Ecclesiastes 5
DortSalomon teacheth the Congregation, how they shall behave themselves in the exercise of outward warship, vers.1,&c. Next, how they shall behave themselves, when they see that Rulers and such as are in authority do not administer injustice, 7. Which is the best way of thriving, 8. The vanity of riches, and of covetousness, 9. Then he sheweth that mans happiness consisteth in a cheerful enjoyment of the gifts of God, 17. Which to be able to do, is likewise a gift of God, 18.
1. Be not too rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart hasten to utter a word, [Or any thing] before the face of God: [the meaning is, when thou comest into the house of the Lord, to call upon God, make not too great hast, that thou mayest not pray unto him without reverence and attention. Oth. Be not too quick, &c. To wit, to make any vow unto the Lord unadvisedly, or undiscreetly] for God is in heaven, and thou art upon earth; [therefore ( as if he should say) we must not speak unto that great and high God, as is we had to do with our equals; but we ought to come before his high and glorious Majesty with all humility and lowliness of heart, remembering that we are poor vile earth-worms] therefore let thy words be few. [to wit, which thou usest in prayer. The rule of praying aright, in few words, is prescribed unto us by our blessed Saviour, Matthew 6:7.]
2. For (as) a dream cometh through much business: so a fools voice, by the multitude of words. [That is, as much dreaming issueth from the multitude of affairs, wherewith a man is troubled and busied in day time: so doth the babbling and prating of fools issue and proceed from the desire and custom of speaking much.]
3. When thou shalt vowed a vow unto God; [See Numb.30.3. Deut.23.21.] defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools; [that is, in hypocritical and vain men, who being in straights make great and large vowes, but when they are delivered out of trouble, they soon forget what they have vowed] whatsoever thou shalt have vowed, pay it.
4. Better is thou that shouldest not vow, then that thou shouldest vow, and not pay. [Compare, Deut.23.21,22.]
5. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh [That is, thy self, or thy body, thy corrupt flesh] to sin; [by refusing to pay thy vow] neither say before the face of the Angel, [to wit, when he cometh to require at thy hand the thing that thou hast vowed. Some do understand here by the Angel, our Saviour Christ, who is called, the Angel of the Covenant, Malach.3.1. see Exod.23 on v.20. oth. The Priest of Teacher, who is an Angel, or Messenger of God, Mal.2.7, 1 Cor.11.10. Revel.2.1,&c.] that it was an error: [or, mistake, fault, ignorance, that is, a fault of ignorance. As if he would say, I did not mean so, or I vowed inconsiderately, not thinking of it afore-hand, and therefore I desire to be excused and freed from the vow] wherefore should God be very wrath, because of thy voice, [that is, at thy saying, by reason of such rash vowes, and idle and unprofitable excuses] and destroy the work of thine hands? [that is, that God should cause the things to proper ill, which thou takest in hand. The meaning is, wilt thou make it so that God be exceedingly provoked to anger against thee, for such kind of speeches and actions of thine? It shall indeed go very ill with thee, if touching this matter thou lookest not well to thy self in thy self in time, Exod.23.21.]
6. For as in the multitude of dreams (there) are vanities: so likewise (in) in many words: [Or, in many matters, in many things. The meaning is, dreams have often times no signification at all, neither doth anything follow upon them, therefore they are meer vanity. Oth. For (as) when dreams are multiplied, vanities (are) also (multiplied) so is it likewise with many words. Compare, Prov.10.19.] but fear thou God. [As if he should say: To use many words is but vain. A must have deeds as well as words: he must have the true fear of God in him, when he cometh before the face of his Majesty. Oth. There fore fear God: that is, in regard he hath power to punish thee, therefore fear his wrath.]
7. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the spoiling of judgement and justice in a Province, marvel not [To wit, not too much, so as thou shouldest not despair and grow out of heart, or doubt of Gods Province, as if he suffered all things in the world to run at random, without any guiding or governing by him at all] at such a purpose: [oth. Pretence, intent, thing, matter, dealings; that is, at such kind of dealing. It may be applied either to the evil intention and practice of wicked men, or to Gods wise and righteous providence] for he that is higher that the high ones, [that is, God, who is the most high, much higher and mightier , then the highest and mightiest of this word, be they Emperors, Kings, Princes, or Potentates, or what they may be. Oth. For the highest takes notice of the height] regardeth it: [to wit, the oppression of the poor, etc. And he so regardeth them, as that he shall certainly punish them in his own due time] and there are the high ones [to wit, the holy Angels, who are under the command of none but God alone: they likewise regard and heed the actings of wicked Judged] above them. [to wit, above those that violet judgement and justice, and do oppress the poor. See Dan.10.20. and 11.1, the meaning of the words of this verse seemeth in brief to be any one that thinketh that it is vain for to fear and serve God uprightly, because wicked men do almost whatsoever they lift, without being punished for it: the thereunto is, that there is a God in heaven, that diligently and narrowly heedeth all unrighteous dealings, to punish them in wicked men, how highly soever they maybe exalted here in this world.]
8. The profit of the Earth, that is for all, [Or is in all, ; that is, it is everywhere in use and useful] the King himself is saved by the field, [the meaning is, a King himself is subject to the necessity of tillage or husbandry, without which he can maintain neither himself, nor his Court, nor his Army, nor his Subjects. See hereof examples in Pharaoh, Gen.41.and 47. And in Saul, I Sam.9.11. oth. Becameth a servant of the field. That is, Kings, Princes, or the great ones of the world, do sometimes give themselves to husbandry or tillage. So that in this verse is lively represented unto us the praise and commendation of tillage, above all other trades and occupation, whereunto men do give and apply themselves in this life.]
9. He that loveth money, is not satistified with money; and whose loveth abundance, is not ( satisfied) with increase: This is also vanity. [This verse speaketh of insatiabileness of covetous misers; according to the common proverb, Much treasure stoppeth not a misers mouth. Oth. He that loveth money, shall have no increase; that is, he that exceedeth in costly apparel and household stuff. He that keepeth a great retinue both of men and maid-servants, and lavisheth out his money about other necessary things, his rents and revenues cannot maintain him. Compare this with psa.37.16.]
10. Where goals are multiplied, there are also multiplied those that eat the same; what use [oth. What enjoyment, benefit, profit] have the possessor thereof [Heb. Lords, Masters, or Owners; to wit, of the Goods] but sight of their eyes? [that is, more then the beholding of them with their eyes. Meaning, that those that have great and vast estates, they have no more profit or benefit by them, then only to serve their own necessities, to take of them what may serve to suffice nature: they have no more profit by them over and above, then only to see and behold them with their eyes; that is, no more then a man hath of a painted map. Others take in this sense, that rich men must daily see before their eyes, that their riches are eaten up and devoured by others. The whole meaning of the verse amounteth to this. The more goods any man hath, the more he standeth in of other mens help and service, whom to maintain he must needs be at great costs and charges. Therefore riches cannot in any wise tend to the quietness and happiness of him, that posesseth them in great abundance.]
11. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, [Or whose laboureth, to him sleep is sweet, oth. Whose doth husbandry-work, to him sleep is sweet: for the Hebrew word is properly used of husbandry-work, or tilling the ground, as Gen.2.5. and 2 Sam.9.10.] whether he hath eaten little or much; but the fullness of the rich suffereth him not to sleep. [to wit, not only in regard that the rich is not weary with labouring, but also in regard that he over-chargeth his stomach with good cheer. Like wise the rich and wealthy of this world are subject to more danger than the poor men are. Besides the rich misers have an unsatiable desire to increase and augment their estates, and are always in fear that they shall lose them, which often breaketh and hindereth their sleep.]
12. There is an evil that bringeth sickness [Hebr. A sick evil, see below on v.15.] (which) I saw under the Sun: riches kept by the possessors thereof [as above ver.10.] to their own evil. [that is, to the hurt of those that have them. Hebr. To his evil; that is, to the evil or hurt of every one that have or posses them. Riches are kept with care, oftentimes to the owners, or possessors own mischief: for oftentimes rich men fall into great troubles by reason of their riches: or riches perish & are wasted by evil ad wicked practices, whether by leading a voluptuous and prodigal kind of life, or otherwise: therefore they tend to vexation and disquietness of mind. See below 6.2.]
13. Or riches themselves perish, by toilsome trouble: [Or trouble some travel, see above chap.1. on v.13.] and he [to wit, the rich man, whose goods are vanished and come to nothing] begeteth a Son, and there is nothing at all in his hand. [to wit, that he may give to his son; or that he shall get into his hands; to wit, after his Fathers death.]
14. According as he [To wit, the rich man, or the rich mans son, being now become poor] come forth out of his mothers womb, (so) shall he return naked, going as he came: and ha shall take nothing with (him) of his labour [that is, of goods that he hath gotten and gathered by his labour, as v.18,19.] which he might carry away with his hand. [this is spoken here of the rich man, or of the rich mans son, now grown poor: But this speech or saying is true of all men in general, how rich or wealth soever they be: for let man be never so rich, or never so wealthy, yet when they die, they carry nothing away with them. see Job 1:21. and 1 Tim. 6.7. and Psalms 49:18.]
15. Therefore this is also an evil that bringeth sickness: that every manner of way as he come [to wit, naked] so goeth he away: [to wit, out of this world] what is it to him, that he hath laboured in the wind? [or, for the wind; that is, in vain, or for an empty transitory thing, being no more the better for all his labour, then if the wind had driven and blown it away. See Job 6. On v.26.]
16. That he hath also his days eaten in darkness, [that is, in sorrow and misery, shunning the society and company of men] and that he hath had much grief, also his sickness, [this is not so much to be understood of a corporal or bodily sickness, as of an inward distemper or sickness of the mind, hearts-grief and displeasure] and raging anger? [Hebr. Properly frothy anger.]
17. Behold what I have seen, a good thing which is beautiful; to eat, and to drink, and to enjoy, [Hebr. To see] the good of his labour, which he hath laboured under the Sun, (during) the number of the days of his life, which God giveth him: [it is both good and comely, or beautiful, for a man to eat, and to drink; to wit with joy or rejoicing, not troubling himself too much, or being too anxious and careful about future things. Or things that shall come to pass hereafter: yet so, as that we never forget to have and set God before our eyes in the enjoyment of his blessings; for seeing signifieth here enjoying. See the annotat. Job 7. On v.7.] for that is his portion. [to wit, which is allotted to him in this life of his temporal goods, he can look to have no more of them. But the children of God have a further and a better portion then this; for God himself is their portion, Psa.16.5. and 73.26. and Lamen.3.24. Yea they are joint heires with Christ of an inheritance in corruptible, Rom.8.17. 1 Pet.1.8.]
18. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and goods. And he giveth him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion; and to rejoice in his labour, that is a gift of God. [That is, he moveth and increaseth his heart thereunto, that he should take his share and portion of such things as God hath given him, and should with comfort and cheerfulness use and enjoy the same.]
19. For he shall not much remember the days of his life: [that is, he shall vex and torment himself with thinking often of the grief and sorrow which he hath had in his life-time, nor with the care and fear of the suffering which yet may befall him] because God heareth him in the joy and gladness of heart. First a natural joy of the heart, arising from a sence and apprehension of temporal happiness and prosperity. Secondly, a civil or political joy of the heart, issuing from the practice and exercise of some excellent vertues: as in the heathen, who acquitted themselves most excellently in prudence, justice, valour, etc. Thirdly, there is also a spiritual joy or gladness of the heart, proceeding from a sense and apprehension of our peace and reconciliation made with God. This is the chiefiest and the most excellent joy of all, Rom.5.1,2. Psa.4.7,8.]