--- title: "Ecclesiastes 1 - Study King James Bible with cokes commentary on the holy bible" description: "Read Ecclesiastes 1 with cokes commentary on the holy bible commentary. 1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What prof" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/cokes-commentary-on-the-holy-bible/ecclesiastes/1" --- [ Read](/kjv/ecclesiastes/1)[ Commentary](/study/ecclesiastes/1)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/ecclesiastes/1) Audio 1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all *is* vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4 *One* generation passeth away, and *another* generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.* 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. 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.* 8 All things *are* full of labour; man cannot utter *it:* the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 The thing that hath been, it *is that* which shall be; and that which is done *is* that which shall be done: and *there is* no new *thing* under the sun. 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. 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. 12 ¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 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.* 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all *is* vanity and vexation of spirit. 15 *That which is* crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.* 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all *they* that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.* 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18 For in much wisdom *is* much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. [Proverbs 31](/study/proverbs/31) [Ecclesiastes 2](/study/ecclesiastes/2) ## Commentary To verse 1 ***[Ecclesiastes 1:1](/kjv/ecclesiastes/1/1)*****.*****The words of the Preacher*****—** Or, *orator.*Mr. Desvoeux has shewn with great learning, that Solomon in this book appears nearly in the character of an eminent *sophist*among the Greeks, according to the primitive signification of that word, which implied philosophy and rhetoric joined together. The method of these ancient sages, as far as we can judge of it from what remained among their degenerate successors, was, to treat any subject which was reckoned worthy their learned dissertations in such a manner as to please the ear and improve the mind; which Tully calls the most perfect philosophy. The book of Ecclesiastes certainly deserves that character, if any in antiquity does. We must not conceive that Solomon was like the common and ordinary preachers among the Hebrews; yet it is certain, that he spake much in public for the instruction of the people; *There came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon:—All the earth sought* *the face of Solomon, to hear his wisdom:*See [1 Kings 4:31](/kjv/1-kings/4/31); 1Ki 4:34; [1 Kings 10:24](/kjv/1-kings/10/24). From whence it is plain, that our author made public discourses on several subjects, and that people were in a manner called together by his fame from all nations round about to hear his wise performances. As no other son of David, who was king of Israel, was famous for his wisdom, or could claim the title of *preacher*or *orator*except Solomon, this edition evidently denotes the real author of the book: The style of which, says Bishop Lowth, is evidently singular; the diction particularly obscure; nor does the poetic character much abound in the composition and structure; which perhaps may properly be attributed to the nature of the argument. The Jews are displeased to have it reckoned among the poetic books; and if their authority availed much in matters of this kind, we should perhaps in this particular give in somewhat to their opinion. 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