Ecclesiastes 12

6. A double image to represent death, as in Ecclesiastes 12:1-5 , 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 , 20:29 ).

7. dust--the dust--formed body.
spirit--surviving the body; implying its immortality ( Ecclesiastes 3:11 ).

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 ( 1 Kings 4:34 ).
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 , 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 ( 1 Peter 5:2-4 ). SCHMIDT translates, "The masters of assemblies are fastened (made sure) as nails," so Isaiah 22:23 .

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 , 7:2-5 ), or self-mortifying avarice ( Ecclesiastes 8:13 Ecclesiastes 8:17 ), or youth spent without God ( Ecclesiastes 11:9 , 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.