Ecclesiastes 2:2. I said of laughter, it is mad— I said to laughter, how dost thou shine? and to pleasure, what does that avail? See the note on the 17th verse of the foregoing chapter. The sum of these verses is, secondly; neither does the enjoyment of pleasure yield a solid happiness; for he who enjoys it must be soon convinced that it leaves no solid satisfaction behind it; which our author proves by his own experience, having found but a vain eclat in mirth and pleasure.

Ecclesiastes 2:3. I sought, &c.— I sought in mine heart that I might force my senses into a habit of drinking wine, (yet leading my heart into wisdom,) and that I might apprehend what is in folly, until I should see, where is that good for the children of men, which they pursue under heaven every day of their life. Desvoeux. Solomon's design, as here represented, was, to catch hold of whatever he should find in folly, rather for the improvement of his knowledge, than for the sake of present enjoyment. This verse contains a fine instance of the antithesis; where the flesh or sensual appetite is opposed to the heart, the one being drawn unto wine, the other led into wisdom; where we have the two ends toward which each of these subjects is carried, wine and wisdom, and the manner in which each of them is influenced to take these different courses. The verb נהג nahag, applied to the heart means to guide, to lead from one place to another; and is constantly made use of with respect to animated creatures, men or tame animals, who use their activity towards attaining the end proposed. The meaning of the verb משׁךֶ mashak, employed with respect to the flesh is, to draw with violence: in the proper sense, it is always applied to mere passive beings; and in the figurative, it always retains a notion of force and constraint. Thus it seems the sacred writer wanted to inform his hearers, that he could not be brought into a habit of drinking without putting some violence upon his own inclinations; whereas his natural bent prompted him to the search after wisdom; that he put this force upon his own inclination with no other view, but that he might acquire an experimental knowledge of what so many men call happiness, and might thereby be enabled to judge of its value; and lastly, that at the same time he pursued this course, he did not grow passionate for wine, which must have disqualified him for judging; but preserved such a command over that habit, as to be led from it by wisdom, whenever he should find he knew enough of it to form a right judgment. And, lest his meaning should be misunderstood, he does not say positively that he put that force upon his flesh; but that he took pains, or sought to do it: whereas, with respect to the leading of his heart to wisdom, he directly ascribes it to himself, or to the propensity of his soul that way. There is still another opposition, relating to the time spent in pursuing that course into which he took pains to force himself. The lovers of wine will make the drinking of it a good or happiness to themselves under heaven, as long as they live; but he gave way to that foolish and sinful habit no longer than it was necessary for his wise purpose of being thoroughly acquainted with the nature of that wherein men of pleasure place their happiness. Until I should see where that good, or happiness, lies for the children of men, which they will pursue under heaven the number of the days of their life.

Ecclesiastes 2:6. To water therewith the wood, &c.— To water therewith the nursery of young trees. Desvoeux. Hebrew, the forest-budding trees.

Ecclesiastes 2:8. As musical instruments, &c.— A captive woman, nay, several captive women. It is doubted, whether the Hebrew words, rendered by us musical instruments, &c. signify things or persons. Mr. Desvoeux is of opinion that they signify persons. Any one, says he, who will read the original with attention, may easily perceive that this catalogue of Solomon's acquisitions from Ecc 2:4-8 is divided into several members by as many verbs; each of which has one or more substantives either governed by it, if it be an active one, or belonging to it, as its nominative, if it be a passive verb. But it must be farther observed, that none of these members take in both things and persons. Our author was so accurately exact in preserving that distinction, that, though slaves and cattle were considered in nearly the same light by the ancients, and though he made use of the same verb with respect to both, yet he repeated that verb twice, rather than bring both under the same head. This seems a probable reason that שׁדה shiddah, and שׁדות shiddoth, which are brought by Solomon under the same head with men-singers and women-singers, are persons and not things. שׁדה shiddah, is very properly derived from the verb שׁדד shadad, signifying to plunder, or lay waste; and so may signify a woman who is the subject of warlike devastation; a fair captive; and it is very reasonable to suppose, that in the catalogue of the acquisitions he made in order to indulge his pleasure, Solomon would not forget that circumstance whereof the historian speaks so strongly: Solomon had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, 1 Kings 11:1-3. And besides we should remember, that the possession of female captives was one of the most distinguished marks of ancient grandeur. This mention of the peculiar treasure of kings and provinces, confirms this opinion; for these treasures did not consist of gold and silver only; female captives made no inconsiderable part of it. See Jdg 5:30 and Homer, Il. 2: line 355. We may farther observe, that the phrase, The delights of the sons of men, confirms this interpretation. I do not know how far some people's fondness for music may influence their judgment in the application of this character; but when I consider not only Solomon's inclination for the sex, but chiefly the general taste and manners of his time, which was not long after the Trojan war; I can scarcely imagine how it is possible to take the delights of the sons of men in any other sense than we have given above. Whoever has read any thing of the profane history of those early times, must know, that the main spring of all the transactions of the most celebrated heroes was love; if one may give that name to an unbounded lust, which prompted them to lay violent hands on all that was fair; and many particulars contained both in the historical and moral books of scripture prove, that beauty was no less admired in Judaea than in other parts of the world. See Desvoeux, p. 487 and the Inquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer.

Ecclesiastes 2:9. Also my wisdom remained with me— The meaning is, that Solomon's greatness had no way impaired his wisdom, as is too frequently the case.

Ecclesiastes 2:10. And this was my portion of all my labour— But this was my portion from all my labour. The word חלק cheilek, rendered portion, constantly implies something which is an advantage, or is considered as such by him who receives it. The Hebrew orator has taken care to give his own definition of what he meant by a man's share or portion in this world, or in or from his labour. There is nothing better in the labour of man, says he, chap. Ecc 3:22 than that he should receive pleasure from it, because that is his portion: and again, chap. Ecclesiastes 5:18. That itself is his portion. It is but just that we should remember that definition in other passages where the expression is used without being particularly defined. This will explain the meaning of several otherwise obscure passages; as Ecclesiastes 2:21 leaving one's portion to another Man 1:1 :e. leaving him the enjoyment of what you had acquired, with a design to enjoy it yourself: chap. Ecclesiastes 5:19 taking one's portion; 1:e. enjoying it; chap. Ecc 9:6 having a portion under the sun; 1:e. being in a capacity of enjoying the pleasures of this world. See chap. Ecclesiastes 9:2. The sum of these verses, from the third, is this: When each of the methods of pursuing happiness before-mentioned had proved ineffectual and insufficient by itself, nothing remained for Solomon, that he might be thoroughly enabled to judge of them, but to try both jointly; and this, he tells us, was the step he took. "I did not (says he) launch into pleasure like a thoughtless libertine; but with an inquisitive mind, and a settled design, not only to enjoy, but also to reflect upon my enjoyments; and thus to join together that course of life which by the wise is reputed folly, and that very study and application from which wise men get their denomination. In this I was so successful, as to procure to myself all the conveniencies of life, and refinements of pleasure, which the greatest plenty can afford, or the nicest taste invent. But, after all, I found that present enjoyment was the only advantage I had gained."

Ecclesiastes 2:11. Then I looked on all, &c.— Then I turned myself on all, &c. See the next verse, where the same verb פנה panah, in the original is so rendered. The author represents himself as a man who, being uneasy at his not finding the wished-for happiness, turns from one object to another towards all that is about him; and yet cannot discover what he looks for. This is the more remarkable, as the figure is closely pursued in the following part of the discourse. Here Solomon turns himself toward the objects to take a view of them: but, as a slight view was not sufficient to entitle him to decide that there were no hopes of finding happiness among them, he went round, Ecclesiastes 2:20.; where I make no difficulty to render the verb, I considered every way, as that word surrounding evidently is a metaphorical one. See chap. Ecclesiastes 4:1. This verse contains the general conclusion of the second proof, inferred from the most accurate inquiry into the various methods pursued by men in search of happiness; which conclusion is this, that the pains and trouble necessary to procure pleasure and to acquire knowledge on the one hand, and the value of the acquisition on the other, being duly weighed, there is no overplus; for the most a man gets is but the just value of his trouble; and even that is but transitory. Besides this general conclusion, which flows from the joint consideration of the several particulars whereof men's occupations in this world chiefly consist, special observations may be made on each of those particulars viewed separately. To this purpose our author resumes and considers them again in the subsequent part of this chapter; and even more distinctly than before: for whereas in his first partition he had ranked all under two classes, philosophy and pleasure, the second of which, as he treated it, contained the acquisition of riches, as well as that of pleasure properly so called; now he makes three distinct heads; for the first of which, see on Ecclesiastes 2:17.

Ecclesiastes 2:17. Therefore I hated life— From the 12th to this verse, we have a review of the second proof; first, with respect to wisdom. The more one compares together wisdom or knowledge, and ignorance, which no one can be better qualified to do than king Solomon was, or perform with more exactness; the more it appears that the former has by much the advantage of the latter; Ecclesiastes 2:12-13.: yet that advantage does not reach so far as to establish a visible inequality of happiness between the wise and ignorant. Death is equally unavoidable to both; Ecclesiastes 2:14. From thence two consequences naturally arise; first, even that which is the most valuable in itself, avails so little in this world, that it may very reasonably, with respect to it, be accounted but a vain advantage. Wisdom itself does not secure immortality, either in a literal or a metaphorical sense; and whatever trouble may be taken in erecting monuments to the wise, it is so much lost with respect to the ignorant, who will most probably be the greatest number, as well hereafter as they are now; Ecclesiastes 2:15-16. Secondly, life itself is unworthy our love and attachment; since both its conclusion and the occupations in which it is employed concur to demonstrate its emptiness and vanity; Ecclesiastes 2:17.

Ecclesiastes 2:19. Yet shall he have rule, &c.— Yet shall he be master of all that I have acquired through both my labour and prudent management under the sun. Desvoeux.

Ecclesiastes 2:23. And his travail, grief— And grief his employment. The second observation (the subject of which is riches, and which begins at the 18th verse), and the conclusion which flows from it, are so blended together that they cannot be easily disjoined. When a man dies, which, as was said before, must be the case of the wise as well as of the ignorant, the fruits of all his labour and industry fall into the hands of his heir, whether that heir inherit his predecessor's abilities or not. Thus, he who had no share in the trouble, labour, and solicitude, wherein you spent your days, and from which you seldom were free, not even in the time which is devoted to rest, comes to the enjoyment of what cost you so much; Ecclesiastes 2:18-19. Therefore, as far as you are personally concerned in it, your labour is lost, and your occupations are vain. Is it not then highly reasonable to hate both the occupations of men in this world, and that which they can get by it, or rather, (to soften the harshness of the Hebrew phrase by reducing it to its true meaning,) not to place our affections in this world, and to set very little value on it and its contents. Ecclesiastes 2:20-23.

Ecclesiastes 2:24. There is nothing better for a man, &c.— This verse literally runs thus; No good in man that he eateth and drinketh, and maketh his soul to see good in his labour; that itself I perceived, that it cometh from the hand of God. That Solomon does not pretend to question the reality of pleasurable enjoyments has been observed by others, and is plain from many passages in this book; but it is plain likewise, that he does not assert it in this place, the meaning of which is so obvious from the context, that I wonder it has escaped the notice of commentators; for the opposition between באדם baadam, in man, and מיד miad, in the hand, is manifest: The advantage of enjoying life is not in man, or within the power of man: but it comes from the hand of the Almighty, &c. The sense is apparently the same with Job 21:16. Lo! their good is not in their hand. See the paraphrase on Ecclesiastes 2:26. Houbigant renders the present verse, Neither is there felicity in the man who eats and drinks, and refreshes himself with the good things gained by his labour. This also I considered to be from the hand of God; and he reads the next verse, For who eateth or drinketh, but through his gift?