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Texts -- Ecclesiastes 7:1-29 (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 .
Wisdom Acknowledges God’s Orchestration of Life
7:13 Consider the work of God : For who can make straight what he has bent ? 7:14 In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of adversity consider this : God has made one as well as the other , so that no one can discover what the future holds .
Exceptions to the Law of Retribution
7:15 During the days of my fleeting life I have seen both of these things : Sometimes a righteous person dies prematurely in spite of his righteousness , and sometimes a wicked person lives long in spite of his evil deeds. 7:16 So do not be excessively righteous or excessively wise ; otherwise you might be disappointed . 7:17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool ; otherwise you might die before your time . 7:18 It is best to take hold of one warning without letting go of the other warning ; for the one who fears God will follow both warnings.
Wisdom Needed Because No One is Truly Righteous
7:19 Wisdom gives a wise person more protection than ten rulers in a city . 7:20 For there is not one truly righteous person on the earth who continually does good and never sins . 7:21 Also , do not pay attention to everything that people say ; otherwise, you might even hear your servant cursing you. 7:22 For you know in your own heart that you also have cursed others many times .
Human Wisdom is Limited
7:23 I have examined all this by wisdom ; I said , “I am determined to comprehend this ”– but it was beyond my grasp . 7:24 Whatever has happened is beyond human understanding; it is far deeper than anyone can fathom .
True Righteousness and Wisdom are Virtually Nonexistent
7:25 I tried to understand , examine , and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things , and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly . 7:26 I discovered this: More bitter than death is the kind of woman who is like a hunter’s snare ; her heart is like a hunter’s net and her hands are like prison chains . The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is captured by her. 7:27 The Teacher says : I discovered this while trying to discover the scheme of things, item by item . 7:28 What I have continually sought , I have not found ; I have found only one upright man among a thousand , but I have not found one upright woman among all of them. 7:29 This alone have I discovered : God made humankind upright , but they have sought many evil schemes .

Pericope

NET
  • Ecc 7:1-4 -- Life is Brief and Death is Certain!
  • Ecc 7:5-6 -- Frivolous Living Versus Wisdom
  • Ecc 7:7-10 -- Human Wisdom Overturned by Adversity
  • Ecc 7:11-12 -- Wisdom Can Lengthen One's Life
  • Ecc 7:13-14 -- Wisdom Acknowledges God's Orchestration of Life
  • Ecc 7:15-18 -- Exceptions to the Law of Retribution
  • Ecc 7:19-22 -- Wisdom Needed Because No One is Truly Righteous
  • Ecc 7:23-24 -- Human Wisdom is Limited
  • Ecc 7:25-29 -- True Righteousness and Wisdom are Virtually Nonexistent

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...

  • Wisdom

    [isbe] WISDOM - wiz'-dum: 1. Linguistic 2. History 3. Religious Basis 4. Ideals 5. Teaching of Christ 6. Remainder of the New Testament (1) James (2) Paul 7. Hypostasis LITERATURE 1. Linguistic: In the Revised Version (British and ...
    [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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Women

    [nave] WOMEN Creation of, Gen. 1:27; 2:21, 22. Named, Gen. 2:23. Fall of, and curse upon, Gen. 3:1-16; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14. Promise to, Gen. 3:15. Had separate apartments in dwellings, Gen. 24:67; 31:33; Esth. 2:9, 11. Ve...

  • 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...

  • 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, ...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Prudence

    [nave] PRUDENCE. Job 34:3, 4; Psa. 39:1; Psa. 112:5; Prov. 6:1, 2; Prov. 8:12; Prov. 11:13, 15, 29; Prov. 12:8, 23; Prov. 13:16; Prov. 14:8, 15, 16, 18; Prov. 15:5, 22; Prov. 16:20, 21; Prov. 17:2, 18; Prov. 18:15, 16; Prov. 19:2;...

  • Ignorance

    [nave] IGNORANCE. Job 8:9; Job 11:7, 8, 12; Job 28:12, 13, 20, 21; Job 36:26, 29; Job 37:5, 15, 16, 19, 23 Job 38; 39. Psa. 139:6; Prov. 7:6-23; Prov. 8:5; Prov. 9:14-18; Prov. 19:2; Prov. 20:24; Prov. 22:3 Prov. 27:12. Prov. 27:1...

  • Depravity of Mankind

    [nave] DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND Gen. 6:5-8, 11-13; Gen. 8:21; Deut. 32:10; Job 4:17-19; Job 9:2, 3, 20, 29-31; Job 11:12; Job 14:4; Job 15:14-16; Job 25:4-6; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 14:1-3 Psa. 53:1-3. Psa. 51:5; Psa. 58:1-5; Psa. 94:11; Psa. 1...

  • 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...

  • END

    [isbe] END - (qets, 'ephec, kalah; telos, sunteleo): The end of anything is its termination, hence, also, final object or purpose. It is the translation of several Hebrew and Greek words, chiefly in the Old Testament of qets (prope...
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Arts

Questions

  • Commentators interpret the phrase "righteous overmuch" (Ecc 7:16) as descriptive of religious presumption; of that self-made righteousness which would lay the greatest stress upon outward performances and would claim personal...
  • 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)

  • The commentators sometimes treat the Hebrew word qohelet("Preacher"; 1:1-2, 12; 7:27; 12:8-10) as a proper name.1However the fact that the article is present on the Hebrew word in 12:8, and perhaps in 7:27, seems to indicate ...
  • 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...
  • To conduct his investigation of human achievements Solomon had employed the tool of wisdom.27However, he discovered it inadequate to turn up any meaningful activity. Consequently wisdom was in this respect no better than "mad...
  • "The sacrifice of fools"in view (v. 1) is a rash vow, as is clear from what follows. Verse 3 seems to compare the verbosity of a fool in making a rash vow to God and the endless dreams one often experiences after a very busy ...
  • 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...
  • Even though the righteous sometimes do not receive a reward in this life and the wicked prosper, it is still better to live righteously."Proper evaluation of a man's character helps to explain the apparent inequalities in div...
  • Wisdom can enable a person to avoid the king's wrath (vv. 2-9), but it cannot enable him or her to understand fully why God deals with people as He does (vv. 10-17).8:10-14 There are two apparent inequities in verse 10. First...
  • 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...
  • 11:7-8 The first reason we should enjoy life now is that we cannot do so after we die. As Christians we realize that life beyond the grave will be much better for believers than life on this earth. Solomon would not have disp...
  • 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...
  • Archer, Gleason L., Jr. "The Linguistic Evidence for the Date of Ecclesiastes'."Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society12:3 (Summer 1969):167-81.Barton, G. A. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Ecclesi...
  • 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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