---
title: "Bullinger"
description: "enjoy = look thou into.  behold. Figure of speech  Asterismos.  of laughter = to laughter.  It is mad. See note on \"madness\", Ecclesiastes 1:17 .  of mir"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/bullingers-companion-bible-notes/ecclesiastes/2"
---

**enjoy** = look thou into.
**behold.** Figure of speech *Asterismos.*

**of laughter** = to laughter.
**It is mad.** See note on "madness", [Ecclesiastes 1:17](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/17) .
**of mirth** = to mirth.
**What doeth it?** = What doth she do?

**in mine heart** : i.e. resolved.
**to give myself unto:** or, how to enlist, by wine, my very flesh [in the work]: i.e. the work of proving the heart with mirth "yet retaining wisdom".
**wine.** Hebrew. *yayin.* App-27 .
**wisdom.** See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/13) . men. Hebrew. *'adam.* App-14 . Note the use of this word in Ecc. See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/13) .
**under the heaven.** See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:3](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/3) . Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "sun", to which it is equivalent.
**all the days** = the numbered days.

**made me great works** = increased or multiplied my possessions.
**works.** Put by Figure of speech *Metonymy* (of Cause), App-6 , for the results and effects gained by work. Compare [Exodus 23:12](../../../kjv/exodus/23/12) . [1 Samuel 25:2](../../../kjv/1-samuel/25/2) .[Isaiah 26:12](../../../kjv/isaiah/26/12) .

**orchards.** Hebrew. *pardesim* = paradises, parks, or pleasure grounds. Different from "gardens", which were cultivated ([Deuteronomy 11:10](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/11/10) . [1 Kings 21:2](../../../kjv/1-kings/21/2) ). Paradises were formed by eastern monarchs. In the British Museum may be seen the inscriptions of Gudea, the greatest of the Sumerian rulers of Chaldea (2500 B.C.), and Tiglath-pileser I, king of Assyria (1120 B. C), describing what could be only a botanical and zoological park. Assur-nazir-pal, king of Assyria (885 B. C), founded such a public paradise, and describes how he stocked it; what he brought, and whence he brought the natural history collection. The British Museum contains a portion of a similar catalogue of Sennacherib. The Paradise in [Revelation 2:7](../../../kjv/revelation/2/7) ; [Revelation 22:1](../../../kjv/revelation/22/1) , [Revelation 22:2](../../../kjv/revelation/22/2) , refers to the future paradise, which will be as literal and real, not figurative.

**wood** = forest.

**got me servants** = bought me servants. Hebrew bondage has nothing in common with Greek, Roman, or African slavery. There is no word for such slavery in Hebrew; *'ebed =* labourer, is the name of all Jehovah's servants.

**gathered** = amassed. Hebrew. *kanas,* said to be a later Hebrew word (see App-76 .)
**the provinces.** Hebrew. *medinah,* from *dun* = to rule, hence a country. There is no article before "kings", because they constantly change, whereas countries do not change. This is another word which is said to be of later date, but it is found in [1 Kings 20:14](../../../kjv/1-kings/20/14) , [1 Kings 20:15](../../../kjv/1-kings/20/15) , 1Ki 20:17 , [1 Kings 20:19](../../../kjv/1-kings/20/19) . [Lamentations 1:1](../../../kjv/lamentations/1/1) .[Ezekiel 19:8](../../../kjv/ezekiel/19/8) . See App-76 . Compare note on "event" in [Ecclesiastes 2:14](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/14) .
**remained.** The Divine wisdom given by God ([1 Kings 3:5-15](../../../kjv/1-kings/3/5-15) ) had not been taken away. See note at foot of p. 906. This must be remembered in reading this book. Like Luke's "understanding" it came "from above". See note on "very first" ([Luke 1:3](../../../kjv/luke/1/3) ).

**labour** = toil.
**was** = came to be.
**portion** = share, as in [Ecclesiastes 3:22](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/3/22) .

**Then** = But when.
**looked** = turned in order to look, as in [Ecclesiastes 2:12](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/12) .
**vanity.** See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:2](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/2) .
**vexation of spirit** = feeding on wind. Compare [Ecclesiastes 1:14](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/14) .

**behold** = consider.
**under the sun.** See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:1](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/1) .

**fool.** Hebrew. *kesil* = fat, inert. Same word as in verses: [Ecclesiastes 2:15](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/15) , [Ecclesiastes 2:16](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/16) ; not the same word as in [Ecclesiastes 2:19](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/19) .
**and I myself perceived** = and I too knew: i.e. as well as they.
**event** = a happening. Hebrew. *mikreh.* Said to be a later word, but it occurs in 1Sa 6:9 ; [1 Samuel 20:26](../../../kjv/1-samuel/20/26) . [Ruth 2:3](../../../kjv/ruth/2/3) . See note on [Ecclesiastes 2:8](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/8) .

**said I in my heart** = spake with myself.
**to me.** Hebrew "to me, even to me" (Emphatic).

**remembrance** = memorial, as in [Ecclesiastes 1:11](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/11) , [Ecclesiastes 1:11](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/11) .
**of** = for.
**for ever.** See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:4](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/4) .
**seeing that which now is** = for, as in time past.
**as the fool.** Compare [Psalms 49:10](../../../kjv/psalms/49/10) . [2 Samuel 3:33](../../../kjv/2-samuel/3/33) .

**life.** Put by Figure of speech *Metonymy* (of the Subject) for the pleasure enjoyed in it.

**labour.** Put by Figure of speech *Metonymy* (of Cause), App-6 , for all that is produced by toil.
**taken** = toiled.

**fool.** Hebrew. *sakal =* stupid. Not the game word as in verses: [Ecclesiastes 2:14](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/14) , [Ecclesiastes 2:15](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/15) , [Ecclesiastes 2:16](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/16) .
**have rule.** Hebrew. *shaLatin* Supposed to be a later Hebrew word, but it occurs in [Psalms 119:133](../../../kjv/psalms/119/133) .
**shewed myself wise** = acted wisely.

**took** = toiled. Some codices, with two early printed editions, add wherein I had acted wisely

**there** = here.
**leave it** = "leave it [to another]".
**evil** = calamity. Hebrew. *ra'a'.* App-44 .

**vexation** = feeding, or delight. Same word as in [Ecclesiastes 1:17](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/17) ; [Ecclesiastes 4:16](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/4/16) . Not the same as in verses: [Ecclesiastes 2:11](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/11) , [Ecclesiastes 2:17](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/17) , [Ecclesiastes 2:26](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/26) .

**travail** = toil that brings about fatigue. The same word as in [Ecclesiastes 1:13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/13) ; [Ecclesiastes 2:26](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/26) ; [Ecclesiastes 3:10](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/3/10) ; [Ecclesiastes 4:8](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/4/8) ; [Ecclesiastes 5:14](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/5/14) . Not the same word as in [Ecclesiastes 4:4](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/4/4) , [Ecclesiastes 4:6](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/4/6) . Occurs only in Ecclesiastes.

**nothing better** = no goodness.
**better.** Occurs in [Ecclesiastes 2:24](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/24) ; [Ecclesiastes 3:22](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/3/22) ; [Ecclesiastes 4:3](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/4/3) , [Ecclesiastes 4:6](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/4/6) , [Ecclesiastes 4:9](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/4/9) , [Ecclesiastes 4:13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/4/13) , &c.
**than.** Ginsburg thinks this "than" should be in the text.
**his soul** = himself. Hebrew. *nephesh.* App-13 .
**it:** i.e. true enjoyment. Omit the preceding italics.
**God.** Hebrew. *h* a- *'Elohim* = the [true] God ( App-4 . with Art.) God (as Creator) is the subject which is continued through the next verse as the source and giver of all good. It is not therefore necessary to suppose that "another hand has been here at work".

**who else can hasten hereunto** = who can enjoy?
**more than I.** Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, read *mimmennu,* instead of *mimmenni,* "without Him" (i.e. without His favour).

**sinner.** Hebrew. *chata'.* App-44 . Occurs again in Ecclesiastes six times. ([Ecclesiastes 5:6](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/5/6) ; [Ecclesiastes 7:20](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/7/20) , [Ecclesiastes 7:26](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/7/26) ; [Ecclesiastes 8:12](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/8/12) ; [Ecclesiastes 9:2](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/2) , [Ecclesiastes 9:18](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/18) ).
**gather** = gather in. Not the same word as [Ecclesiastes 2:8](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/8) .

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