Ecclesiastes 3:10

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

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 of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that for which he laboreth?

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

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time. Also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice and to do good in his life,