Ecclesiastes 7:25

25 I applied my heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the madness of error;

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.

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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 proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.

24 That which has been is far off and that which is exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25 I applied my heart to know and to search and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the madness of error;

26 and I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands are bonds; whosoever pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be held prisoner in her.

27 Behold, this I have found, saith the preacher, weighing things one by one to find out the answer,