---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Ecclesiastes 1"
description: "CHAPTER 1   :-. INTRODUCTION. 1. the Preacher—and Convener
of assemblies for the purpose. See my  :-.
Koheleth in Hebrew, a symbolical name for Solomon,
a"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/ecclesiastes/1"
---

CHAPTER 1

. INTRODUCTION.

**1. the Preacher**—and *Convener
of assemblies* for the purpose. See my .
*Koheleth* in *Hebrew,* a symbolical name for *Solomon,*
and of *Heavenly Wisdom* speaking through and identified with
him. [Ecclesiastes 1:12](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/12) shows that "king
of Jerusalem" is in apposition, not with "David," but
"Preacher."
**of Jerusalem**—rather,
"*in* Jerusalem," for it was merely his metropolis,
not his whole kingdom.

**2.** The theme proposed of the
first part of his discourse.
**Vanity of vanities**—Hebraism
for the most utter vanity. So "holy of holies" (); "servant of servants" (). The repetition increases the force.
**all**—*Hebrew,* "*the*
all"; all without exception, namely, earthly things.
**vanity**—not in
themselves, for God maketh nothing in vain ([1 Timothy 4:4](../../../kjv/1-timothy/4/4);
[1 Timothy 4:5](../../../kjv/1-timothy/4/5)), but vain when put in
the place of God and made the *end,* instead of the *means*
([Psalms 39:5](../../../kjv/psalms/39/5); [Psalms 39:6](../../../kjv/psalms/39/6);
[Psalms 62:9](../../../kjv/psalms/62/9); [Matthew 6:33](../../../kjv/matthew/6/33));
vain, also, because of the "vanity" to which they are
"subjected" by the fall ([Matthew 6:33](../../../kjv/matthew/6/33)).

**3. What profit . . . labour**—that
is, "What profit" as to the chief good (). Labor is profitable *in its proper place* ([Genesis 2:15](../../../kjv/genesis/2/15);
[Genesis 3:19](../../../kjv/genesis/3/19); [Proverbs 14:23](../../../kjv/proverbs/14/23)).
**under the sun**—that is,
*in this life,* as opposed to the future world. The phrase often
recurs, but only in Ecclesiastes.

**4. earth . . . for ever**— (). While the *earth* remains the same, the generations
of *men* are ever changing; what lasting profit, then, can there
be from the toils of one whose sojourn on earth, as an individual, is
so brief? The "for ever" is comparative, not absolute ().

**5.** ([Psalms 19:5](../../../kjv/psalms/19/5);
[Psalms 19:6](../../../kjv/psalms/19/6)). "Panting" as
the *Hebrew* for "hasteth"; metaphor, from a runner
([Psalms 19:5](../../../kjv/psalms/19/5), "a strong man")
in a "race." It applies rather to the *rising* sun,
which seems *laboriously* to mount up to the meridian, than to
the setting sun; the accents too favor MAURER,
"And (that too, returning) to his place, where panting he
riseth."

**6. according to his circuits**—that
is, it returns afresh to its former circuits, however many be its
previous veerings about. The north and south winds are the two
prevailing winds in Palestine and Egypt.

**7.** By subterraneous cavities,
and by evaporation forming rain clouds, the fountains and rivers are
supplied from the sea, into which they then flow back. The connection
is: *Individual* men are continually changing, while the
*succession of the race* continues; just as the sun, wind, and
rivers are ever shifting about, while the cycle in which they move is
invariable; they return to the point whence they set out. Hence is
man, as in these objects of nature which are his analogue, with all
the seeming changes "there is no new thing" ().

**8.** MAURER
translates, "All *words* are wearied out," that is,
are inadequate, as also, "man cannot express" all the
things in the world which undergo this ceaseless, changeless cycle of
vicissitudes: "The eye is not satisfied with seeing them,"
c. But it is plainly a return to the idea () as to *man's* "labor," which is only
wearisome and profitless "no new" good can accrue from it
([Ecclesiastes 1:9](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/9)); for as the sun, c., so
man's laborious works move in a changeless cycle. The *eye* and
*ear* are two of the taskmasters for which man toils. But these
are never "satisfied" ([Ecclesiastes 6:7](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/6/7)
[Proverbs 27:20](../../../kjv/proverbs/27/20)). Nor can they be so
hereafter, for there will be nothing "new." Not so the
chief good, Jesus Christ ([John 4:13](../../../kjv/john/4/13);
[John 4:14](../../../kjv/john/4/14); [Revelation 21:5](../../../kjv/revelation/21/5)).

**9.** Rather, "no new thing *at
all*"; as in [Numbers 11:6](../../../kjv/numbers/11/6).
This is not meant in a general sense; but there is no new source of
happiness (the subject in question) which can be devised; the same
round of petty pleasures, cares, business, study, wars, &c.,
being repeated over and over again [HOLDEN].

**10. old time**—*Hebrew,*
"ages."
**which was**—The *Hebrew
plural* cannot be joined to the verb *singular.* Therefore
translate: "It hath been in the ages before; certainly it hath
been before us" [HOLDEN].
Or, as MAURER: "That
which has been (done) before us (in our presence, ), has been (done) already in the old times."

**11.** The reason why some things
are thought "new," which are not really so, is the
imperfect record that exists of preceding ages among their
successors.
**those that . . . come
after**—that is, those that live *still later* than the
"things, rather the *persons* or generations, , with which this verse is connected, the six intermediate
verses being merely illustrations of [WEISS], that are
to come" ([Ecclesiastes 2:16](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/16); [Ecclesiastes 9:5](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/9/5)).

**12.** Resumption of , the intermediate verses being the introductory statement of
his thesis. Therefore, "the Preacher" (*Koheleth*) is
repeated.
**was king**—instead of
"am," because he is about to give the results of his *past*
experience during his long reign.
**in Jerusalem**—specified,
as opposed to David, who reigned both in Hebron and Jerusalem;
whereas Solomon reigned only in Jerusalem. "King of Israel in
Jerusalem," implies that he reigned over *Israel and Judah
combined;* whereas David, at Hebron, reigned only over *Judah,*
and not, until he was settled in Jerusalem, over both Israel and
Judah.

**13. this sore travail**—namely,
that of "searching out all things done under heaven." Not
human wisdom in general, which comes afterwards (, c.), but laborious enquiries into, and speculations about,
the works of men for example, political science. As man is doomed to
get his bread, so his knowledge, by the sweat of his brow () [GILL].
**exercised**—that is,
disciplined; literally, "that they may thereby *chastise,*
or *humble* themselves."

**14.** The reason is here given why
investigation into man's "works" is only "sore
travail" ([Ecclesiastes 1:13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/13));
namely, because all man's ways are vain ([Ecclesiastes 1:13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/13)) and cannot be mended ([Ecclesiastes 1:13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/13)).
**vexation of**—"a
preying upon"
**the Spirit**—MAURER
translates; "the pursuit of wind," as in [Ecclesiastes 5:16](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/5/16);
[Hosea 12:1](../../../kjv/hosea/12/1), "Ephraim feedeth
on wind." But old versions support the *English Version.*

**15.** Investigation () into human ways is vain labor, for they are hopelessly
"crooked" and "cannot be made straight" by it (). God, the chief good, alone can do this ([Isaiah 40:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/40/4);
[Isaiah 45:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/45/2)).
**wanting**— ([Isaiah 45:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/45/2)).
**numbered**—so as to make
a complete number; so equivalent to "supplied" [MAURER].
Or, rather, man's state is *utterly wanting;* and that which is
wholly defective cannot be numbered or calculated. The investigator
thinks he can draw up, in accurate *numbers,* statistics of
man's wants; but these, including the defects in the investigator's
labor, are not partial, but total.

**16. communed with . . . heart**—
([Genesis 24:45](../../../kjv/genesis/24/45)).
**come to great estate**—Rather,
"I *have magnified* and gotten" (literally, "added,"
increased), c.
**all . . . before me in
Jerusalem**—namely, the priests, judges, and two kings that
preceded Solomon. His wisdom exceeded that of all before Jesus
Christ, the antitypical *Koheleth,* or "*Gatherer* of
men," ([Luke 13:34](../../../kjv/luke/13/34)), and
"Wisdom" incarnate ([Matthew 11:19](../../../kjv/matthew/11/19)
[Matthew 12:42](../../../kjv/matthew/12/42)).
**had . . .
experience**—literally, "had *seen*" ([Matthew 12:42](../../../kjv/matthew/12/42)). Contrast with this glorying in worldly wisdom ([Jeremiah 9:23](../../../kjv/jeremiah/9/23);
[Jeremiah 9:24](../../../kjv/jeremiah/9/24)).

**17. wisdom . . . madness**—that
is, their effects, the works of human wisdom and folly respectively.
"Madness," literally, "vaunting extravagance";
[Ecclesiastes 2:12](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/2/12); [Ecclesiastes 7:25](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/7/25),
&c., support *English Version* rather than DATHE,
"splendid matters." "Folly" is read by *English
Version* with some manuscripts, instead of the present *Hebrew*
text, "prudence." If *Hebrew* be retained, understand
"prudence," *falsely so called* ([Ecclesiastes 7:25](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/7/25)), "craft" ([Ecclesiastes 7:25](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/7/25)).

**18. wisdom . . . knowledge**—not
in general, for wisdom, c., are most excellent in their place but
*speculative knowledge of man's ways* ([Ecclesiastes 1:13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/13);
[Ecclesiastes 1:17](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/17)), which, the farther it
goes, gives one the more pain to find how "crooked" and
"wanting" they are ([Ecclesiastes 1:15](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/1/15);
[Ecclesiastes 12:12](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/12/12)).

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