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Text -- Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
11:4 He who watches the wind will not sow, and he who observes the clouds will not reap.
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: WIND | Sower | REAPING | Instruction | Industry | Economics | CLOUD | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Ecc 11:4 - -- He who neglects the necessary works of sowing and reaping, because the weather is not exactly suitable to his desires will lose his harvest. Whereby h...

He who neglects the necessary works of sowing and reaping, because the weather is not exactly suitable to his desires will lose his harvest. Whereby he intimates, that men will never do good here, which is expressed by sowing, and consequently not receive good hereafter, which is called reaping, if they be discouraged from it by every doubt and difficulty.

JFB: Ecc 11:4 - -- Therefore sow thy charity in faith, without hesitancy or speculation as to results, because they may not seem promising (Ecc 9:10). So in Ecc 11:1, ma...

Therefore sow thy charity in faith, without hesitancy or speculation as to results, because they may not seem promising (Ecc 9:10). So in Ecc 11:1, man is told to "cast his bread corn" on the seemingly unpromising "waters" (Psa 126:5-6). The farmer would get on badly, who, instead of sowing and reaping, spent his time in watching the wind and clouds.

Clarke: Ecc 11:4 - -- He that observeth the wind shall not sow! - The man that is too scrupulous is never likely to succeed in any thing. If a man neither plough nor sow ...

He that observeth the wind shall not sow! - The man that is too scrupulous is never likely to succeed in any thing. If a man neither plough nor sow till the weather is entirely to his mind, the season will in all probability pass before he will have done any thing: so, if thou be too nice in endeavoring to find out who are the impostors among those who profess to be in want, the real object may perish, whom otherwise thou mightest have relieved, and whose life might have been thereby saved. Those very punctilious and scrupulous people, who will sift every thing to the bottom in every case, and, before they will act, must be fully satisfied on all points, seldom do any good, and are themselves generally good for nothing. While they are observing the clouds and the rain, others have joined hands with God, and made a poor man live.

TSK: Ecc 11:4 - -- Pro 3:27, Pro 20:4, Pro 22:13

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Ecc 11:3-6 - -- "Unforeseen events come from God; and the man who is always gazing on the uncertain future will neither begin nor complete any useful work: but do t...

"Unforeseen events come from God; and the man who is always gazing on the uncertain future will neither begin nor complete any useful work: but do thou bear in mind that times and circumstances, the powers of nature and the results to which they minister, are in the hand of God; and be both diligent and trustful."The images are connected chiefly with the occupation of an agricultural laborer: the discharge of rain from the cloud, and the inclination of the falling tree, and the direction of the wind, are beyond his control, though the result of his work is affected by them. The common application of the image of the fallen tree to the state of departed souls was probably not in the mind of the inspired writer.

Ecc 11:5

Spirit - The same Hebrew word (like πνεῦμα pneuma in Greek and "Spirit"in English) signifies both the wind Ecc 11:4 and the Spirit (compare marginal reference). The Old Testament in many places recognizes the special operation of God Job 10:8-12; Psa 139:13-16; Jer 1:5, and distinctly of the Spirit of God Job 31:15 in the origination of every child. Compare Gen 2:7.

Poole: Ecc 11:4 - -- He who neglects or delays the necessary works of sowing and reaping, because the weather is not exactly suitable to his desires, may possibly lose h...

He who neglects or delays the necessary works of sowing and reaping, because the weather is not exactly suitable to his desires, may possibly lose his harvest; whereby he intimates what is easily understood out of the foregoing verses, that men will never do good here, which is expressed by sowing, Psa 112:9 2Co 9:6 , and consequently not receive good hereafter, Which is called reaping , Gal 6:7,8 , if they be discouraged and hindered from it by every doubt or difficulty, such as covetous worldlings object to themselves, that others either do not want their charity, or with abuse it, that they may possibly need it hereafter.

Haydock: Ecc 11:4 - -- Reap. Those who are too circumspect in their alms-deeds, will often pass over such as stand in need, (St. Jerome) and people who reflect on the diff...

Reap. Those who are too circumspect in their alms-deeds, will often pass over such as stand in need, (St. Jerome) and people who reflect on the difficulties of a virtuous life, will never begin. (St. Gregory iii. Past. xvi., and Mor. xxvii. 5.)

Gill: Ecc 11:4 - -- He that observeth the wind shall not sow,.... Who before he sows his seed is careful to observe where the wind is, from what corner it blows, and forb...

He that observeth the wind shall not sow,.... Who before he sows his seed is careful to observe where the wind is, from what corner it blows, and forbears sowing until it is down or changes, lest it should be troublesome unto him in sowing, or blow away his seed, and waits for a better season; such a man may lose his seedtime and never sow at all, and his grain in his barn may be devoured by vermin, or be destroyed by one accident or another, and so he may lose both his seed and his crop;

and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap; which are uncertain signs of weather; and if a man gives heed to them, and puts off his sowing from time to time, for the sake of better weather, as he may never sow, so it is impossible that he should reap; and if he sows, and when his grain is ripe and forbears to reap because of the clouds, lest his grain should be wet, may never reap at all: and so it is with respect to liberality; if a man will raise difficulties, and make objections, and attend unto them; if he puts off giving till such an affliction is removed from him and his family, or that is grown up; or such an estate is obtained, or he has got to such an amount of riches, or till more proper and deserving objects present, with twenty things more of the like kind; if he defers giving on such accounts, or through fear of want, which may possess his mind for various reasons, he may never give nor get, yea, never do any good work; for, if nothing is done till all difficulties are removed, no good thing will ever be done.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Ecc 11:4 This proverb criticizes those who are overly cautious. The farmer who waits for the most opportune moment to plant when there is no wind to blow away ...

Geneva Bible: Ecc 11:4 He that observeth the ( d ) wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. ( d ) He who fears inconveniences when need requires...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Ecc 11:1-10 - --1 Directions for charity.7 Death in life,9 and the day ofjudgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on.

MHCC: Ecc 11:1-6 - --Solomon presses the rich to do good to others. Give freely, though it may seem thrown away and lost. Give to many. Excuse not thyself with the good th...

Matthew Henry: Ecc 11:1-6 - -- Solomon had often, in this book, pressed it upon rich people to take the comfort of their riches themselves; here he presses it upon them to do good...

Keil-Delitzsch: Ecc 11:4 - -- "He who observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap."The proverb is not to be understood literally, but in the...

Constable: Ecc 6:10--11:7 - --III. THE LIMITATIONS OF WISDOM 6:10--11:6 Clues in the text indicate the value and purpose of 6:10-11:6. The phr...

Constable: Ecc 9:1--11:7 - --C. Man's Ignorance of the Future 9:1-11:6 The emphasis in this section (9:1-11:6) is on what man does no...

Constable: Ecc 11:1-6 - --4. Wise behavior in view of the uncertain future 11:1-6 "At last the Teacher is approaching the climax of his book. We cannot see God's whole plan, an...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Ecclesiastes (Book Introduction) The Hebrew title is Koheleth, which the speaker in it applies to himself (Ecc 1:12), "I, Koheleth, was king over Israel." It means an Assembler or Con...

JFB: Ecclesiastes (Outline) INTRODUCTION. (Ecc. 1:1-18)

TSK: Ecclesiastes 11 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Ecc 11:1, Directions for charity; Ecc 11:7, Death in life, Ecc 11:9, and the day ofjudgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on.

Poole: Ecclesiastes 11 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 11 Liberality to the poor commanded. We know not what we may come to: God giveth rain plentifully; and our time of doing good is short: not...

MHCC: Ecclesiastes (Book Introduction) The name of this book signifies " The Preacher." The wisdom of God here preaches to us, speaking by Solomon, who it is evident was the author. At the...

MHCC: Ecclesiastes 11 (Chapter Introduction) (Ecc 11:1-6) Exhortation to liberality. (Ecc 11:7-10) An admonition to prepare for death, and to young persons to be religious.

Matthew Henry: Ecclesiastes (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Ecclesiastes We are still among Solomon's happy men, his happy servants, that stood contin...

Matthew Henry: Ecclesiastes 11 (Chapter Introduction) In this chapter we have, I. A pressing exhortation to works of charity and bounty to the poor, as the best cure of the vanity which our worldly ri...

Constable: Ecclesiastes (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The title of this book in the Hebrew text is all of verse 1. The Se...

Constable: Ecclesiastes (Outline)

Constable: Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes Bibliography Archer, Gleason L., Jr. "The Linguistic Evidence for the Date of Ecclesiastes'." Jour...

Haydock: Ecclesiastes (Book Introduction) ECCLESIASTES. INTRODUCTION. This Book is called Ecclesiastes, or the preacher, (in Hebrew, Coheleth ) because in it Solomon, as an excelle...

Gill: Ecclesiastes (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES This book has been universally received into the canon of the Scriptures, by Jews and Christians. The former, indeed, ...

Gill: Ecclesiastes 11 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 11 This chapter begins with an exhortation to liberality to the poor, enforced by several reasons and arguments, and t...

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