---
title: "Bullinger"
description: "I considered = I have taken to heart.  even to declare. Septuagint and Syriac read, \"and my heart proved\".  the righteous =. just ones. God. Hebrew.  Elo"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/bullingers-companion-bible-notes/ecclesiastes/9"
---

**I considered** = I have taken to heart.
**even to declare.** Septuagint and Syriac read, "and my heart proved".
**the righteous** =. just ones. God. Hebrew. *Elohim.* (with Art.) = the [true] God: the Deity. App-4 .
**hatred by all that is before them** = hatred. All lies before them (i.e. in the future).
**them:** i.e. the righteous and the lawless.

**All things come alike to all** = Just as before all others. Reading on from [Ecclesiastes 9:1](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/1) .
**one event:** i.e. death. See note on [Ecclesiastes 2:14](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/14) .
**the wicked** = a lawless one. Hebrew. *rasha'.* App-44 .
**sinner.** Hebrew. *chata.* App-44 . All the nouns in this verse are singular.

**an evil.** The Preposition (= B) in *bebol,* gives the force of the superlative: i.e. the greatest or worst calamity of all, &c.
**evil** = calamity. Hebrew. *ra'a'* App-44 .
**under the sun.** See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:3](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/3) .
**madness.** Plural as elsewhere. See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:17](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/17) .
**they go.** Omit these words and note the Figure of speech *Aposiopesis* ( App-6 ), "and after that to the dead! "See the following note.

**For to him that is joined.** Connect this with the end of preceding verse and render "For who is excepted? To all the living", &c.
**hope** = confidence. Hebrew. *bittahon* (from *batah)* . App-69 . Occurs only here, [2 Kings 18:19](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/19) , and [Isaiah 36:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/36/4) .
**a living dog, &c.** Figure of speech *Paroemia,* App-6 . Same proverb in Arabic.
**living dog.** Regarded by the Jews as the most unclean and despicable creature ([1 Samuel 17:43](../../../kjv/1-samuel/17/43) ; [1 Samuel 24:14](../../../kjv/1-samuel/24/14) . 2Sa 9:8 ; [2 Samuel 16:9](../../../kjv/2-samuel/16/9) . [2 Kings 8:13](../../../kjv/2-kings/8/13) .[Matthew 7:6](../../../kjv/matthew/7/6) ; [Matthew 15:26](../../../kjv/matthew/15/26) . [Revelation 22:15](../../../kjv/revelation/22/15) ). Hence Gentiles so called.
**is** = he [is]: i.e. even he.
**better.** See note on [Ecclesiastes 2:24](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/24) .
**lion.** Regarded as the noblest of animals ([Genesis 49:10](../../../kjv/genesis/49/10) . [Job 10:16](../../../kjv/job/10/16) . [Isaiah 38:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/38/13) .[Lamentations 3:10](../../../kjv/lamentations/3/10) . [Hosea 13:7](../../../kjv/hosea/13/7) . [Revelation 5:5](../../../kjv/revelation/5/5) ).

**the dead know not any thing.** See and Compare [Ecclesiastes 9:10](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/10) . [Psalms 6:5](../../../kjv/psalms/6/5) ; [Psalms 30:9](../../../kjv/psalms/30/9) ; [Psalms 31:17](../../../kjv/psalms/31/17) ; [Psalms 88:11](../../../kjv/psalms/88/11) .[Isaiah 38:18](../../../kjv/isaiah/38/18) , [Isaiah 38:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/38/19) .
**a reward** = any advantage [to them].
**memory** = the faculty of remembering. See note on "them", below.
**them.** The Hebrew suffix "them" must be taken as the subject in all the four nouns alike. As in [Ecclesiastes 9:6](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/6) , the possessive pronoun "their" is, and must be, taken alike in each case.
**is forgotten** = ceases to exist, as in [Psalms 77:9](../../../kjv/psalms/77/9) , where it is parallel with "clean gone for ever "and "evermore", and in the next verse here([Ecclesiastes 9:6](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/6) ), where it stands parallel with "perished" and "for ever".

**perished** . Like the knowledge and memory of [Ecclesiastes 9:5](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/5) .

**wine.** Hebrew. *yayin.* App-27 .

**ointment** = perfume.

**labour . . . takest** = toil. . . toilest.

**thy hand findeth to do.** Hand put by Figure of speech *Metonymy* (of Cause), App-6 , for the strength put forth by it ([Leviticus 12:8](../../../kjv/leviticus/12/8) ; [Leviticus 25:28](../../../kjv/leviticus/25/28) ).
**do it with thy might** = do it while thou art able, and have time to do it.
**nor knowledge, &c.** See note on [Ecclesiastes 9:5](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/5) , above.
**wisdom.** Hebrew. *chakmah.* See note on [Ecclesiastes 1:2](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/2) . t
**he grave.** Hebrew Sheol. App-35 .

**men.** Hebrew. *gibbor.* App-14 .
**chance** = occurrence. Hebrew. *phega'* : i.e. "time[of misfortune]". Occurs only here and [1 Kings 5:4](../../../kjv/1-kings/5/4) , where it is associated with "evil" (or calamity).
**happeneth** = meeteth, or befalleth.

**For man, &c.** Connect this sentence with [Ecclesiastes 9:11](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/11) .
**man . . . men.** Hebrew. *'adam* (with Art.) App-14 .

**a little city.** For the application of verses: [Ecclesiastes 9:14-16](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/14-16) , note the following illustrations: poor ([2 Corinthians 8:9](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/8/9) . [Philippians 1:2](../../../kjv/philippians/1/2) , [Philippians 1:6-8](../../../kjv/philippians/1/6-8) ); wise ([1 Corinthians 1:24](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/1/24) ); delivered ([1 Corinthians 1:18](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/1/18) , [1 Corinthians 1:25](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/1/25) ); none remembered ([Isaiah 53:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/53/3) ); despised ([1 Corinthians 1:28](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/1/28) ); words heard in quiet ([Job 6:24](../../../kjv/job/6/24) .[Ezekiel 1:24](../../../kjv/ezekiel/1/24) , [Ezekiel 1:25](../../../kjv/ezekiel/1/25) .[Luke 10:39](../../../kjv/luke/10/39); [Luke 10:39](../../../kjv/luke/10/39) ).
**men.** Hebrew, plural of *'enosh.* App-14 .

**there was found** = [some one] was found.
**poor** = unfortunate. Hebrew. *misken.* See note on [Proverbs 6:11](../../../kjv/proverbs/6/11) .
**poor wise.** Some codices, with three early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "poor but wise".
**man.** Hebrew. *'ish* . App-14 .

**fools** = fat, inert. Hebrew. *kesil.* See note on [Proverbs 1:7](../../../kjv/proverbs/1/7) .

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