Ecclesiastes 7:25

25 I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness which is madness.

Ecclesiastes 7:25 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 7:25

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out
wisdom
Or, "I and my heart turned about" ^F8; took a circuit, a tour throughout the whole compass of things; looked into every corner, and went through the circle of knowledge, in order to search and find out what true wisdom is; which is no other than Christ, and a spiritual knowledge of him; a variety of words is used to express his eager desire after wisdom, and the diligent search he made, from which he was not discouraged by the difficulties he met with; see ( Ecclesiastes 1:13 ) ; and the reason [of things];
either in nature or providence: or the estimation ^F9 of them; the excellency of them, how much they are to be accounted of, esteemed, and valued; as Christ, the Wisdom of God, and all things relating to him, should; and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and]
madness;
the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the folly and madness that are in it; sin is the effect of folly, and the excess of it, and a spiritual madness; it is true of all sin in general, but especially of the sin of uncleanness, which Solomon seems to have in view by what follows; see ( Ecclesiastes 1:17 ) ( 2:12 ) ; and may chiefly intend the wickedness of his own folly, and the foolishness of his own madness.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F8 (yblw yna ytwbo) "circuivi ego et cor meum", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus.
F9 (Nwbvx) "estimationem rerum", Mercerus.

Ecclesiastes 7:25 In-Context

23 All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, "I will be wise"; but it was far from me.

24 That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?

25 I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness which is madness.

26 And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters; he who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum,