Ecclesiastes; or, the Preacher
Ecclesiastes 5
Chapter V · Vol. II, pp. 1120–1121
1 Cautions against abuse in divine service, 8 against murmuring at oppression. 9 The vanity of riches. 18 Joy in riches is the gift of God.
1 Keep thya foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear bthan to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
a Ex.3.5. 2 Ch.26.16. Ps.89.7. Jos.5.15. 1 Pe.2.1,2. Ac.10.33. Ja.1.19,21.
b 1 Sa.15.22. Ps.50.8,9. Is.1.11-15; 66.3. Ho.6.6. Pr.15.8; 21.27. Je.7.9,10.
2 Bec not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing1 before God: for God is in heaven,2 and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words dbe few.
3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and ea fool's voice is known by multitude of words.3
4 Wheng thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; hfor he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.4
g Nu.30.2. Ge.28.20. De.23.21-23. Ps.50.14; 66.13,14; 76.11; 119.106. Is.19.21. Je.50.5. 2 Co.8.5.
h He.10.38.
4 Often when in great need, or in great suffering, we inwardly vow or resolve to amend our ways, to renounce our sins, to devote ourselves and all we have to God's service; but when health is restored, or prosperity again bestowed, the vows and resolutions are forgotten. The deceitful heart, centred upon the world and its enjoyments, finds no place for the love and service of God.—P.
6 Sufferj not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before kthe angel,5 that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and ldestroy the work of thine hands?
7 Forn in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities:6 buto fear thou God.
8 Ifp thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the 7matter: qfor he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and rthere be higher than they.
10 Het that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This is also vanity.
t Mat.6.19,24. Ps.52.7. 1 Ti.6.10. ch.6.7; 4.8. 1 Ki.21.6. Pr.30.15.
11 Whenu goods increase, they are increased that eat them: vand what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
12 Thex sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13 Therey is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, zriches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
y ch.1.14; 6.1,2.
z Pr.1.19,32; 30.9. Lu.16.19. 1 Ti.6.9,10. Ja.2.6,7; 5.1,2,4-6. 1 Ki.21.7,13.
14 Buta those riches perish by evil travail:8 and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
15 Asb he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and cwhat profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?9
17 Alld his days also he eateth in darkness, and ehe hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.1
d Ps.127.2; 90.7,9; 78.33. ch.6.2,4.
e Pr.1.27-29.
1 Sad regrets in contemplating an ill-spent life, a shattered constitution, a ruined estate, beggared children, and a dreaded eternity, where his darkened heart refuses to look for a Saviour.—C.
18 Behold that which I have seen: git is good and comely2 for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days3 of his life, which God giveth him; for it is hhis portion.
g ch.2.24; 5.12,13,22; 8.15; 9.7; 11.9. 1 Ti.6.17.
2 Heb. there is a good which is comely, &c.
3 Heb. the number of the days.
h ch.3.22; 2.22; ver.19.
19 Everyi man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice4 in his labour; jthis is the gift of God.
20 For5 he shall not much remember the days of his life;6 because kGod answereth him in the joy of his heart.7
5 Or, Though he give not much, yet he remembereth, &c.
6 He, contrary to the experience of the luxurious prodigal (ver.13-17), shall think little of the past, his eyes being directed rather to future joys.—C.
k Ex.23.25. De.28.8-12. Ps.4.6,7. Is.64.5. Ro.5.1-5,11.
7 Or, 'He does not think much about the days of his life, because God hears him through the joy of his heart.' The meaning is, The days of his life pass smoothly on when he thus wisely and prudently enjoys the blessings bestowed. His heart is fitted for God's service, and is lifted up to him in grateful thanksgiving.—P.
Notes
Ver. 1. Keep thy foot. An allusion to uncovering the feet in the sanctuary of God's presence, Ex. 3. 5. The emblem of putting off earthly thoughts and defilements, as it is written, 'Having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all pollution of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' C.
Ver. 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Let no rash vow of your lips become the occasion of tempting you to any of the works of the flesh, such as covetous regrets after what you have vowed, or proud rivalry in religious offerings with your richer neighbours. See 1 Jn. 2. 16; Ga. 5. 19. C.
Ver. 9. The profit of the earth is for all. The poor often enjoying, through an eager and healthy appetite, more than the rich who never knew hunger. So equally does God distribute his favours, and so many the compensations for human wants, ver. 12. C.
Reflections.—Fearfully are men subjected to vanity; it enters not only into all their outward possessions, but even into their worship! Great need have we to take heed to our hearts, to our lips, and to our whole behaviour, in our religious performances, that they may not become means of dishonouring God and destroying ourselves. But, alas! often are they performed in a foolish and inconsiderate manner, our minds being no more serious in them than in an idle dream; and vows are often rashly made, and no less readily broken, in the view of Jesus and his angels and ministers. Very necessary is the constant faith and deep impression of God's greatness and omniscience, and the future judgment, to make us serious and circumspect in our worship, and for enabling us to behold, or bear up under, oppression and persecution. God makes the highest to live on the same simple things as the poorest. There is very little to profit or please, and much more to hurt and vex in riches, than we commonly think. The rich man's servant often enjoys more benefit by his wealth than the rich man himself, while he suffers none of the vexation! Nay, the covetous miser gets no comfort in his wealth, and it is swept away, so that his children never come to the possession of it. Much happier is he who receives whatever he has as God's free gift, and uses it to his glory. Little is he concerned at the evils which befall him in life when God favours him with solid comfort.