Ecclesiastes 3:10

10 I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

Ecclesiastes 3:10 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 3:10

I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of
men
The pains and trouble they are at to get a little wisdom and knowledge, ( Ecclesiastes 1:13 ) ; and so to obtain riches and honour, peace and plenty, which sometimes they do obtain, and sometimes not; and when they do, do not keep them long, for there is a time for everything. This the wise man had observed, in a variety of instances; and he considered the end of God in it, which was for men to be exercised in it,
or "by it"; or "to afflict" or "humble [them] by it" ^F12; to let them see that all their toil and labour signified little; all depended on a divine blessing, and no happiness was to be had in the creatures; all was vanity and vexation of spirit; (See Gill on Ecclesiastes 1:13).

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (wb twnel) "ad affligendum se in ea", Montanus; "ut eos adfligat in ea, sc. per eam", Rambachius; "ut ea redderet humiles", Tigurine version.

Ecclesiastes 3:10 In-Context

8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?

10 I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

11 He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.