Ecclesiastes 7

1 What advantage has a man? for who knows good for a man in his life, the number of the life of the days of his vanity? and he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

2 A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.

3 better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good to his heart.

4 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.

5 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

6 better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

7 As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.

8 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.

9 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.

10 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.

11 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.

12 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and an advantage to them that see the sun.

13 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.

14 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?

15 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, , God also has caused the one to agree with the other for reason, that man should find nothing after him.

16 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.

17 Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.

18 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.

19 It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth .

20 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

21 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin

22 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.

23 For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.

24 All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

25 far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?

26 I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account , and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.

27 And I find her , and I will pronounce more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, a band in her hands: good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.

28 Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, by one at a time to find out the account,

29 which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.

30 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.

Ecclesiastes 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

The benefit of a good name; of death above life; of sorrow above vain mirth. (1-6) Concerning oppression, anger, and discontent. (7-10) Advantages of wisdom. (11-22) Experience of the evil of sin. (23-29)

Verses 1-6 Reputation for piety and honesty is more desirable than all the wealth and pleasure in this world. It will do more good to go to a funeral than to a feast. We may lawfully go to both, as there is occasion; our Saviour both feasted at the wedding of his friend in Cana, and wept at the grave of his friend in Bethany. But, considering how apt we are to be vain and indulge the flesh, it is best to go to the house of mourning, to learn the end of man as to this world. Seriousness is better than mirth and jollity. That is best for us which is best for our souls, though it be unpleasing to sense. It is better to have our corruptions mortified by the rebuke of the wise, than to have them gratified by the song of fools. The laughter of a fool is soon gone, the end of his mirth is heaviness.

Verses 7-10 The event of our trials and difficulties is often better than at first we thought. Surely it is better to be patient in spirit, than to be proud and hasty. Be not soon angry, nor quick in resenting an affront. Be not long angry; though anger may come into the bosom of a wise man, it passes through it as a way-faring man; it dwells only in the bosom of fools. It is folly to cry out upon the badness of our times, when we have more reason to cry out for the badness of our own hearts; and even in these times we enjoy many mercies. It is folly to cry up the goodness of former times; as if former ages had not the like things to complain of that we have: this arises from discontent, and aptness to quarrel with God himself.

Verses 11-22 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no, not by a zeal for God. Be not conceited of thine own abilities; nor find fault with every thing, nor busy thyself in other men's matters. Many who will not be wrought upon by the fear of God, and the dread of hell, will avoid sins which ruin their health and estate, and expose to public justice. But those that truly fear God, have but one end to serve, therefore act steadily. If we say we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves. Every true believer is ready to say, God be merciful to me a sinner. Forget not at the same time, that personal righteousness, walking in newness of life, is the only real evidence of an interest by faith in the righteousness of the Redeemer. Wisdom teaches us not to be quick in resenting affronts. Be not desirous to know what people say; if they speak well of thee, it will feed thy pride, if ill, it will stir up thy passion. See that thou approve thyself to God and thine own conscience, and then heed not what men say of thee; it is easier to pass by twenty affronts than to avenge one. When any harm is done to us, examine whether we have not done as bad to others.

Verses 23-29 Solomon, in his search into the nature and reason of things, had been miserably deluded. But he here speaks with godly sorrow. He alone who constantly aims to please God, can expect to escape; the careless sinner probably will fall to rise no more. He now discovered more than ever the evil of the great sin of which he had been guilty, the loving many strange women, ( 1 Kings ) found. How was he likely to find such a one among those he had collected? If any of them had been well disposed, their situation would tend to render them all nearly of the same character. He here warns others against the sins into which he had been betrayed. Many a godly man can with thankfulness acknowledge that he has found a prudent, virtuous woman in the wife of his bosom; but those men who have gone in Solomon's track, cannot expect to find one. He traces up all the streams of actual transgression to the fountain. It is clear that man is corrupted and revolted, and not as he was made. It is lamentable that man, whom God made upright, has found out so many ways to render himself wicked and miserable. Let us bless Him for Jesus Christ, and seek his grace, that we may be numbered with his chosen people.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 7

The wise man having exposed the many vanities to which men are subject in this life, and showed that there is no real happiness in all outward enjoyments under the sun; proceeds to observe what are remedies against them, of which he had interspersed some few hints before, as the fear and worship of God, and the free and, moderate use of the creatures; and here suggests more, and such as will protect from them, or support under them, or teach and instruct how to behave while attended with them, and to direct to what are proper and necessary in the pursuit of true and real happiness; such as care of a good name and reputation, Ec 7:1; frequent meditation on mortality, Ec 7:2-4; listening to the rebukes of the wise, which are preferable to the songs and mirth of fools, Ec 7:5,6; avoiding oppression and bribery, which are very pernicious, Ec 7:7; patience under provocations, and present bad times, as thought to be, Ec 7:8-10; a pursuit of that wisdom and knowledge which has life annexed to it, Ec 7:11,12; submission to the will of God, and contentment in every state, Ec 7:13,14; shunning extremes in righteousness and sin, the best antidote against which is the fear of God, Ec 7:15-18; such wisdom as not to be offended with everything that is done, or word that is spoken, considering the imperfection of the best of men, the weakness of others, and our own, Ec 7:19-22; and then the wise man acknowledges the imperfection of his own wisdom and knowledge, notwithstanding the pains he had taken, Ec 7:23-25; and laments his sin and folly in being drawn aside by women, Ec 7:26-28; and opens the cause of the depravity of human nature, removes it from God, who made man upright, and ascribes it to man, the inventor of evil things, Ec 7:29.