Ecclesiastes 12:9

And moreover,.... Or "besides" (z) what has been said; or "as to what remains" (a); or "but what is better", or "more excellent" (b), is to "hear the conclusion of the whole matter", the sum and

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. A summary of the first part. Vanity of vanities. Resumption of the sentiment with which the book began (Ecclesiastes 1:2; 1 John 2:17). Verse 9.

The preacher was wise; which he affirmeth not out of vain ostentation, but partly to procure the more credit and acceptance to his doctrine and, counsel here delivered; and partly to declare his repentance for his former follies, and God’ s great mercy in restoring his wisdom to him. Taught the people knowledge; as God gave him this wisdom, that he might be a teacher of others, so he used it to that end; therefore despise not his counsel. He gave good heed; he did not rashly and foolishly utter whatsoever came into his mind or mouth, but seriously pondered both his matter and words. Sought out; both by the exercise of his own mind, and by reading and learning from others. Set in order; or, directed or fitted. He selected such as were most useful. Many proverbs; excellent and wise sayings, which are oft called proverbs, as was noted before upon the Book of Proverbs.

Ecclesiastes 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.Ver. 9. And moreover, because the Preacher was wise.] He well knew how hard it was to work men to a belief of what he had affirmed concerning earthly vanities, and therefore heaps up here many forcible and cogent arguments; as, first, that himself was no baby, but wise above all men in the world, by God’ s own testimony; therefore his words should be well regarded. Oισοφοιημωνδευτερωσι, Our wise men expound today (said the Jews one to another), "Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord," &c. Cicero had that high opinion of Plato for his wisdom, that he professed that he would rather go wrong with him than go right with others. Averroes overly admired Aristotle, as if he had been infallible. But this is a praise proper to the holy penman, guided by the spirit of truth, and filled with wisdom from on high for the purpose. To them, therefore, and to the word of prophecy by them, must men "give heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place," &c. He still taught the people knowledge.] He hid not his talent in a napkin, but used it to the instruction of his people. "Have not I written for thee excellent things" (or three various types of books - viz., proverbial, penitential, nuptial) "in counsels and knowledge?" Synesius speaks of some that, having great worth in them, will as soon part with their hearts as with their conceptions. And Gregory observeth, that there are not a few who, being enriched with spiritual gifts and abilities to do good, dum solis contemplationis studiis inardescunt, parere utilitati proximorum praedicatione refugiunt, while they burn in the studies of contemplation only, do shun to seek by preaching to profit their neighbours. Solomon was none of these. Yea, he gave good heed.] Or, He made them to take good heed; he called upon them ever and anon, as our Saviour did upon his hearers, "Let him that hath an ear to hear, hear." Or as the deacons in Chrysostom’ s and Basil’ s time used to call upon the people, in these words, Oremus, attendamus, Let us pray, let us give heed. And sought out.] By diligent scrutiny and hard study, beating his brains, as the fowl beats the shell to get out the fish, with great vehemence. The staves were always in the ark, to show, saith Gregory, that preachers should always meditate in their hearts upon the sacred Scriptures, that if need require they may without delay take up the ark, teach the people. And set in order many proverbs.] Marshalled them in a fit method, and set others awork for to do the like. For, Regis ad exemplum, &c.

(9) In the introduction I have stated my conviction that the epilogue which here follows is an integral part of the book. If so, it seems to me clear that the writer, who has up to this recorded the words of Kohéleth, now speaks in his own name, and informs his readers that the preacher, whose teaching of the people he preserves, was also a writer, and the author of the well-known Proverbs. Moreover.—This, the first word of the epilogue, is one of the specialties of the book of Ecclesiastes. (See Ecclesiastes 2:15.) So is also the word for “set in order” (Ecclesiastes 1:15; Ecclesiastes 7:13).

Verse 9. Because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge] And in order to do this he took good heed - considered what would be most useful. He set in order - collected and arranged, many parables, probably alluding to the book over which we have already passed.

9. And moreover, because the Preacher was wise] The opening words, closely linked on, as they are, to the preceding, confirm the conclusion just stated that Ecclesiastes 12:8 belongs to this postscript of attestation. The unknown writer of the attestation (probably the President of the Sanhedrin, or some other Master of the Wise, such as were Hillel and Gamaliel) begins by repeating the key-note of the opening of the book. So taken, the words are every way significant. They do not name Solomon as the author, but content themselves with recognising the enigmatic name with which the unknown writer had veiled himself. He, they say, belonged to the company of the sages. He “gave good heed” (literally, he hearkened or gave ear), he “sought out” (we note how exactly the word describes the tentative, investigating character of the book, as in Judges 18:2; 2 Samuel 10:3; Proverbs 28:11; Job 5:27; Job 28:27), he “set in order” (i.e. composed) “many proverbs.” The word for “proverbs” is that which stands as the title of the Book of Proverbs, but it expresses, more than the English term does, the parabolic, half-enigmatic character which is characteristic of most sayings of this nature in the East, and as such is translated by “parables” in the LXX. here, and in the A.V. in Ezekiel 20:49; Psalms 49:4; Numbers 23:7; Numbers 23:18; Numbers 23:24 and elsewhere. The words have been pressed by some interpreters as a testimony to the Salomonic authorship, but it is obvious that though they fit in with that hypothesis, they are equally applicable to any one who followed in the same track and adopted the same method of teaching.

9. Because the Preacher was wise — Koheleth now defines himself in what may be reckoned his true character.