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Texts -- Ecclesiastes 7:1-12 (NET)

Context
Life is Brief and Death is Certain!
7:1 A good reputation is better than precious perfume ; likewise, the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth . 7:2 It is better to go to a funeral than a feast . For death is the destiny of every person , and the living should take this to heart . 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter , because sober reflection is good for the heart . 7:4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning , but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking .
Frivolous Living Versus Wisdom
7:5 It is better for a person to receive a rebuke from those who are wise than to listen to the song of fools . 7:6 For like the crackling of quick-burning thorns under a cooking pot , so is the laughter of the fool . This kind of folly also is useless .
Human Wisdom Overturned by Adversity
7:7 Surely oppression can turn a wise person into a fool ; likewise, a bribe corrupts the heart . 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning ; likewise, patience is better than pride . 7:9 Do not let yourself be quickly provoked , for anger resides in the lap of fools . 7:10 Do not say , “Why were the old days better than these days?” for it is not wise to ask that .
Wisdom Can Lengthen One’s Life
7:11 Wisdom , like an inheritance , is a good thing; it benefits those who see the light of day . 7:12 For wisdom provides protection , just as money provides protection . But the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves the life of its owner .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Instruction

    [nave] INSTRUCTION From nature, Prov. 24:30-34; Eccl. 1:13-18; 3; 4:1; Matt. 6:25-30. See: Parables. From the study of human nature, Eccl. 3-12. By Object Lessons: The pot of maa, Ex. 16:32. The pillar of twelve stones at the f...

  • Life

    [nave] LIFE. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Brevity and Uncertainty of; Everlasting; From God; Long; Spiritual. Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics Breath of, Gen. 2:7. Called Spirit of God, Job 27:3. Tree of,...

  • Philosophy

    [nave] PHILOSOPHY The nature of things, Eccl. 1-7. A philosophical inquiry on wisdom, Job. 28. Philosophical inductions and deductions relating to God and his providence, Job 5:8-20; 9; 10:2-21; 12:6-24; 33:12-30; 37. Reveals th...

  • FOOL; FOLLY

    [isbe] FOOL; FOLLY - fool nabhal, 'ewil, kecil, cakhal and forms; aphron, aphrosune, moros): I. In the Old Testament. 1. General: Taking the words generally, apart from the Wisdom literature, we find nabhal frequently translated "f...

  • Bereavement

    [nave] BEREAVEMENT From God, Ex. 12:29; Hos. 9:12. Mourning in, forbidden to Aaron, on account of his son's wickedness, Lev. 10:6; and to Ezekiel, for his wife, Ezek. 24:16-18. Instances of Abraham, of Sarah, Gen. 23:2. Jacob, ...

  • Afflictions and Adversities

    [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...

  • Amusements and Worldly Pleasures

    [nave] AMUSEMENTS AND WORLDLY PLEASURES Belong to the works of the flesh, Gal. 5:19, 21; are transitory, Job 21:12, 13; Heb. 11:25; vain, Eccl. 2:11; choke the word of God in the heart, Luke 8:14; formed a part of idolatrous worshi...

  • Patience

    [isbe] PATIENCE - pa'-shens (hupomone, makrothumia): "Patience" implies suffering, enduring or waiting, as a determination of the will and not simply under necessity. As such it is an essential Christian virtue to the exercise of w...
    [nave] PATIENCE. Psa. 37:7-9; Prov. 15:18; Eccl. 7:8, 9; Lam. 3:26, 27; Luke 8:15; Luke 21:19; Rom. 2:7; Rom. 5:3, 4; Rom. 8:25; Rom. 12:12; Rom. 15:4, 5; 1 Cor. 13:4, 5; 2 Cor. 6:4-6; 2 Cor. 12:12; Gal. 6:9; Eph. 4:1, 2; Col. 1:1...

  • SPIRIT

    [isbe] SPIRIT - spir'-it (ruach; pneuma; Latin, spiritus): 1. Primary and Figurative Senses (1) As Wind, Breath (2) As Anger or Fury (3) As Mental and Moral Qualities in Man 2. Shades of Meaning (1) As Life-Principle (2) As Survivi...

  • FUEL

    [ebd] Almost every kind of combustible matter was used for fuel, such as the withered stalks of herbs (Matt. 6:30), thorns (Ps. 58:9; Eccl. 7:6), animal excrements (Ezek. 4:12-15; 15:4, 6; 21:32). Wood or charcoal is much used sti...
    [isbe] FUEL - fu'-el ('okhlah, or ma'akholeth, "food"): Is mentioned specifically only in the Old Testament, in Isa 9:5,19; Ezek 15:4,6; 21:32. Its general, literal meaning in these connections is "food for fire," and might include...

  • Wisdom

    [nave] WISDOM Of Joseph, Gen. 41:16, 25-39; Acts 7:10. Of Moses, Acts 7:22. Of Bezaleel, Ex. 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1. Of Aholiab, Ex. 31:6; 35:34, 35; 36:1; of other skilled artisans, Ex. 36:2; of women, Ex. 35:26. Of Hiram, 1 K...

  • Oppression

    [isbe] OPPRESSION - o-presh'-un: Used in the King James Version to translate a variety of Hebrew words, all of which, however, agree in the general sense of wrong done by violence to others. There are a few cases where the referenc...
    [nave] OPPRESSION God is a refuge from, Psa. 9:9. Prayers against, Psa. 17:9; 44:24; 119:121,134; Isa. 38:14. God's aid promised against, Psa. 12:5; 72:4, 14; Jer. 50:34. God will judge, Psa. 103:6; Eccl. 5:8; Isa. 10; Jer. 22:1...

  • Riches

    [nave] RICHES. Deut. 6:10-12; Deut. 8:10-18; Deut. 31:20; Deut. 32:15; 1 Sam. 2:7; Psa. 37:16; Prov. 10:2, 22; Prov. 11:4, 28; Prov. 13:7, 8; Prov. 14:24; Prov. 15:6, 16, 17; Prov. 16:8; Prov. 19:4; Prov. 21:6; Prov. 23:4, 5; Prov...

  • Death

    [nave] DEATH. Called in some versions &ld;Giving Up the Ghost,&rd; Gen. 25:8; 35:29; Lam. 1:19; Acts 5:10. King of Terrors Job 18:14. A Change Job 14:14. Going to your Fathers Gen. 15:15; 25:8; 35:29. Putting Off This Tabe...

  • Justice

    [nave] JUSTICE. Ex. 23:1-3, 6-8; Lev. 19:13-15; Deut. 16:18-20; Deut. 25:1-4; Ezra 7:26; Psa. 72:1, 2; Psa. 82:2-4; Prov. 17:15, 26; Prov. 18:5, 17; Prov. 20:8; Prov. 22:27; Prov. 24:23; Prov. 28:21; Prov. 29:26; Eccl. 3:16, 17; E...

  • Joy

    [nave] JOY Attributed to God, Deut. 28:63; 30:9; Jer. 32:41. In heaven, Luke 15:10-32. See: Shouting. Unclassified Scriptures Relating to Deut. 12:18; 1 Sam. 2:1; 1 Chr. 16:27; 2 Chr. 7:10; Ezra 6:22; Neh. 8:10, 12; Neh. 12:43;...

  • Meekness

    [nave] MEEKNESS. Psa. 22:26; Psa. 25:9; Psa. 37:11; Psa. 76:8, 9; Psa. 147:6; Psa. 149:4; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 15:1, 18; Prov. 16:32; Prov. 17:1; Prov. 19:11; Prov. 20:3; Prov. 25:15; Prov. 29:8; Eccl. 7:8; Eccl. 10:4; Isa. 11:4; Is...

  • Ointment

    [nave] OINTMENT. Not Sacred 2 Kin. 20:13; Esth. 2:12; Eccl. 7:1; 10:1; Song 1:3; 4:10; Amos 6:6; Mark 14:3-5; John 12:3-5. The alabaster box of, Matt. 26:7. Sacred Formula for, Ex. 30:23-25. Uses of, Ex. 30:26-33. Compounded...

  • Reputation

    [nave] REPUTATION, Good Prov. 22:1; Eccl. 7:1. See: Character; Name.

  • Sympathy

    [nave] SYMPATHY. Job 2:11-13; Job 6:14; Job 22:29; Eccl. 7:2; Phil. 2:1, 2; Jas. 1:27; 1 Pet. 3:8 See: Afflictions; Suffering, Alleviation of; Jesus, Compassion of; Pity.
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Arts

Questions

  • God forbids it (Ecc. 7:9; Matt. 5:22; Rom. 12:19); it is a characteristic of fools and a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:20; Prov. 12:16; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 27:3; Ecc. 7:9). Anger is connected with pride, cruelty, clamorous and evi...
  • God forbids it (Ecc. 7:9; Matt. 5:22; Rom. 12:19); it is a characteristic of fools and a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:20; Prov. 12:16; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 27:3; Ecc. 7:9). Anger is connected with pride, cruelty, clamorous and evi...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • I believe that the message of Ecclesiastes is essentially a positive one. This may seem strange since the vanity of various human endeavors is such a major theme of this book. Nevertheless the total statement that Solomon mad...
  • I. The introductory affirmation 1:1-11A. Title and theme 1:1-21. The title 1:12. The theme 1:2B. The futility of all human endeavor 1:3-111. The vanity of work 1:32. The illustrations from life 1:4-11II. The futility of work ...
  • "Vanity"(Heb. hebel) means "meaningless."11As Solomon used this word in Ecclesiastes he meant lacking real substance, value, permanence, or significance. "All"in the context of what he proceeded to describe refers to all huma...
  • Clues in the text indicate the value and purpose of 6:10-11:6. The phrases "does not know"and "cannot discover"occur frequently (6:12; 7:14, 24, 28; 8:17; 19:1, 12; 10:14; 11:2, 6). Also the recurrence of "it is good"(7:18) a...
  • He began by exposing our ignorance of the significance of adversity and prosperity (7:1-14; cf. Job). Both of these conditions, he noted, can have good and bad effects depending on how a person responds to them. Prosperity is...
  • In 1:12-6:9, Solomon demonstrated that all work is ultimately futile for two reasons. It does not yield anything really permanent under the sun. Moreover we can never be sure we will enjoy the fruits of our labor before we di...
  • In conclusion Solomon repeated his original thesis (v. 8; cf. 1:2) and his counsel in view of life's realities (vv. 13-14). In between these statements he set forth his source of authority for writing what we have in Ecclesia...
  • 1:19 James' readers already knew what he had just reminded them of in the preceding verses (vv. 17-18; cf. Prov. 10:19; 13:3; 14:29; 15:1; 17:27-28; 29:11, 20; Eccles. 7:9). Nevertheless they needed to act in harmony with thi...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning.'--Eccles. 7:8.This Book of Ecclesiastes is the record of a quest after the chief good. The Preacher tries one thing after another, and tells his experiences. Amongst these are...
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