the career ladder. You take a job and leave it two years later because it's "a good career move." You break all the significant relationships in one place and move across the country because your career demands it. Everything is calculated to get you someday to that elusive place called "the top." When you get there, your career will be complete and the world will applaud your achievements. I am suggesting that being career-minded in this sense is precisely what Jesus meant when He said, "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it" (Mark 8:35). Your career may well keep you from fulfilling your mission in life, and your mission may never make much sense as a career. Your career is the answer to the question, "What do you do for a living?" Your mission is the answer to the question, "Why did God put you here on the earth?" If you are just here to eat, sleep, go to college, get a degree, get married, get a job, have some children, climb the ladder, make some money, buy a summer home, retire gracefully, grow old and die . . . then what's the big deal? All of that is OK, but if that's all there is to life, then you are really no different from the pagans who don't even believe in God. It's nice to have a career; it's far better to be on a mission for God. Ask yourself, Did Jesus have a career? No, He had a mission from God to be the Savior of the world. Nothing He did makes sense from a career point of view. Being crucified is not a good career move. Yet by His death, He reconciled the world to God. Was He a success or a failure? Eternal God, You alone give meaning to life. Give me such confidence in Your Son that I might follow in His steps forever. Amen SHINING THE LIGHT What is your personal definition of success? If you were to die today, would you regard your life as having been a success from God's point of view? If the answer is no, what needs to change before you can answer yes? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Joshua 1:8; Job 20:20-22; and Mark 8:36. Warren Wiersbe - Ecclesiastes 1:3 PROBLEMS THEN AND NOW Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures - Page 308 "What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?" (Ecc. 1:3) What is the practical application of this book for us today? Is Ecclesiastes nothing but an interesting exhibit in a religious museum, or does it have a message for people in the Space Age? Its message is for today. After all, the society which Solomon investigated a millennium before the birth of Christ was not too different from our world today. Solomon saw injustice to the poor, crooked politics, incompetent leaders, guilty people allowed to commit more crime, materialism, and a desire for the good old days. It sounds up-to-date, doesn't it? If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, then this book urges you to do so without delay. Why? Because no matter how much wealth, education, or social prestige you may have, life without God is futile. You are only chasing after the wind if you expect to find satisfaction and personal fulfillment in the things of the world. "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" asked Jesus (Mark 8:36). Solomon experimented with life and discovered that there was no lasting satisfaction in possessions, pleasures, power, or prestige. He had everything, yet his life was empty! There is no need for you and me to repeat these experiments. Let's accept Solomon's conclusions and avoid the heartache and pain that must be endured when you experiment in the laboratory of life. Solomon’s Use of “Under the Sun” to Explore Life’s Meaning Passage What’s Being Examined “Under the Sun” Ecclesiastes 1:3 Human labor — what gain is there for all the toil? Ecclesiastes 2:11 Pleasure and accomplishments — even great works are vanity Ecclesiastes 3:16 Injustice in the place of judgment — even justice is corrupted Ecclesiastes 4:1–3 Oppression and suffering — those who suffer have no comforter Ecclesiastes 5:18 Enjoyment in labor — it is a gift from God, yet brief and fleeting Ecclesiastes 8:9 Human authority — rulers often misuse power, causing harm Solomon observes that even the best things, when considered "under the sun" (i.e., without God’s eternal perspective), are ultimately unsatisfying. UNDER THE SUN “Under the Sun” Means... Explanation Life in a fallen world Life affected by sin, toil, aging, and death (Genesis 3 consequences) The human experience apart from divine revelation or eternal hope It emphasizes what can be known or done without God in the equation A perspective limited to the earthly and temporal What life looks like if we only see what's "under" — not what’s above The boundaries of human wisdom and effort It marks the limits of what man can achieve, understand, or enjoy by himself Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever. KJV Ecclesiastes 1:4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. BGT Ecclesiastes 1:4 γενεὰ πορεύεται καὶ γενεὰ ἔρχεται καὶ ἡ γῆ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἕστηκεν LXE Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever. NET Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages. CSB Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. ESV Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. NIV Ecclesiastes 1:4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. NLT Ecclesiastes 1:4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. YLT Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing. NJB Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation goes, a generation comes, yet the earth stands firm for ever. NRS Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. NAB Ecclesiastes 1:4 One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. GWN Ecclesiastes 1:4 Generations come, and generations go, but the earth lasts forever. BBE Ecclesiastes 1:4 One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever. One generation: Ec 6:12 Ge 5:3-31 11:20-32 36:9-19 47:9 Ex 1:6,7 6:16-27 Ps 89:47,48 90:9,10 Zec 1:5 but: Ps 102:24-28 104:5 119:90,91 Mt 24:35 2Pe 3:10-13 Related Passages: 1 John 2:17+ (A GENERATION GOES...COMES) The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW IMPERMANENCE OF LIFE ON EARTH A generation goes and a generation (continually) comes, but (term of contrast) the earth (continually) remains forever (olam - NET- "through the ages") - NET = "A generation comes and a generation goes" Solomon will now begin to support the premise he made in Ecc 1:3 that all toil on earth is vanity. He begins with a contrast. What is Solomon contrasting? A generation speaks of a life cycle of birth, life and death and the phrase generation comes simply states that first generation is succeeded by another generation, and on and on and on! People of earth are all short timers and no one stays that long but they are soon replaced by the next generation. In a word, generations pass but creation endures. Clearly this passage highlights the brevity of human life in contrast with the continuity of the earth and should prompt a sobering reflection on our mortality. While not stated here, clearly this cycle should prompt an eternal perspective in each living soul (See Vertical Vision) The idea of remains forever (olam - NET- "through the ages") is that there is no end in sight in regard to the futility of life on earth (without God). John Stevenson The Preacher points to each of the basic elements - Earth, fire, wind and water - to show how the world frustrates man. Illustrated in the Perpetualness of the Earth. We always tend to feel that we are the "now" generation. But today's novelty is the material of tomorrow's garbage heap. Old age doesn't make you any wiser. It only teaches you the transience of life. The older you get, the more you see people die and the passing of your generation. And there is a dreary sameness to each generation which you can only see in its passing. It teaches us the transience of life. Alexander
Eclesiastes 1
Wiersbe - Ecclesiastes 1:4-8 AS SURE AS THE WORLD Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures - Page 75 "Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever" (Ecc. 1:4). From the human point of view, nothing seems more permanent and durable than the planet on which we live. When we say that something is as sure as the world, we are echoing Solomon's confidence in the permanence of Planet Earth. With all of its diversity, nature is uniform enough in its operation that we can discover its laws and put them to work for us. In fact, it is this dependability that is the basis for modern science. Nature is permanent, but man is transient, a mere pilgrim on earth. His pilgrimage is a brief one, for death finally claims him. At the very beginning of his book, Solomon introduced a topic frequently mentioned in Ecclesiastes: the brevity of life and the certainty of death. Individuals and families come and go, nations and empires rise and fall, but nothing changes, for the world remains the same. Thomas Carlyle called history a mighty drama, enacted upon the theater of time, with suns for lamps and eternity for a background. Solomon would add that the costumes and sets may occasionally change, but the actors and the script remain pretty much the same; and that's as sure as the world. Ecclesiastes 1:5 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hastening to its place it rises there again. KJV Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. BGT Ecclesiastes 1:5 καὶ ἀνατέλλει ὁ ἥλιος καὶ δύνει ὁ ἥλιος καὶ εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ ἕλκει LXE Ecclesiastes 1:5 And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place; NET Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again. CSB Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it returns to its place where it rises. ESV Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. NIV Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. NLT Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. YLT Ecclesiastes 1:5 Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there. NJB Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises, the sun sets; then to its place it speeds and there it rises. NRS Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. NAB Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises. GWN Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises, and the sun sets, and then it rushes back to the place where it will rise again. BBE Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up. sun: Ge 8:22 Ps 19:4-6 89:36,37 104:19-23 Jer 33:20 hasteth: Heb. panteth, Jos 10:13,14 Ps 42:1 Hab 3:11 THE REPETITIOUS CYCLE OF THE SUN Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hastening to (NET - "hurries away"; Literally "panting" with fatigue) its place it rises there again - Remember that what Solomon is doing is defending his argument for the transient effect of our work in Ecc 1:3. While the earth remains, it too has cycles but they are the same day after day. The Hebrew word for “hastening” suggests a kind of panting or straining, as if even the sun is wearied by its endless circuit. It is as if the sun can hardly keep up with its daily cycle. And despite all its power and glory, the sun ends up right back where it started, every day. The image is beautiful but Solomon sees it as part of a cycle of futility. Even the greatest objects in nature are locked into repetitive routines. Play the famous Fiddler on the Roof Song "Sun Rise, Sun Set." 🙏 THOUGHT - Don't just live day to day by the sun's rhythm alone, but live continually in the light of the Son's redemption and His Spirit renewal. Says the Preacher, take away its God, and creation no longer reflects His glory; it illustrates the weariness of mankind. As Eaton explains "These verses (Ec 1:5-7) amplify Ec 1:2-4 in terms of creation. Though a hubbub of activity, it is devoid of progress. There is no gain for man in his toil; similarly there is no gain for creation in her toil. Three examples are given: the repetitious cycles of the sun, like a runner on a circular track; the wind blowing round its circuits to no apparent purpose; the waters gushing into the seas without ever finding their task accomplished.....But, says the Preacher, take away its God, and creation no longer reflects His glory; it illustrates the weariness of mankind. When Adam fell, creation fell (Ge 3:17-19+). If man is weary, creation is weary with him. If our outlook is merely ‘under the sun’, no doxology can arise to one who is ‘in heaven’ (Eccl. 5:2+).....Hastens (RSV) translates a verb meaning ‘to gasp, pant, sniff’. It depicts the sun as weary, like ‘a runner breathing heavily in the race. (Borrow Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – Ecclesiastes page 58) John Stevenson As each generation comes and goes, so also each day comes and goes with a regular and monotonous passing. Chuck Swindoll said, "The problem with daily living is that it is so DAILY." NET NOTE on the sun rises - The Hebrew text has a perfect verbal form, but it should probably be emended to the participial form, which occurs in the last line of the verse. Note as well the use of participles in vv. 4–7 to describe what typically takes place in the natural world. The participle זוֹרֵחַ (zoreakh, “to rise”) emphasizes continual, durative, uninterrupted action (present universal use of participle): the sun is continually rising (and continually setting) day after day. NET NOTE on the sun sets - Heb “the sun goes.” The participle בָּא (ba’, “to go”) emphasizes continual, durative, uninterrupted action (present universal use of participle): the sun is continually rising and continually setting day after day. The repetition of בָּא in 1:4–5 creates a comparison between the relative futility of all human endeavor (“a generation comes and a generation goes [בָּא]”) with the relative futility of the action of the sun (“the sun rises and the sun goes” [i.e., “sets,” בָּא]). NET NOTE on hastening to its place - Heb “hastens” or “pants.” The verb שָׁאַף (sha’af) has a three-fold range of meanings: (1) “to gasp; to pant,” (2) “to pant after; to long for,” and (3) “to hasten; to hurry” (HALOT 1375 s.v. שׁאף; BDB 983 s.v. I שָׁאַף). The related Aramaic root שׁוף means “to be thirsty; to be parched.” The Hebrew verb is used of “gasping” for breath, like a woman in the travail of childbirth (Isa 42:14); “panting” with eagerness or desire (Job 5:5; 7:2; 36:20; Ps 119:131; Jer 2:24) or “panting” with fatigue (Jer 14:6; Eccl 1:5). Here שָׁאַף personifies the sun, panting with fatigue, as it hastens to its destination (BDB 983 s.v. I שָׁאַף 1). The participle form depicts continual, uninterrupted, durative action (present universal use). Like the sun, man—for all his efforts—never really changes anything; all he accomplishes in his toil is to wear himself out. NET NOTE on rises - The verb זוֹרֵחַ (zoreakh, “to rise”) is repeated in this verse to emphasize that the sun is locked into a never changing, ever repeating monotonous cycle: rising, setting, rising, setting. Paul tells us that this monotony in nature will continue but will one day be set free... For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility (TO WHAT??? FUTILITY THE VERY NOUN [mataiotes] USED TO TRANSLATE "VANITY" IN ECCLESIASTES!), not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope (ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE OF FUTURE GOOD) 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:19-23+) Ecclesiastes 1:5 The Son Also Rises The sun also rises, and the sun goes down. Ecclesiastes 1:5 nkjv Today's Scripture & Insight : Ecclesiastes 1:1–11 Ernest Hemingway’s first full-length novel features hard-drinking friends who’ve recently endured World War I. They bear the literal and figurative scars of the war’s devastation and try to cope with it via parties, grand adventures, and sleeping around. Always, there is alcohol to numb the pain. No one is happy. Hemingway’s title for his book The Sun Also Rises comes straight from the pages of Ecclesiastes (1:5). In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon refers to himself as “the Teacher” (v. 1). He observes, “Everything is meaningless” (v. 2) and asks, “What do people gain from all their labors?” (v. 3). Solomon saw how the sun rises and sets, the wind blows to and fro, the rivers flow endlessly into a never satisfied sea (vv. 5–7). Ultimately, all is forgotten (v. 11). Both Hemingway and Ecclesiastes confront us with the stark futility of living for this life only. Solomon, however, weaves bright hints of the divine into his book. There is permanence—and real hope. Ecclesiastes shows us as we truly are, but it also shows God as He is. “Everything God does will endure forever,” said Solomon (3:14), and therein lies our great hope. For God has given us the gift of His Son, Jesus. What occupies your time and what meaning does it hold? How might you change your priorities to follow Jesus? Loving Father, help me find my fulfillment in You. Ecclesiastes 1:6 Blowing toward the south, Then turning toward the north, The wind continues swirling along; And on its circular courses the wind returns. KJV Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. BGT Ecclesiastes 1:6 ἀνατέλλων αὐτὸς ἐκεῖ πορεύεται πρὸς νότον καὶ κυκλοῖ πρὸς βορρᾶν κυκλοῖ κυκλῶν πορεύεται τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἐπὶ κύκλους αὐτοῦ ἐπιστρέφει τὸ πνεῦμα LXE Ecclesiastes 1:6 arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits. NET Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns. CSB Ecclesiastes 1:6 Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles. ESV Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. NIV Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. NLT Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. YLT Ecclesiastes 1:6 Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned. NJB Ecclesiastes 1:6 Southward goes the wind, then turns to the north; it turns and turns again; then back to its circling goes the wind. NRS Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. NAB Ecclesiastes 1:6 Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds. GWN Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind blows toward the south and shifts toward the north. Round and round it blows. It blows in a full circle. BBE Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever. The wind: Job 37:9,17 Ps 107:25,29 Jon 1:4 Mt 7:24,27 Joh 3:8 Ac 27:13-15 GOING IN CIRCLES Blowing (literally "going") toward the south, Then turning (sabab) toward the north, The wind continues swirling (sabab) along; And on its circular courses (sabib) the wind (continually) returns - NET = "round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns." The wind follows a never-ending pattern, going south, turning north, circling, and returning, yet never arriving, never resting. It is in constant motion, but it accomplishes no lasting change. Solomon is using the wind to illustrate the cyclical, weary nature of labor and the vanity of labor under the sun. Even the wind, powerful and free, is caught in a repetitive loop. Just like the wind, human life can feel circular: working, aging, striving, but nothing ever seems to finally satisfy. The verse connects with verse 7 (rivers flowing) and verse 8 (weariness) all expressing a "cosmic treadmill" going in circles and in effect getting nowhere. Solomon isn’t condemning nature but is showing how even nature reflects a kind of endless motion without meaning. But it also sets up the contrast, so just as the wind and waters follow divine design, so too must man look beyond the cycle temporal toil for eternal significance. John Stevenson The Preacher shows how the world frustrates man. Illustrated in the Wind. All winds move in circuits, either clockwise or counter clockwise. There are regular weather patterns which are repeated again and again. They remind us of the continuing "sameness" of life. NET NOTE on swirling... - The Hebrew root סָבַב (sabab, “to circle around”) is repeated four times in this verse to depict the wind’s continual motion: “The wind circles around (סוֹבֵב, sovev) … round and round (סוֹבֵב סֹבֵב) … its circuits (סְבִיבֹתָיו, sévivotayv).” This repetition is designed for a rhetorical purpose—to emphasize that the wind is locked into a never ending cycle. This vicious circle of monotonous action does not change anything. The participle form is used three times to emphasize continual, uninterrupted action (present universal use of participle). Despite the fact that the wind is always changing direction, nothing really new ever happens. The constant shifting of the wind cannot hide the fact that this is nothing but a repeated cycle; nothing new happens here (e.g., Ecc 1:9–10). NET NOTE on returns - The use of שָׁב (shav, Qal active participle masculine singular from שׁוּב, shuv, “to return”) creates a wordplay (paronomasia) with the repetition of סָבַב (savav, “to circle around”). The participle emphasizes continual, durative, uninterrupted action (present universal use). Tremper Longman III The Heb. utilizes a literary device that is called delayed identification. The subject “wind” is actually toward the end of the verse. Thus, as the verse describes something going south, north, and round and round, the reader is not certain until the end that the author is describing the wind. Such a device grabs the attention of readers and gets them involved, but, as with many Heb. literary devices, it is hard to reflect it in a modern translation without sounding wooden. (See Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs - Page 264) Turning (05437) sabab means to go around, to surround; to turn around, to turn back, to change. It indicates a curving motion or an encircling motion of something, but it is used figuratively as well: to turn, to change direction (1Sa. 15:12); to encircle or flow around about, throughout (Ge 2:11, 13); to surround something (Ge 19:4); to gather people around a central person or object (G. 37:7); to travel round about (Ex. 13:18). It indicates a surrounding setting prepared by a jeweler to receive jewels, etc. (Ex. 28:11). "The Wind Turns Still" Blowing south, then north again, A restless breeze without an end, It dances high, then bows below, Yet finds no place it’s meant to go. It swirls and spins in silent grace, Yet never lands in any place. A power great, yet blind in aim, Its path returns — yet not the same. So too, our lives beneath the sky, We strive and labor, laugh and cry. We chase the wind with hearts aflame, But wake to find it’s still the same. The seasons change, the tides recede, But nothing fills the soul’s true need. The motion stirs, the silence stays— The weary wind outlasts our days. O Spirit of God, come blow within, Dispel the weight of earthbound sin. Give purpose to our fleeting days, And turn our circles into praise. Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again. KJV Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. BGT Ecclesiastes 1:7 πάντες οἱ χείμαρροι πορεύονται εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ ἡ θάλασσα οὐκ ἔσται ἐμπιμπλαμένη εἰς τόπον οὗ οἱ χείμαρροι πορεύονται ἐκεῖ αὐτοὶ ἐπιστρέφουσιν τοῦ πορευθῆναι LXE Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return again. NET Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the streams flow into the sea, but the sea is not full, and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again. CSB Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full. The streams are flowing to the place, and they flow there again. ESV Ecclesiastes 1:7 All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. NIV Ecclesiastes 1:7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. NLT Ecclesiastes 1:7 Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. YLT Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go. NJB Ecclesiastes 1:7 Into the sea go all the rivers, and yet the sea is never filled, and still to their goal the rivers go. NRS Ecclesiastes 1:7 All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. NAB Ecclesiastes 1:7 All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep on going. GWN Ecclesiastes 1:7 All streams flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. The water goes back to the place where the streams began in order to start flowing again. BBE Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again. the rivers run: Job 38:10,11 Ps 104:6-9 return again: Heb. return to go EVER FLOWING NEVER FILLING All the rivers (continually) flow (literally "walking") into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they (continually) flow again - Solomon would watch the Jordan River empty into the Dead Sea but the Dead Sea never overflowed! And as rivers poured into the Mediterranean Sea, the sea never overflowed. Solomon is alluding to the divinely ordained hydrological cycle of evaporation, rain, rivers, sea and then back again (See outstanding picture depicting water cycle). So like all of our daily toils ending in vanity, the natural world also appears busy and in motion, but its movement leads to no final arrival but only repetition. 🙏 THOUGHT - Solomon implies that human effort is like the river, constantly flowing but never fulfilling our expectations nor truly filling the heart unless connected to an eternal Source! John Stevenson Illustrated in the Cycle of Water. Water from the ocean is evaporated and carried over the mountains where it condenses in the cool air and rains on the mountains and flows down in rivers into the ocean where it is again evaporated in an unending cycle. In each of these areas, there is an unending "sameness." But YOU are not the same because you are here today and gone tomorrow. And when you are dead and buried, the sun will continue to rise and set and the winds will continue to blow and the rains will continue to fall and they will not even notice the fact that you are gone. NET NOTE on flow - Heb “are going” or “are walking.” The term הֹלְכִים (holékhim, Qal active participle masculine plural from הָלַךְ, halakh,“to walk”) emphasizes continual, durative, uninterrupted action (present universal use of participle). This may be an example of personification; this verb is normally used in reference to the human activity of walking. Qoheleth compares the flowing of river waters to the action of walking to draw out the comparison between the actions of man (Ec 1:4) and the actions of nature (Ec 1:5–11). NET NOTE on return - Heb “there they are returning to go.” The term שָׁבִים (shavim, Qal active participle masculine plural from שׁוּב, shuv, “to return”) emphasizes the continual, durative action of the waters. The root שׁוּב is repeated in Eccl 1:6–7 to emphasize that everything in nature (e.g., wind and water) continually repeats its actions. For all of the repetition of the cycles of nature, nothing changes; all the constant motion produces nothing new. NET NOTE This verse does not refer to the cycle of evaporation or the return of water by underground streams, as sometimes suggested. Rather, it describes the constant flow of river waters to the sea. For all the action of the water—endless repetition and water constantly in motion—there is nothing new accomplished Forgive me for a touch of nostalgia but Solomon's words about the rivers flowing into the sea reminded me of an oldie, but goodie Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers that has this line... Lonely rivers flow To the sea, to the sea To the open arms of the sea, yeah Lonely rivers sigh "Wait for me, wait for me" I'll be coming home, wait for me Unchained Melody C H
Eclesiastes 1
Wiersbe - Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures - Page 311 "Is there anything of which one can say, 'Look! This is something new? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time" (Ecc. 1:10). A young man approached me at a conference and asked if he could share some new ideas for youth ministry. He was very enthusiastic as he outlined his program, but the longer I listened, the more familiar his ideas became. I encouraged him to put his ideas into practice, but then told him that we had done all of those things in Youth for Christ before he was born, and that YFC workers were still doing them. He was a bit stunned to discover that there was indeed nothing new under the sun. Solomon wrote, of course, about the basic principles of life and not about methods. As the familiar couplet puts it: Methods are many, principles are few/methods always change, principles never do. The ancient thinkers knew this. The Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote, "They that come after us will see nothing new, and they who went before us saw nothing more than we have seen." The only people who really think they have seen something new are those whose experience is limited or whose vision can't penetrate beneath the surface of things. Because something is recent, they think it is new; they mistake novelty for originality. Ray Pritchard - Something New Under the Sun RAINBOWS, IF YOU SEE THEM What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10NIV Commentators on Ecclesiastes remark that this early portion of the book deals with the "round of life." Derek Kidner points out that life is like a long journey to nowhere in particular. We get up, go to work, come home, eat supper, watch TV, and go to bed. Tomorrow we get up and repeat the routine. This is the story of life "under the sun." Solomon's observation happens to be correct. Perhaps 99 percent of life is ordinary. In the words of the crusty curmudgeon Andy Rooney, "For most of life, nothing wonderful happens." He goes on to say, in one of his commentaries on daily living, that if you can't find happiness in things like having a cup of coffee with your wife or sitting down to a meal with family and friends, then you're probably not going to be very happy. If you sit around dreaming about winning the big contract or wondering when the Yankees are going to make you their starting pitcher, you're going to spend most of your days waiting for something that isn't going to happen. Meanwhile the sun will rise tomorrow and you won't see it. A friend will say hello and it won't matter, your children will giggle but you won't smile, the roses will bloom, white snow will cover the front yard, your husband will offer to rub your back, the choir will sing your favorite hymn—and because it's ordinary or you've seen it before or heard it before or done it before, and because you're dreaming of the future, you'll miss it altogether. Here's an old story from the comic strip "Peanuts." Lucy is down on her knees, looking intently at something on the ground when Charlie Brown comes along. She says, "I've been watching these bugs, Charlie Brown. You see, this one bug here is about to leave home. He's been saying good-bye to all his friends. Suddenly, this little girl bug comes running up and tries to persuade him not to leave." Charlie Brown looks up with an amazed and puzzled look on his face. Lucy concludes, "If you're going to be a good bug-watcher, you have to have lots of imagination. Lucy is right, of course. What you see is what you want to see. Some people look at life and see nothing but bugs. Other people see a love story. It's true that there is "nothing new under the sun." But that doesn't mean life isn't worth living. The world is filled with rainbows for those who have eyes to see them. Father, I pray for eyes to see the rainbows all around me. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT How do you reconcile the parade of human progress with the truth that there is nothing new under the sun? Are you more likely to see bugs or a love story? How does Jesus Christ create something "new" in your life? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Jeremiah 31:31-34; 2 Corinthians 5:17; and Revelation 21:5. Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there anything of which one might say, “See this, it is new”? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us. KJV Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. BGT Ecclesiastes 1:10 ὃς λαλήσει καὶ ἐρεῖ ἰδὲ τοῦτο καινόν ἐστιν ἤδη γέγονεν ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς γενομένοις ἀπὸ ἔμπροσθεν ἡμῶν LXE Ecclesiastes 1:10 Who is he that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed before us. NET Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there anything about which someone can say, "Look at this! It is new!"? It was already done long ago, before our time. CSB Ecclesiastes 1:10 Can one say about anything, "Look, this is new"? It has already existed in the ages before us. ESV Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already in the ages before us. NIV Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. NLT Ecclesiastes 1:10 Sometimes people say, "Here is something new!" But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. YLT Ecclesiastes 1:10 There is a thing of which one saith: 'See this, it is new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us! NJB Ecclesiastes 1:10 Take anything which people acclaim as being new: it existed in the centuries preceding us. NRS Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has already been, in the ages before us. NAB Ecclesiastes 1:10 Even the thing of which we say, "See, this is new!" has already existed in the ages that preceded us. GWN Ecclesiastes 1:10 Can you say that anything is new? It has already been here long before us. BBE Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us. Already it has existed: Mt 5:12 23:30-32 Lu 17:26-30 Ac 7:51 1Th 2:14-16 2Ti 3:8 THE ILLUSION OF INNOVATION In a world obsessed with upgrades, innovation, and reinvention, Solomon gently pulls back the curtain. He shows us that what seems new is often recycled. Humanity loops through trends, beliefs, wars, dreams — always hoping the next version will finally fulfill. But the only thing truly new is what God creates: A new heart (Ezek. 36:26+) A new spirit (Psalm 51:10+) A new creation (2 Cor. 5:17+) A new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1+) Solomon's point is that we will never find “new” under the sun but ultimately only in the Son, for in Christ we can we become something the world has never seen before, a new (kainos) creation (2Cor 5:17+). Is there anything of which one might say, “See this, it is new”? Solomon anticipates the reader will in effect say now "What a minute. I can think of many things that are new in 2025!" Solomon asks the question for them rhetorically where the implied answer is "No!" It is interesting that every generation thinks it’s unique but patterns recur John Stevenson The Lack of Novelty. We live in an age of novelty. We have seen things in our day of which our ancestors did not even dream. Space flight. Computers in every household. Instant media. And yet, with regard to human nature, there is a mundane similarity to the people of the past. The more things change, the more they remain the same. Parents know this. They watch their kids and they remember when they used to do the same things their kids used to do. And they find themselves saying the same things that their parents used to say to them. Already it has existed for ages Which were before us - Solomon replies "It was already done long ago, before our time." (NLT). Solomon's point is that the truly new, the newness that satisfies the soul, cannot be found under the sun (in a world without God). Only God creates transcendent newness as in "new creatures" in 2Cor 5:17+ were "new" is the word kainos which describes that which is new in kind (unprecedented, novel, uncommon, unheard of). It relates to being not previously present. Kainos is something that not only is recent and different but extraordinary"! NET NOTE - This does not deny man’s creativity or inventiveness, only the ultimate newness of his accomplishments. For example, there is no essential difference between the first voyage to the moon and the discovery of America (different point of arrival, different vehicles of travel, but the same essential action and results). Donald Glenn- As several commentators note, Solomon did not intend by this to deny human creativity but to deny the complete newness of people's accomplishments. For example, man's journey to the moon and the discovery of America, though different, were both explorations of distant places, involving adventure and risk. And the invention of dynamite and of the atomic bomb shared the element of discovering an "explosive." Thus what is true in the realm of nature—the constant repetition of previous accomplishments—is in essence true of the activity of people and is included in the observation that all things produce only indescribable weariness and lack of satisfaction (all things are wearisome, v. 8). (See Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament - Page 980) J Stafford Wright - Obviously, there have been many inventions; but in the context the Teacher probably has in mind any invention that enables man to break out of nature and the succession of history into meaning which transcends the sense of futility. Man has not found it; and each generation, regarding itself as the greatest, still reaches no conclusion. (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Page 240) Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still. KJV Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after. BGT Ecclesiastes 1:11 οὐκ ἔστιν μνήμη τοῖς πρώτοις καί γε τοῖς ἐσχάτοις γενομένοις οὐκ ἔσται αὐτοῖς μνήμη μετὰ τῶν γενησομένων εἰς τὴν ἐσχάτην LXE Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last time. NET Ecclesiastes 1:11 No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations. CSB Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is no remembrance of those who came before; and of those who will come after there will also be no remembrance by those who follow them. ESV Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after. NIV Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow. NLT Ecclesiastes 1:11 We don't remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. YLT Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is not a remembrance of former generations; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last. NJB Ecclesiastes 1:11 No memory remains of the past, and so it will be for the centuries to come -- they will not be remembered by their successors. NRS Ecclesiastes 1:11 The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them. NAB Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them. GWN Ecclesiastes 1:11 Nothing from the past is remembered. Even in the future, nothing will be remembered by those who come after us. BBE Ecclesiastes 1:11 There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them. There is: Ec 2:16 Ps 9:6 Isa 41:22-26 42:9 Related Passages: Ecclesiastes 2:16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die! FADING FOOTPRINTS ERASED BY TIME There is no remembrance of earlier things - Note some translations favor "things" and some favor "people." E.g., NAB renders it "There is no remembrance of the men of old." Even great accomplishments, great names, and great stories of the past are eventually forgotten. History moves on and most people are not remembered beyond a few generations. David
Eclesiastes 1
Wiersbe - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 LIVING IN CIRCLES Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures - Page 146 "I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but 1 learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief" (Ecc. 1:17-18). When Adam and Eve sinned, they did get an experiential knowledge of good and evil, but, since they were alienated from God, this knowledge only added to their sorrow. It has been that way with man ever since. Whether it be jet planes, insecticides, or television, each advance in human knowledge and achievement only creates a new set of problems for society. For some people, life may be monotonous and meaningless; but it does not have to be. For the Christian believer, life is an open door, not a closed circle; there are daily experiences of new blessings from the Lord. True, we can't explain everything; but life is not built on explanations: it's built on promises—and we have plenty of promises in God's Word! The scientist tells us that the world is a closed system and nothing is changed. The historian tells us that life is a closed book and nothing is new. The philosopher tells us that life is a deep problem and nothing is understood. But Jesus Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), and He has miraculously broken into history to bring new life to all who trust Him. If you are living in circles, then turn your life over to Him. Eric Ortlund - Qohelet’s Three Searches (Ec 1:12–18; 2:1–11, 12–26) Excerpt from Themelios article Laboring in Hopeless Hope: Encouragement for Christians from Ecclesiastes Qohelet’s first search is described in Ec 1:12–13: it concerns “everything that is done under heaven,” i.e., Qohelet comprehensively examines human activity, institutions, and behavior. For such a broad search, the conclusion comes quickly: “I saw all the things that are done under the sun, and behold, everything is vanity [הֶבֶל] and chasing after the wind” (v. 14). The next verse gives Qohelet’s reason for this conclusion: מְעֻוָּת לֹא־יוּכַל לִתְקֹן וְחֶסְרוֹן לֹא־יוּכַל לְהִמָּנוֹת What is twisted cannot be straightened, what is lacking cannot be counted. (Ec 1:15) There is an irreducible twisting or disjointedness to life under the sun, which we cannot rectify—so Qohelet claims in the first clause of this verse. The second clause implies not just that we do not have all the pieces we need to put the whole picture together but that we do not even know how many pieces we are missing. Reading Ecclesiastes can be a strange experience because one often wants to argue with the shocking things Qohelet says, but the more one engages with Qohelet’s argument, the more difficult it becomes to keep disagreeing. I doubt many of us drive to work in the morning consciously thinking that the next eight hours will be spent chasing the wind. But on the other hand, who can deny the disjointedness against which we struggle in our work and relationships? And surely each one of us has had those surreal moments when we face the profound limitations of our understanding of ourselves, our situation, and our world—and, further, that surreal sense that we cannot even identify what we are missing? But if that is the case, it becomes difficult to avoid Qohelet’s claim in v. 14. Given this twistedness, how can our work escape the contamination of הֶבֶל? Given the limits on our understanding and our ability to control our lives, how could it be otherwise? Our ambitions and goals will always outstrip what we can produce, and whatever we do produce will not last long. In an important sense, from an “under the sun” perspective, we are chasing the wind. And this is the case even though God himself has given us this work to do (v. 14). Unfortunate a business as it may be, everything done under the sun is given to man by God. Things do not get better in the final three verses of the chapter, in which Qohelet reflects on his own investigation in vv. 12–15. After stating that he was in a position to make the sort of claims he did (vv. 16–17a), he calls his investigation yet one more act of wind-chasing (v. 17b). Qohelet’s recognition of vanity is itself subject to that vanity. Verse 18 gives the reason for this: as Qohelet increased in wisdom (v. 16), so the level of pain and stress and frustration in his life increased. When I teach Ecclesiastes, I tell my students that if their degree from Briercrest makes their lives easier, then the institution has failed them. Growth in wisdom necessitates deeper levels of pain because the twistedness, the disjointedness, the frustration of creation becomes all the more evident. Ray Pritchard - Something New Under the Sun BIG GOD AND LITTLE ME I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to study and to explore b y wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:12-14NIV Over the years I have come to understand that there are only two theologies in the world. Here they are in very simple form: There is BIG GOD and Little Me or there is Little God and BIG ME. When you come into the knowledge of God, you will have a Big God and a little you. But for most of us, it's the other way around. Our view of ourselves is so big that God shrinks down to a manageable size. But the Bible has a special name for a god you can manage. It's called an idol! Men make idols because they want a god that serves their purposes The God of the Bible is far bigger than we imagine. He cannot be contained in any building or statue made by human hands! The bigger your God, the smaller your view of yourself, and the quicker you will fall down in worship and praise. Why are we here? To know God. Until you understand that, you have missed the purpose for life itself. This is the "heavy burden" Solomon mentions in verse 13—the unending search for truth and meaning in life. God put the need to know Him inside each of us, then He made it impossible to satisfy that need with anything short of Himself. Ever since the Fall nothing in the world has worked the way it should. We live in a frustrating world, don't we? You buy something, it breaks; you fix it, it works for a while and then breaks again. Eventually it wears out completely and you have to replace it. Nothing lasts forever, nothing works right. But it's not just creation; it's also you and me. We don't work right either. Children are born with horrible defects; people get cancer or Alzheimer's or AIDS or some other wasting disease. If you live long enough, you'll have a stroke or a heart attack or grow senile and end up in a nursing home. That's what Paul means when he says the whole creation groans waiting for its redemption (Romans 8:22). The world is broken beyond human repair, and only God can fix it "Give me a lever long enough," said Archimedes, "and a place to stand and I will move the world." The problem isn't the lever; it's finding a place to stand. You cannot explain the world from the standpoint of the world. The answer must come from somewhere else. Our search for truth will always lead to despair until our search leads us back to God. If knowing God is that important, I wonder what He will have to do to get our attention.. Our biggest problem is not that God isn't speaking; it's that we're so busy we can't (or won't) slow down long enough to hear His voice. Father, m y mind is filled with many questions I cannot answer. Although I do not have all the light I would desire, I certainly have all that I need. Help me to believe what I already know to be true. Amen. SHINING THE LIGHT How big is your God? * In what areas of your Christian life are you struggling most right now? Do you need to slow down so you can hear God's voice? MORE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD Read Job 11:7-8; Isaiah 55:8-9; and 1 Corinthians 8:1-2. Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. KJV Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. BGT Ecclesiastes 1:13 καὶ ἔδωκα τὴν καρδίαν μου τοῦ ἐκζητῆσαι καὶ τοῦ κατασκέψασθαι ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ περὶ πάντων τῶν γινομένων ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν ὅτι περισπασμὸν πονηρὸν ἔδωκεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς υἱοῖς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ περισπᾶσθαι ἐν αὐτῷ LXE Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith. NET Ecclesiastes 1:13 I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied. CSB Ecclesiastes 1:13 I applied my mind to seek and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied. ESV Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. NIV Ecclesiastes 1:13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! NLT Ecclesiastes 1:13 I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. YLT Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It is a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it. NJB Ecclesiastes 1:13 Wisely I have applied myself to investigation and exploration of everything that happens under heaven. What a wearisome task God has given humanity to keep us busy! NRS Ecclesiastes 1:13 applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. NAB Ecclesiastes 1:13 and I applied my mind to search and investigate in wisdom all things that are done under the sun. A thankless task God has appointed for men to be busied about. GWN Ecclesiastes 1:13 With all my heart I used wisdom to study and explore everything done under heaven. Mortals are weighed down with a terrible burden that God has placed on them. BBE Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do. set my mind : Ec 1:17 Eccl 7:25 Eccl 8:9,16,17 Ps 111:2 Pr 2:2-4 4:7 18:1,15 23:26 1Ti 4:15 It is a grievous task: Ec 3:10 4:4 12:12 Ge 3:19 Related Passages: 1 Kings 4:29-34 Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations. 32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. 33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish. 34 Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom. THE SEARCH THAT TIRED THE KING And I set my mind (leb - literally heart - seat of affections, understanding, intellect) to seek (darash; ekzeteo - diligently investigate) and explore (tur; Lxx - kataskopeo - view closely) by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven - NET - " I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth" Note the three verbs set, seek and explore indicating that Solomon was leaving "no stone unturned" in his hunt for wisdom to give meaning to life. The verb darash means to investigate the roots of a matter while tur means to investigate a subject on all sides. Solomon states he set about to conduct an in-depth, broad, and thorough search that involves both theoretical and practical knowledge. He adds that he is aided in this quest by his divinely given great wisdom (see 1Ki 4 passage above). What did Solomon seek? All manner of human activity and specifically things under heaven, not above heaven. He uses under heaven in this context with same sense as "under the sun" and is speaking of heaven simply as a reference to the sky above the earth. God's heaven is not intended here. Solomon sought answers that relates to this present world, not to the world to come! Ecclesiastes uses the term "wisdom" and "wise" in a way that is different from the way in which it is used in Proverbs. Ecclesiastes is not talking about God's wisdom. This is wisdom "under the sun." This is the wisdom of the world. This is the wisdom of Albert Einstein and of Isaac Newton and of Plato and Aristotle and Carl Sagan and David Thoreau and Spinoza. Solomon had made it his life's ambition to be WISE. Wisdom in Proverbs Wisdom in Ecclesiastes The fear of the Lord is the beginning and foundation of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Wisdom is seen as natural intellect in looking at life "under the sun." Wisdom equals godliness. Only secular wisdom is in view. Solomon reasoned that it is better to be wise than to be a fool. A wise man looks to see where he is going while a fool is blinded by his foolishness. Is it better to be wise of foolish? Is it better to be known as a serious intellectual or as a fun-loving party animal? Is it better to go through life with your head in a book, or with your head in a buzz? The short term answer is obvious. The person who seeks after wisdom lives in a world where the lights have been turned on - where "light excels darkness." Only a fool operates in a dark room. But in the final analysis, they both end up in the same place. Both the fool and the wise man eventually die and end up in the grave. William John Deane writes on set and seek - “The two words are not synonymous. The former verb implies penetrating into the depth of an object before one; the other word taking a comprehensive survey of matters further away; so that two methods and scopes of investigation are signified....Wisdom was the means or instrument by which he carried on his researches, which were directed, not merely to the collecting of facts, but to investigating the causes and conditions of things (Ecclesiastes - Page 6) J Stafford Wright - God has given something to man that he has denied to the rest of the animal world: the constant, though often worrying, urge to make sense of life and to work toward a transcendent ideal. An animal lives within the circle of its instincts and drives. Man, in the likeness of God, looks for meanings so that he can control and direct his instinctive desires. Someone has said that it is better to be Socrates discontented (because he cannot solve his problems) than a contented pig. (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary) NET NOTE on I set my mind - Heb “I gave my heart” or “I set my mind.” The term לִבִּי (libbi, “my heart”) is an example of synecdoche of part (heart) for the whole (myself). Qoheleth uses this figurative expression frequently in the book. On the other hand, in Hebrew mentality, the term “heart” is frequently associated with one’s thoughts and reasoning; thus, this might be a metonymy of association (heart = thoughts). The equivalent English idiom would be “I applied my mind.” Heb “with wisdom,” that is, with careful reflection in light of principles observed by the sages. This wisdom has no true answer to the meaninglessness of life. It only shows us how to live our meaningless lives better! David Guzik makes a good point that "Solomon was internationally famous for his great wisdom. If the answers to the seeming emptiness of life could be found by wisdom, Solomon was the one to find them....This is the wisdom of those who guide us to a better life in the here-and-now; how to live a healthier, happier, more prosperous life. This wisdom certainly has value, and many lives would be better for following it. Yet if it excludes a true appreciation of eternity and our responsibilities in the world to come, this wisdom has no true answer to the meaninglessness of life. It only shows us how to live our meaningless lives better! It is a grievous task ("bad or unpleasant task" "a miserable business") - Solomon's conclusion was that his diligent search was a wearisome, unpleasant, miserable business. Solomon had the time, power, intellect, and resources to explore life’s hardest questions. And he did. He investigated work, wisdom, pleasure, success, sorrow — everything under heaven (under the sun). But instead of finding peace, he found it to be a heavy burden. That’s what happens when we try to find ultimate meaning in temporary things and not in God. NET NOTE on grievous task - The phrase עִנְיַן רָע (’inyan ra’, “rotten business, grievous task”) is used only in Ecclesiastes (Eccl 1:13; 2:23, 26; 3:10; 4:8; 5:2, 13; 8:16). It is parallel with הֶבֶל (hebel) “futile” in Ec 4:8, and describes a “grave misfortune” in Ec 5:13. The noun עִנְיַן (’inyan, “business”) refers to something that keeps a person occupied or busy: “business; affair; task; occupation” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן; BDB 775 s.v. עִנְיָן). The related verb עָנַה (’anah) means “to be occupied, to be busy with” (with the preposition בְּ, bet), e.g., Eccl 1:13; 3:10; 5:19 (HALOT 854 s.v. III עָנָה; BDB 775 s.v. II עָנָה). The noun is from the Aramaic loanword עִנְיָנָא (’inyana’, “concern, care”). The verb is related to the Aramaic verb “to try hard,” the Arabic verb “to be busily occupied; to worry to be a matter of concern,” and the Old South Arabic root “to be troubled; to strive with” (HALOT 854 s.v. III עָנָה). The phrase עִנְיַן רָע is treated creatively by English translations: “sore travail” (KJV, ASV), “sad travail” (YLT), “painful occupation” (Douay), “sorry business” (NEB), “sorry task” (Moffatt), “thankless task” (NAB), “grievous task” (NASB), “trying task” (MLB), “unhappy business” (RSV, NRSV, NJPS), and “heavy burden” (NIV). Which God (Elohim) has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with - CSB = "God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied." Solomon uses the name God (Elohim) but never uses the covenant name Jehovah (Yahweh) in this book. Solomon concluded that God was the Giver of the futility of life. Of course that was not God's original plan for God saw that His creation was very good (Ge 1:31+). But when sin entered the world it immediately became very bad and sin brought affliction and God's curse in Ge 3:16-19+. Paul adds that "the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope." (Ro 8:20+) NET NOTE on afflicted with - Or “that keeps them occupied” or “that busies them.” The verb II עָנַה (’anah, “to be occupied with”) is related to the noun עִנְיַן (’inyan, “business, task, occupation”) which also occurs in this verse. The verb עָנַה means “to be occupied, to be busy with” (with the preposition בְּ, bet), e.g., Eccl 1:13; 3:10; 5:19 (HALOT 854 s.v. III עָנָה; BDB 775 s.v. עָנָה). The Hebrew verb is related to the Aramaic verb “to try hard,” the Arabic verb “to be busily occupied; to worry; to be a matter of concern,” and the Old South Arabic root “to be troubled; to strive with” (HALOT 854). The Septuagint helps give us a picture of what Solomon means by afflicted with as it is translated using the verb perispáo which literally means to be pulled or dragged from all around; figuratively be or become distracted, be anxious (Lk 10.40)
Eclesiastes 1
Wiersbe: Both the workaholic and the alcoholic are running away from reality and living on substitutes, and one day the bubble of illusion will burst. We only make life harder when we try to escape. Instead of running away from life, we should run to God and let Him make life worth living. 🙏 THOUGHT - What are you chasing after? If we are all honest we would admit we chase so many things -- Promotions. Applause. Possessions. Pleasure. Influence. Etc. We imagine that just one more step — one more success — will bring the deep peace and contentment we desperately seek. Solomon chased harder and further than anyone. He reached the summit of achievement, pleasure, and wisdom. But his conclusion? “It’s like chasing the wind.” Wind is beautiful, mysterious, even powerful but you can’t hold it. You cannot contain it. That is a perfect picture of life without Christ: attractive, even intoxicating, but ultimately unsatisfying. Jesus said, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Mt. 16:26+). Stop chasing the wind. Chase the One who rules the world and the world to come! In Christ Alone there is rest (Mt 11:29+) and life (Col 3:4+). Play Steve Green's song Chasing the Wind. Swindoll writes "Solomon’s journal entry is a despairing yet accurate portrayal of life lived with only an earthly perspective. If we walk around with our heads down, we’ll see nothing but dirt. Thankfully, however, two thoughts emerge from Solomon’s observations that point to something better for the child of God. 1. If there is nothing but nothing under the sun, our only hope must be above it. If an in-depth exploration of the monotony of life in the natural world leads to despair and frustration, then placing our trust in that unending carousel of life is utterly foolish. The object of our hope must be God, who dwells outside the cycles of this world....2. If a man who had it all investigated everything visible and found nothing of lasting value, then the only thing needed must be invisible.....Throughout history, the search for enduring happiness has led countless individuals to place their faith in the living God. In the person of Jesus Christ, the monotony grinds to a halt (Revelation 22:13), the crooked is made straight (Luke 3:5), and wisdom and knowledge are fulfilled (Colossians 2:3). Where are you seeking the answers to Solomon’s questions about life? Are you focused on the vain pursuits of the world around you, leaving you chasing after the wind? Or does your quest lead you to look above, where Christ is seated on the throne? (See Living on the Ragged Edge Workbook: Finding Joy in a World ...) C. S. Lewis: Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. . . . If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. (Reflections) Behold (02009) hinneh is an interjection meaning behold, look, now; if. "It is used often and expresses strong feelings, surprise, hope, expectation, certainty, thus giving vividness depending on its surrounding context." (Baker) Hinneh generally directs our mind to the text, imploring the reader to give it special attention. In short, the Spirit is trying to arrest our attention! And so hinneh is used as an exclamation of vivid immediacy (e.g., read Ge 6:13)!