
Text -- Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
To use what God hath given him.

The troubles; days being put here for evil, or, sad days.

His desires, in giving him solid joy and comfort.
JFB: Ecc 5:19 - -- As Ecc 5:18 refers to the "laboring" man (Ecc 5:12), so Ecc 5:19 to the "rich" man, who gets wealth not by "oppression" (Ecc 5:8), but by "God's gift....
As Ecc 5:18 refers to the "laboring" man (Ecc 5:12), so Ecc 5:19 to the "rich" man, who gets wealth not by "oppression" (Ecc 5:8), but by "God's gift." He is distinguished also from the "rich" man (Ecc 6:2) in having received by God's gift not only "wealth," but also "power to eat thereof," which that one has not.

JFB: Ecc 5:19 - -- Limits him to the lawful use of wealth, not keeping back from God His portion while enjoying his own.
Limits him to the lawful use of wealth, not keeping back from God His portion while enjoying his own.

JFB: Ecc 5:20 - -- He will not remember much, looking back with disappointment, as the ungodly do (Ecc 2:11), on the days of his life.
He will not remember much, looking back with disappointment, as the ungodly do (Ecc 2:11), on the days of his life.

JFB: Ecc 5:20 - -- God answers his prayers in giving him "power" to enjoy his blessings. GESENIUS and Vulgate translate, "For God (so) occupies him with joy," &c., that ...
God answers his prayers in giving him "power" to enjoy his blessings. GESENIUS and Vulgate translate, "For God (so) occupies him with joy," &c., that he thinks not much of the shortness and sorrows of life. HOLDEN, "Though God gives not much (as to real enjoyment), yet he remembers (with thankfulness) the days; for (he knows) God exercises him by the joy," &c. (tries him by prosperity), so Margin, but English Version is simplest.
Clarke -> Ecc 5:20
Clarke: Ecc 5:20 - -- For he shall not much remember - The person who acts in this way, extracts all the good requisite from life. He passes through things temporal so as...
For he shall not much remember - The person who acts in this way, extracts all the good requisite from life. He passes through things temporal so as not to lose those that are eternal: -
"Calm and serene, the road of life to him
Or long or short, rugged or smooth, with thorn
O’ erspread, or gay with flowers, is but a road
Such fare as offers grateful he accepts
And smiling to his native home proceeds.
C.
||&&$
Defender -> Ecc 5:19
Defender: Ecc 5:19 - -- This phrase, "the gift of God," occurs only twice in the Old Testament, here and in Ecc 3:13. In both instances, the "gift" has to do with material bl...
This phrase, "the gift of God," occurs only twice in the Old Testament, here and in Ecc 3:13. In both instances, the "gift" has to do with material blessings. Its six occurrences in the New Testament, on the other hand, all refer to spiritual blessings - especially "eternal life" (Rom 6:23; Act 8:20; 1Co 7:7; Eph 2:8; 2Ti 1:6)."

TSK: Ecc 5:20 - -- For he shall not much remember : or, Though he give not much, yet he rembemereth, etc. Psa 37:16
because : Deu 28:8-12, Deu 28:47; Psa 4:6, Psa 4:7; I...
For he shall not much remember : or, Though he give not much, yet he rembemereth, etc. Psa 37:16
because : Deu 28:8-12, Deu 28:47; Psa 4:6, Psa 4:7; Isa 64:5, Isa 65:13, Isa 65:14, Isa 65:21-24; Rom 5:1, Rom 5:5-11

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Ecc 5:20
Barnes: Ecc 5:20 - -- The days will pass smoothly and pleasantly, while he lives in the consciousness of God’ s favor. Answereth him - i. e., grants his prayer...
The days will pass smoothly and pleasantly, while he lives in the consciousness of God’ s favor.
Answereth him - i. e., grants his prayers.
Poole: Ecc 5:19 - -- Hath given him power Heb. hath given him the dominion ; who is the lord and master of his estate, not a slave to it. Of this and the former verse, ...

Poole: Ecc 5:20 - -- He shall not much remember so as to disquiet or vex himself therewith.
The days either,
1. The troubles; days being here put for evil or sad days,...
He shall not much remember so as to disquiet or vex himself therewith.
The days either,
1. The troubles; days being here put for evil or sad days, by a usual synecdoche, as Job 18:20 Psa 137:7 Ob 12 Mic 7:4 . Or,
2. The time in general; which is irksome and tedious to men oppressed with discontent or misery, who usually reckon every hour or minute that passeth, and have their minds and thoughts constantly fixed upon the vanity and uncertainty of this life, upon the afflictions which they have already endured and may further expect; whereas to men of contented and cheerful minds the time is short and sweet, and passeth over them before they are aware of it, and they enjoy their present comforts without perplexing themselves about former or future events.
Answereth him answereth, either,
1. His labours with success, as money is said to answer all things , Ecc 10:19 , because it is equivalent to all, and able to purchase all things. Or,
2. His desires. In the joy of his heart; in giving him that solid joy and comfort of his labours which his heart expected and desired.
Haydock -> Ecc 5:19
Haydock: Ecc 5:19 - -- Delight, while he observes due moderation. His life passes away sweetly. (Calmet)
Delight, while he observes due moderation. His life passes away sweetly. (Calmet)
Gill: Ecc 5:19 - -- Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth,.... Which include the whole of a man's substance; all his estate, personal and real; and all ...
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth,.... Which include the whole of a man's substance; all his estate, personal and real; and all his goods and possessions, movable and immovable, as gold, silver, cattle, fields, and farms; which are all the gift of God, by whatsoever means they may be acquired or possessed;
and hath given him power; or, "caused him to have dominion" r, over his wealth and riches, and not be a slave to them, as many are: but to have so much command of them and of himself, as
to eat thereof; comfortably enjoy them; and dispose of them to his own good, the good of others, and the glory of God. It follows,
and to take his portion; which God hath allotted him; to take it thankfully, and use it freely and comfortably;
and to rejoice in his labour; in the things he has been labouring for, in a cheerful use of them; blessing God for them, and taking the comfort of them;
this is the gift of God; to have such power over his substance, and not be a slave to it, and to enjoy the fruits of his labour, in a cheerful and comfortable manner; this is as much the gift of God as riches themselves s.

Gill: Ecc 5:20 - -- For he shall not much remember the days of his life,.... Be they more or fewer, as Jarchi: he will not think life long and tedious; nor dwell upon, an...
For he shall not much remember the days of his life,.... Be they more or fewer, as Jarchi: he will not think life long and tedious; nor dwell upon, and distress himself with, the troubles he has met with, or is likely to meet with; but, being content with the good things God has given him, and freely and cheerfully enjoying them, he passes away his time delightfully and pleasantly. Some, as Aben Ezra observes, and which he approves of, and is agreeably to the accents, render the words, "if he has not much, he remembers the days of his life" t; if he has but little of the good things of this life, he remembers how few his days are he has to live; and doubts not he shall have enough to carry him to the end of his days, and therefore is quite easy and content; he calls to mind how he has been supplied all his days hitherto, and is persuaded that that God, who has provided for him, will continue his goodness to him, and that he shall not want any good thing; and therefore does not distress himself with what is to come;
because God answereth him in the joy of his heart; he calls upon God for a blessing on his labours, asks of him his daily food, and desires what may be proper and sufficient for him, or what he judges is necessary and convenient; and God answers his prayers and petitions, and good wishes, by filling his heart with food and gladness; and giving him that cheerfulness of spirit, and thankfulness of heart, in the enjoyment of every blessing; and especially if along with it he lifts up the light of his countenance, and grants him joy in the Holy Ghost; he will go on so pleasantly and comfortably as to forget all his former troubles; and it will dissipate his doubts and fears about how he shall live for the future.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes: Ecc 5:19 Heb “this.” The feminine singular demonstrative pronoun זֹה (zoh, “this”) refers back to all that preceded i...

NET Notes: Ecc 5:20 Heb “with the joy of his heart.” The words “he derives from his activity” do not appear in the Hebrew, but they are added to c...
Geneva Bible -> Ecc 5:20
Geneva Bible: Ecc 5:20 For he shall not much remember the days of his ( p ) life; because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart.
( p ) He will take no great thought f...

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Ecc 5:1-20
TSK Synopsis: Ecc 5:1-20 - --1 Vanities in divine service;8 in murmuring against oppression;9 and in riches.18 Joy in riches is the gift of God.
MHCC -> Ecc 5:18-20
MHCC: Ecc 5:18-20 - --Life is God's gift. We must not view our calling as a drudgery, but take pleasure in the calling where God puts us. A cheerful spirit is a great bless...
Matthew Henry -> Ecc 5:18-20
Matthew Henry: Ecc 5:18-20 - -- Solomon, from the vanity of riches hoarded up, here infers that the best course we can take is to use well what we have, to serve God with it, to do...
Keil-Delitzsch: Ecc 5:19 - --
This verse, expressing the same, is constructed anakolouthistically, altogether like Ecc 3:13 : "Also for every man to whom God hath given riches an...

Keil-Delitzsch: Ecc 5:20 - --
Over this enjoyment he forgets the frailty and the darkened side of this life. It proves itself to be a gift of God, a gift from above: "For he doth...
Constable: Ecc 2:18--6:10 - --B. General Observations 2:18-6:9
Thus far Solomon had reflected on the futility of all human endeavor ge...

Constable: Ecc 5:1--6:10 - --4. The perishable fruits of labor 5:1-6:9
This section emphasizes the folly of trying to find ul...
