Ecclesiastes 3:10

10 I saw the hard work God has given people to do.

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 There is a time to love and a time to hate. There is a time for war and a time for peace.

9 Do people really gain anything from their work?

10 I saw the hard work God has given people to do.

11 God has given them a desire to know the future. He does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing.

12 So I realize that the best thing for them is to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live.