Ecclesiastes 3
DortThe Preacher teacheth here, how that all things in the world have their time and season, so as God hath ordained, v.1,2,etc. Concluding thence, that a man cannot do better then to enjoy the gifts of God in this life with a quiet and merry heart, doing good unto his neighbour, 12. Then he maketh mention of the iniquity, which is seen practiced in Courts of Justice, 16. Etc. He also sheweth that men must die, as well as the brute beast, 18,19. As also that by the common condition of them that die, they cannot know whether their soul be immortal, 19.etc. concluding, v.22. as above
1. All (or every) thing hath an appointed time: all (over) purpose [Hebr. Pleasure, or will, desire; to wit of men. See Psa. 27. On v.12.] under the heaven hath its time. [that is, all affairs and transactions of this world are variable and subject to divers changes and alterations over and again, which God alone ruleth and governeth, and cannot be hastened by any man whatsoever. By this mutability it appeareth plainly, that true happiness is not to be sought (much less so to be found) in this wavering and transitory life.]
2. There is time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3. a time to kill, [Whether it be done by the will and appointment of God, Exodus 21:13. or by the authority and the commandment of the Magistrate. Oth. To hurt or wound] and a time to heal, [to wit, him that is wounded or hurt] a time to break down, [Hebr. To break in, or to tear, or rent] and a time to build up.
4. a time to weep, and a time to laugh: [See above chap.2.2.] a time to lament, [or to mourn, or to make great moan] and a time to leap up. [or skip, or daunce; to wit, for joy and for gladness. See 1 Chronicles 25:29. and Acts 13:8.]
5. a time to cast away stones, [To wit, when a garden or field is cleansed, or any house plucked down] and a time to gather stones: [to wit, when they intend, or go about to build an house, or to raise some other structure] a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embrancing. [compare 1 Cor. 7.5.]
6. a time to seek, [That is, to provide, or to keep. Oth, to seek, to wit, wisdom, or wealths, or somewhat that a man hath lost. Understand withal, and to find, as Isaiah 65:1.] and time to let ( a thing) perish: [oth. To lose; to wit, when a man should thereby come in danger of soul, of life] a time to keep and a time to cast away. [as for example, when a man is in danger of shipwreck at sea, Jona 1.5. acts 27.18,19.]
7. a time to rent [To wit, garments, as was very usual and customary among the Jews, to shew their sorrow of heart] and a time to sow up: a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
8. a time to love, and a time to hate: a time of war, and a time of peace.
9. what advantage hath he that worketh, of that which he laboured? [Understand withal, none. The meaning is, when the hour and time is not come, let a man do what he will, he shall not be able to affect any thing. Compare above chap.1.3.]
10. I have seen the travels which God hath given to the children of men, to trouble themselves therewith.
11. he [To wit, God] hath made every thing beautiful [or fair, comely, decent] in his time: [that is, God maketh every thing so, as that is beautiful and excellent, and every thing cometh to pas in due time and season, though with men great changes and alterations to happen] also he hath put the age in theirs [mens] heart: [that is, hath put a natural inclination and proneness to search out the ages and times, and whatsoever is or hath been done in them. oth. The eternity; that is, an inclination or proneness tending to the searching and inquiring into those things that are eternal and infinite: or an inclination and proneness tending to eternity] so that a man cannot find out [to wit, perfectly, and by his own wits and understanding] the work that God hath made from the beginning to the end. [Hebr. From the head to the end.]
12. I perceived that there is nothing better for them, [To wit, men: of in them; to wit, things] then for (a man) to rejoice, and to do in his life. [that is, to live virtuously and godly. See below chapter 12.13.]
13. Yea also that every man should eat and drink, [To wit, with delight and joy] and enjoy [Hebr. See the good of all his labour: (this) is a gift of God.
14. I know that whatsoever God doth, it shall be [That is, stand or continue] forever; there is nothing to be put to it, neither is thee anything to be taken from it: and God doth (it) that men should fear before his face. [that is, it shall always come to pass as he hath decreed and ordained: for the decree of God is unchangeable. If the creature were able to make the least change in that which God intendeth to do: if the creature were able to diminish or increase the blessing: to ease, or aggravate the cross; then men will honour and stand in awe of the creature and not of the Creator. Therefore God hath so limited all that he intendeth to bring upon us, or that he intendeth to remove and keep off from us, whether it be good or evil, as that the creature is not able to make the least or alteration therein, to the end that we might only fear the face of the Creator, and in all humility wholly and solely depend upon his providence.]
15. that which hath been, the same is now, and that which is to be, the same hath already been: and God seeketh that which is driven away. [Understand withal, and he bringeth again to light, that which is past or gone, renewing by his almighty power and all-wise providence the sundry kinds of beasts and other creatures: He causeth the spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, each to return again in their season: In like manner the Flowers, Herbes, and Fruits both of the trees and of the Earth: When men and beasts die and perish, then he causeth others to be born, and to grow up in their stead, etc.]
16. Moreover, I saw also under the Sun, [To wit, another vanity] in the place of judgement, there was wickedness, and in the place righteousness, there was impiety. [That is, in the court of justice, or in the place of Judicature, where justice and judgement should be pleaded and maintained, there the clean contrary was practiced.]
17. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; [That is, the innocent and the guilty. The meaning is, when I beheld the iniquity and injustice that reigned among men in the producing of sentence or judgement, then I comforted my self with this, that I called to mind, that God the supream and most righteous Judge shall and will in his own due time judge all men righteously, rendering to every men according to his works] for [oth. But] the time for all (or every) purpose, ad for all ( or every) work is there. [to wit, where God shall at the last day set up his judgement-seat, where all mens deeds and actions shall be judged. It is as if he said; the wicked they have a time here, but God shall also have a time there.]
18. I said i mine heart of the condition of the children of men, [That is, concerning or belonging or appertaining to the being, the estate or condition, the dealing or conversation of men; to wit, when I duely considered it, and searched unto it] that God shall declare unto them [or shall give them clearness] and that they shall see, that they are in themselves (as) the beasts. [as if he should say: foreasmuch as the vanities of men are so many, and so great, and that there are such swarmers and such variaties of troubles and cares, whereunto they plunge themselves so deeply, and with such delight and complacency, as if they should ever abide here: therefore I have thought with my self, that God will make it out clear unto them, and will give them, visibly apparently to see and apprehend, what they are in themselves, and according to the nature and condition of this lower world, to wit, as the beasts or brute creatures, Psalms 49:13,21.]
19. For that which befalleth the children of men; the same befalleth the beasts also, and one manner of (condition) befalleth them (both) : [To wit, when we look on nothing else, then on that which outwardly befalleth both men and beasts. For men draw breath, they eat, drink, sleep: they are also subject to sickness, diseases, aches, pains, yea also finally to death it felt, no otherwise then the brute creatures, or beasts are, as followeth in the text. But else the excellency of men above beasts is exceeding great] as that [to wit, the beasts] dieth, so dieth this, [to wit, man] and they [that is, they both; to wit, both men and beasts] all have one manner of breath, [understand here by breath the spirit of life] and the excellency of men above beasts, is none: [to wit, as much as concerneth their dying] for they are all vanity. [to wit, as well men as beasts. Oth. It is all vanity.]
20. They go unto one place: [To wit, into the earth. This is to be understood concerning the body, as may appear that which followeth. Hebr. Every one, or all, (or every) thing goeth, &c.] they are all of the dust [see Gen.1.24. and 2.7.] and they all turn to dust again. [compare Gen.3.19.]
21. Who perceiveth that the breath of the children of men, [That is to say in this place, the soul, as Luke 22:46.] sendeth upward, [and consequently remaineth in being, after that it is departed out of the body. See hereof further below chapter 12.7. where Salomon saith in plain terms, that the soul returneth unto God that gave it. So there that the soul was mortal: the meaning is who can perceive or know this, by the common outward accidental conditions, of them that die] and (that) the breath of the beasts goeth downward to the Earth. [where it vanisheth to nothing; having no more a being, after it is gone out of the body.]
22. Therefore saw, that there is nothing better, then that a man should rejoice in his (own) works, [That is, in those things which he earneth by his labour] for that is his part [that is, his portion, which he shall enjoy, see above chap.2.24. and 3.12, and below 5.18. As if he said: a man when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away with him, neither shall he know after he is dead what is done here upon Earth; therefore it best that he do not vex and torment himself with unprofitable care, how things shall go after his decease, what heir he shall leave behind, or how they shall dispose of his goods, or how they shall demean themselves when he is gone: but that he with a quiet and merry heart (in the fear of God) use and enjoy those things which he possessth; for he shall have nothing else of the same, see above chap.2.3.] for who shall bring him thither, to see that which shall be done after him? [as if he had said, no body.]