Ecclesiastes; or, the Preacher
Ecclesiastes 6
Chapter VI · Vol. II, p. 1121
1 The vanity and misery of riches without use. 3 Of children, 6 and old age without riches. 7 The vanity of sight and insatiable desires. 10 The conclusion of vanities.
1 There isa an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
a ch.5.13. 1 Ki.10.27.
2 Ab man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it. cThis is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 Ifd a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that ethe days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and galso that he have no burial;1 I say that han untimely birth is better than he.
d 2 Ch.11.21. 2 Ki.10.1.
e ch.5.17; ver.4-7.
g 2 Ki.9.35-37. Is.14.19,20. Je.22.19; 36.30.
1 No burial. 'No burying place,' the want of which exhibited his covetousness—so sordid, that he would not provide a sepulchre for the body—so graceless as to neglect a resting-place for the soul.—C.
4 Fori he2 cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 Moreover, jhe hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
j Ps.58.8.
6 Yea, kthough he live a thousand 3years twice told, yet lhath he seen no good: ndo not all go to one place?
7 Allo the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite4 is not filled.
o Pr.16.26. 1 Ti.6.6-8. Jn.6.27. ch.5.10; 4.8.
4 Heb. soul.
8 Forp what hath the wise more than the fool?5 what hath the poor, that qknoweth to walk before the living?
9 Betterr is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire.6 Thiss is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
r ch.2.24; 3.12,13; 5.18; 8.15; 9.7. 1 Ti.6.6-8.
6 Heb. than the walking of the souls.
s ver.2; ch.1.14; 2.11,17; 4.4.
10 Thatt which hath been is named already, and it is known uthat it is 7man; vneither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.8
t ch.1.9; 3.15.
u Job 14.1,4. Ps.103.15; 9.20; 82.6,7. Is.31.3.
7 'That it is Adam'—dust, under the curse, yet cheered by the promise, an outcast from paradise, yet called to be an heir of God.—C.
v Job 9.3,4; 40.2. Is.45.9,10. ch.5.8. Ro.9.19,20.
8 A new line of thought is here struck out—man's helplessness and weakness. He cannot contend with his Creator. Death comes, and man cannot tell what is beyond it. These solemn thoughts impress more deeply yet the vanity of all that is human.—P.
11 Seeing there be xmany things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
x Ps.73.6. ch.1.13; 2.1,3-12; 3.1; 4.1,4,5,8,13; 5.1,8,10; ver.2,6,9.
Notes
Ver. 7, 8. Whatever wealth men gain by their labour is only available for meat, drink, or the like; but can never satisfy their soul, or even their avarice. And in respect to sensual gratification, fools may be as happy as the wisest; and even a poor man, who has common sense and prudence, may, by his industry, render himself and family as happy as the richest. 9, 10. A comfortable enjoyment of that which we have is far preferable to an insatiable desire and restless pursuit after that which we have not.—And, let our condition be what it may on earth, we shall still remain poor frail creatures, subject to manifold miseries: and it will be the utmost wickedness and madness to complain of our lot, or strive with God to get it rectified.
Ver. 2. If 'God giveth him not power to eat,' why doth he, by his Word and Spirit, 'yet find fault?' Because this denial of power to enjoy is not an evil disposition infused, but a judicial sentence passed upon his covetousness—the warning, if he repent not, of another sentence when he will lift up his eyes being in torments. C.
Ver. 6. Do not all go to one place? Not all spirits, of whom here there is no mention; but all bodies that must return to one thing, the dust; to one place, the grave. C.
Ver. 8. What hath the poor that knoweth to walk among the living? He sees the world, ver. 9, in all its beauty; and though he live on charity, yet if his desires be subdued to his station, he has more enjoyment in the mere sight of mountains, and hills, and fields, and fair dwellings, than their owner can obtain if subject to 'wandering desires.' C.
Reflections.—Men's riches are often a remarkable curse to them, and render them really more unhappy than the poorest. It is wretched to have wealth and yet no heart to use it for our necessary accommodations in life. And empty are all earthly enjoyments, which can afford no satisfaction to a soul. How unhappy do some men make themselves by the insatiable nature of their own lusts! And yet it is very hard to draw them from a sinful attachment to earthly things, or to persuade them to use them aright; and especially to bring them to receive the almighty Saviour, and his unsearchable riches, for their everlasting treasure and portion.