1. As Ecclesiastes 11:9;
Ecclesiastes 11:10 showed what youths are
to shun, so this verse shows what they are to follow.
Creator—"Remember"
that thou art not thine own, but God's property; for He has created
thee (Psalms 100:3). Therefore
serve Him with thy "all" (Psalms 100:3), and with thy best days, not with the dregs of them
(Proverbs 8:17; Proverbs 22:6;
Jeremiah 3:4; Lamentations 3:27).
The Hebrew is "Creators," plural, implying the
plurality of persons, as in Genesis 1:26;
so Hebrew, "Makers" (Genesis 1:26).
while . . . not—that
is, before that (Proverbs 8:26)
the evil days come; namely, calamity and old age, when one can no
longer serve God, as in youth (Ecclesiastes 11:2;
Ecclesiastes 11:8).
no pleasure—of a
sensual kind (2 Samuel 19:35; Psalms 90:10).
Pleasure in God continues to the godly old (Psalms 90:10).
2. Illustrating "the evil
days" (Jeremiah 13:16).
"Light," "sun," c., express prosperity
"darkness," pain and calamity (Isaiah 13:10;
Isaiah 30:26).
clouds . . . after . . .
rain—After rain sunshine (comfort) might be looked for, but
only a brief glimpse of it is given, and the gloomy clouds (pains)
return.
3. keepers of the house—namely,
the hands and arms which protected the body, as guards
do a palace (Genesis 49:24; Job 4:19;
2 Corinthians 5:1), are now palsied.
strong men . . . bow—
(Judges 16:25; Judges 16:30).
Like supporting pillars, the feet and knees (Judges 16:30); the strongest members (Judges 16:30).
grinders—the molar
teeth.
cease—are idle.
those that look out of the
windows—the eyes; the powers of vision, looking out from
beneath the eyelids, which open and shut like the casement of a
window.
4. doors—the lips,
which are closely shut together as doors, by old men in
eating, for, if they did not do so, the food would drop out (Job 41:14;
Psalms 141:3; Micah 7:5).
in the streets—that is,
toward the street, "the outer doors" [MAURER
and WEISS].
sound of . . . grinding—The
teeth being almost gone, and the lips "shut" in eating, the
sound of mastication is scarcely heard.
the bird—the cock. In
the East all mostly rise with the dawn. But the old are glad to rise
from their sleepless couch, or painful slumbers still earlier,
namely, when the cock crows, before dawn (Micah 7:5) [HOLDEN]. The
least noise awakens them [WEISS].
daughters of music—the
organs that produce and that enjoy music; the voice and ear.
5. that which is high—The old
are afraid of ascending a hill.
fears . . . in the way—Even
on the level highway they are full of fears of falling, c.
almond . . . flourish—In
the East the hair is mostly dark. The white head of the old
among the dark-haired is like an almond tree, with its white
blossoms, among the dark trees around [HOLDEN].
The almond tree flowers on a leafless stock in winter
(answering to old age, in which all the powers are dormant),
while the other trees are flowerless. GESENIUS
takes the Hebrew for flourishes from a different root,
casts off when the old man loses his gray hairs, as the
almond tree casts its white flowers.
grasshoppers—the dry,
shrivelled, old man, his backbone sticking out, his knees projecting
forwards, his arms backwards, his head down, and the apophyses
enlarged, is like that insect. Hence arose the fable, that Tithonus
in very old age was changed into a grasshopper [PARKHURST].
"The locust raises itself to fly"; the old man about
to leave the body is like a locust when it is assuming its winged
form, and is about to fly [MAURER].
a burden—namely, to
himself.
desire shall
fail—satisfaction shall be abolished. For "desire,"
Vulgate has "the caper tree," provocative of lust;
not so well.
long home— (Job 16:22;
Job 17:13).
mourners— (Job 17:13), hired for the occasion (Job 17:13).
6. A double image to represent
death, as in , old age: (1) A lamp of frail material, but
gilded over, often in the East hung from roofs by a cord
of silk and silver interwoven; as the lamp is dashed down and
broken, when the cord breaks, so man at death; the golden bowl of the
lamp answers to the skull, which, from the vital preciousness
of its contents, may be called "golden"; "the silver
cord" is the spinal marrow, which is white and precious
as silver, and is attached to the brain. (2) A fountain, from
which water is drawn by a pitcher let down by a rope wound
round a wheel; as, when the pitcher and wheel are broken,
water can no more be drawn, so life ceases when the vital energies
are gone. The "fountain" may mean the right
ventricle of the heart; the "cistern," the left; the
pitcher, the veins; the wheel, the aorta, or great artery [SMITH].
The circulation of the blood, whether known or not to Solomon, seems
to be implied in the language put by the Holy Ghost into his mouth.
This gloomy picture of old age applies to those who have not
"remembered their Creator in youth." They have none of the
consolations of God, which they might have obtained in youth; it is
now too late to seek them. A good old age is a blessing to the godly
(Genesis 15:15; Job 5:26;
Proverbs 16:31; Proverbs 20:29).
7. dust—the dust-formed body.
spirit—surviving the
body; implying its immortality ().
9. gave good heed—literally,
"he weighed." The "teaching the people" seems to
have been oral; the "proverbs," in writing.
There must then have been auditories assembled to hear the
inspired wisdom of the Preacher. See the explanation of
Koheleth in the ,
and Ecclesiastes 1:1 (Ecclesiastes 1:1).
that which is written,
c.—rather, (he sought) "to write down uprightly (or,
'aright') words of truth" [HOLDEN
and WEISS]. "Acceptable"
means an agreeable style "uprightly . . . truth," correct
sentiment.
11. goads—piercing deeply into
the mind (Acts 2:37; Acts 9:5;
Hebrews 4:12); evidently inspired
words, as the end of the verse proves.
fastened—rather, on
account of the Hebrew genders, (The words) "are fastened
(in the memory) like nails" [HOLDEN].
masters of assemblies—rather,
"the masters of collections (that is, collectors of inspired
sayings, Proverbs 25:1), are given
('have published them as proceeding' [HOLDEN])
from one Shepherd," namely, the Spirit of Jesus Christ [WEISS],
(Ezekiel 37:24). However, the
mention of "goads" favors the English Version,
"masters of assemblies," namely, under-shepherds,
inspired by the Chief Shepherd (Ezekiel 37:24). SCHMIDT
translates, "The masters of assemblies are fastened (made sure)
as nails," so Isaiah 22:23.
12. (See on ).
many books—of mere
human composition, opposed to "by these"; these
inspired writings are the only sure source of "admonition."
(over much) study—in
mere human books, wearies the body, without solidly profiting the
soul.
13. The grand inference of the
whole book.
Fear God—The antidote
to following creature idols, and "vanities," whether
self-righteousness (Ecclesiastes 7:16;
Ecclesiastes 7:18), or wicked oppression
and other evils (Ecclesiastes 8:12;
Ecclesiastes 8:13), or mad mirth (Ecclesiastes 2:2;
Ecclesiastes 7:2-5), or
self-mortifying avarice (Ecclesiastes 8:13;
Ecclesiastes 8:17), or youth spent without
God (Ecclesiastes 11:9; Ecclesiastes 12:1).
this is the whole duty of
man—literally, "this is the whole man," the full
ideal of man, as originally contemplated, realized wholly by Jesus
Christ alone; and, through Him, by saints now in part, hereafter
perfectly (1 John 3:22-24;
Revelation 22:14).
14. For God shall bring every work
into judgment—The future judgment is the test of what is
"vanity," what solid, as regards the chief good, the grand
subject of the book.
CHAPTER 12
.
1. As Ecclesiastes 11:9; Ecclesiastes 11:10 showed what youths are to shun, so this verse shows what they are to follow.
Creator—"Remember" that thou art not thine own, but God's property; for He has created thee (Psalms 100:3). Therefore serve Him with thy "all" (Psalms 100:3), and with thy best days, not with the dregs of them (Proverbs 8:17; Proverbs 22:6; Jeremiah 3:4; Lamentations 3:27). The Hebrew is "Creators," plural, implying the plurality of persons, as in Genesis 1:26; so Hebrew, "Makers" (Genesis 1:26).
while . . . not—that is, before that (Proverbs 8:26) the evil days come; namely, calamity and old age, when one can no longer serve God, as in youth (Ecclesiastes 11:2; Ecclesiastes 11:8).
no pleasure—of a sensual kind (2 Samuel 19:35; Psalms 90:10). Pleasure in God continues to the godly old (Psalms 90:10).
2. Illustrating "the evil days" (Jeremiah 13:16). "Light," "sun," c., express prosperity "darkness," pain and calamity (Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 30:26).
clouds . . . after . . . rain—After rain sunshine (comfort) might be looked for, but only a brief glimpse of it is given, and the gloomy clouds (pains) return.
3. keepers of the house—namely, the hands and arms which protected the body, as guards do a palace (Genesis 49:24; Job 4:19; 2 Corinthians 5:1), are now palsied.
strong men . . . bow— (Judges 16:25; Judges 16:30). Like supporting pillars, the feet and knees (Judges 16:30); the strongest members (Judges 16:30).
grinders—the molar teeth.
cease—are idle.
those that look out of the windows—the eyes; the powers of vision, looking out from beneath the eyelids, which open and shut like the casement of a window.
4. doors—the lips, which are closely shut together as doors, by old men in eating, for, if they did not do so, the food would drop out (Job 41:14; Psalms 141:3; Micah 7:5).
in the streets—that is, toward the street, "the outer doors" [MAURER and WEISS].
sound of . . . grinding—The teeth being almost gone, and the lips "shut" in eating, the sound of mastication is scarcely heard.
the bird—the cock. In the East all mostly rise with the dawn. But the old are glad to rise from their sleepless couch, or painful slumbers still earlier, namely, when the cock crows, before dawn (Micah 7:5) [HOLDEN]. The least noise awakens them [WEISS].
daughters of music—the organs that produce and that enjoy music; the voice and ear.
5. that which is high—The old are afraid of ascending a hill.
fears . . . in the way—Even on the level highway they are full of fears of falling, c.
almond . . . flourish—In the East the hair is mostly dark. The white head of the old among the dark-haired is like an almond tree, with its white blossoms, among the dark trees around [HOLDEN]. The almond tree flowers on a leafless stock in winter (answering to old age, in which all the powers are dormant), while the other trees are flowerless. GESENIUS takes the Hebrew for flourishes from a different root, casts off when the old man loses his gray hairs, as the almond tree casts its white flowers.
grasshoppers—the dry, shrivelled, old man, his backbone sticking out, his knees projecting forwards, his arms backwards, his head down, and the apophyses enlarged, is like that insect. Hence arose the fable, that Tithonus in very old age was changed into a grasshopper [PARKHURST]. "The locust raises itself to fly"; the old man about to leave the body is like a locust when it is assuming its winged form, and is about to fly [MAURER].
a burden—namely, to himself.
desire shall fail—satisfaction shall be abolished. For "desire," Vulgate has "the caper tree," provocative of lust; not so well.
long home— (Job 16:22; Job 17:13).
mourners— (Job 17:13), hired for the occasion (Job 17:13).
6. A double image to represent death, as in , old age: (1) A lamp of frail material, but gilded over, often in the East hung from roofs by a cord of silk and silver interwoven; as the lamp is dashed down and broken, when the cord breaks, so man at death; the golden bowl of the lamp answers to the skull, which, from the vital preciousness of its contents, may be called "golden"; "the silver cord" is the spinal marrow, which is white and precious as silver, and is attached to the brain. (2) A fountain, from which water is drawn by a pitcher let down by a rope wound round a wheel; as, when the pitcher and wheel are broken, water can no more be drawn, so life ceases when the vital energies are gone. The "fountain" may mean the right ventricle of the heart; the "cistern," the left; the pitcher, the veins; the wheel, the aorta, or great artery [SMITH]. The circulation of the blood, whether known or not to Solomon, seems to be implied in the language put by the Holy Ghost into his mouth. This gloomy picture of old age applies to those who have not "remembered their Creator in youth." They have none of the consolations of God, which they might have obtained in youth; it is now too late to seek them. A good old age is a blessing to the godly (Genesis 15:15; Job 5:26; Proverbs 16:31; Proverbs 20:29).
7. dust—the dust-formed body.
spirit—surviving the body; implying its immortality ().
8-12. A summary of the first part.
Vanity, c.—Resumption of the sentiment with which the book began (Ecclesiastes 1:2 1 John 2:17).
9. gave good heed—literally, "he weighed." The "teaching the people" seems to have been oral; the "proverbs," in writing. There must then have been auditories assembled to hear the inspired wisdom of the Preacher. See the explanation of Koheleth in the , and Ecclesiastes 1:1 (Ecclesiastes 1:1).
that which is written, c.—rather, (he sought) "to write down uprightly (or, 'aright') words of truth" [HOLDEN and WEISS]. "Acceptable" means an agreeable style "uprightly . . . truth," correct sentiment.
8-12. A summary of the first part.
Vanity, c.—Resumption of the sentiment with which the book began (Ecclesiastes 1:2 1 John 2:17).
11. goads—piercing deeply into the mind (Acts 2:37; Acts 9:5; Hebrews 4:12); evidently inspired words, as the end of the verse proves.
fastened—rather, on account of the Hebrew genders, (The words) "are fastened (in the memory) like nails" [HOLDEN].
masters of assemblies—rather, "the masters of collections (that is, collectors of inspired sayings, Proverbs 25:1), are given ('have published them as proceeding' [HOLDEN]) from one Shepherd," namely, the Spirit of Jesus Christ [WEISS], (Ezekiel 37:24). However, the mention of "goads" favors the English Version, "masters of assemblies," namely, under-shepherds, inspired by the Chief Shepherd (Ezekiel 37:24). SCHMIDT translates, "The masters of assemblies are fastened (made sure) as nails," so Isaiah 22:23.
12. (See on ).
many books—of mere human composition, opposed to "by these"; these inspired writings are the only sure source of "admonition."
(over much) study—in mere human books, wearies the body, without solidly profiting the soul.
13. The grand inference of the whole book.
Fear God—The antidote to following creature idols, and "vanities," whether self-righteousness (Ecclesiastes 7:16; Ecclesiastes 7:18), or wicked oppression and other evils (Ecclesiastes 8:12; Ecclesiastes 8:13), or mad mirth (Ecclesiastes 2:2; Ecclesiastes 7:2-5), or self-mortifying avarice (Ecclesiastes 8:13; Ecclesiastes 8:17), or youth spent without God (Ecclesiastes 11:9; Ecclesiastes 12:1).
this is the whole duty of man—literally, "this is the whole man," the full ideal of man, as originally contemplated, realized wholly by Jesus Christ alone; and, through Him, by saints now in part, hereafter perfectly (1 John 3:22-24; Revelation 22:14).
14. For God shall bring every work into judgment—The future judgment is the test of what is "vanity," what solid, as regards the chief good, the grand subject of the book.