Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

c. Wisdom is used in the exploration of sensuous pleasure. Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

TEXT 2:1-11

1

I said to myself, Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself. And behold, it too was futility.

2

I said of laughter, It is madness, and of pleasure, What does it accomplish?

3

I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.

4

I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;

5

I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;

6

I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.

7

I bought male and female slaves, and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.

8

Also, I collected for myself silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of menmany concubines.

9

Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.

10

And all that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.

11

Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 2:1-11

How many times do the words I, my, and myself appear in this passage (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11)?

What obvious conclusion is drawn from this observation?

How many times in this same passage does Solomon indicate that his plans and great works were for the enjoyment of others?

Solomon now turns to what specific area of activity (Ecclesiastes 2:1)?

After experiencing laughter and pleasure, what is Solomon’s conclusion?

He is still searching for the answer to what question (Ecclesiastes 2:3)?

Give proof from two different verses in this section that all of his activities were guided by wisdom.

List five of the works which he built and/or enlarged.

What two distinctive categories of slaves did he possess?

What did he say concerning the proportion of his livestock in comparison to others who owned flocks and herds?

Name the items of personal pleasure mentioned in verse eight.

What did Solomon claim as his reward for all his labor?

Upon reviewing all of his activities (Ecclesiastes 2:11), list the three attitudes he has toward them.

PARAPHRASE 2:1-11

Addressing myself, I said, Look, let me experiment with all the pleasures which appeal to my senses, and see the good that can bring me enjoyment. What enjoyment did it bring me? That which came of it was as satisfying as feasting on the wind. I had something to say concerning the laughter and merrymaking which came of my experiment with pleasure: It is madness. And of pleasure itself I said, It does not accomplish a thing. I extended my experiment to the pleasures of the table. I stimulated my body with wine and yet my mind always remained in control of every situation. I thought fulfillment could be found in silliness, the opposite of wisdom, so I put my hand to folly and asked, What good is there for the sons of men to do during the few days of their short lives as they lived them under heaven? I planned and carried out great undertakings. I planned them for myself. I was not satisfied with building just one house for myself, so I built houses. I planted vineyards for my own personal gratification and enjoyment. I designed and constructed a paradise of shade trees and winding paths where I could enjoy their beauty and the relaxing benefits of my parks. Throughout my gardens and parks, I planted all kinds of fruit trees. I needed to irrigate a forest of growing trees, so I constructed pools for myself. I owned many servants. Some I purchased for myself, both male and female. Others I had born in my own house and considered them in a special way as sons of the house. I collected large amounts of silver and gold. I gathered it together for myself. I also amassed treasures typical of kings and rulers of provinces. I provided male and female singers for my own enjoyment and satisfaction. I indulged myself with the pleasure of menconcubine after concubine. None could boast of the possessions and luxuries at my command. I was greater than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I surveyed the purpose of it all through the eyes of the wisdom which is under the sun. This kind of wisdom I retained as a constant companion. I did not deny my eyes anything they wished to see. If my thoughts ran to embrace any pleasure, and I desired it, I provided it for myself. Did I receive a reward from all that I had done? Yes. My heart was delighted that I had accomplished for myself everything that I proposedthis was my reward. Now I must return to my original question: What good is there for the sons of men to do the few days of their short lives that they live under heaven? I kept that question in mind and considered all the things that I had done and the energy I expended, and my conclusion is that all of it is unfulfilling, futile, and striving for the wind. None of it is profitable for the man who lives under the sun.

COMMENT 2:1-11

What good is there for the sons of men to do under heaven? This is the question that troubles Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 2:3). His desire to know the answer is insatiable. In his first experiment he set his mind, guided by wisdom and knowledge, to discover the causes and results of all that had been done under heaven. His experiment was successful, it just did not yield satisfaction. He discovered that his reward was mental pain and sorrow rather than the desired mental health and peace. He now considers the possibility of the answer coming from another area of research under the sun. It is pleasure that now intrigues him. He is not unlike the rest of us in his desire to experience the pleasures of life. The motivation behind Solomon is one of personal gratification. Nothing of the loving, philanthropic nature of concern colors his activities. It is indeed misanthropy. His self-centered desire is a matter of record. He states, I said to myself, -Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.-’ The grammatical construction dative of interest (for myself) appears eight times in these eleven verses. In addition, there are thirty references to the pronouns I and my in this limited summary of his pursuit of pleasure. It is manifestly evident that if the answer to his question is to be found in this area of life, he intends to discover it.

One should not be unduly critical of Solomon. His experiments are not hedonistic. He is not sensually lusting after base and inordinate things. He wishes only to come alive to the pleasures to be received through the senses. He wants his answers to come to him within the framework of the demonstrable. He is interested in seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting, and hearing. He declares that he did not withhold any pleasure from his heart.

Although Solomon does not mention it in the text, it is a matter of record that his resources to carry out such an experiment were unlimited. It was written that … silver and gold were as stones in Jerusalem (1 Kings 10:27). He had successfully increased his kingdom ten times beyond what he had inherited from his father. By his own declaration he proclaimed that he had increased in wealth more than all who had preceded him in Jerusalem.

Ecclesiastes 2:1 The Come now of this verse indicates a new direction. We have explained it as the exploration of sensuous pleasure. As in the other experiment, he states his conclusion at the beginning. Futility marks his pursuit. He should not have been surprised, for from his own pen had previously come the words, Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be grief (Proverbs 14:13). He declares the reality of this.

That which is being tested is the question concerning what is good for man in the few years he has on this earth. This appears to be the key question in the book. It was asked in Ecclesiastes 1:3 and also in Ecclesiastes 1:13. The question is clearly stated here in Ecclesiastes 2:3. Although he does not arrive at the answer in this section, he does state conclusively that he had discovered what is good for the sons of men to do during their lives as they live them under heaven. Note his conclusions:

(1)

There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen, that it is from the hand of God (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

(2)

I know there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime, moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his laborit is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).

(3)

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19).

(4)

For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun (Ecclesiastes 6:12)?

(5)

So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun (Ecclesiastes 8:15).

(6)

Go then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works (Ecclesiastes 9:7).

(7)

Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life, and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun (Ecclesiastes 9:9).

As important as the theme is, it is to be understood as a minor chord which he sounds, a half step less than the major theme. The theme is recurring, appearing no less than seven times as noted above, yet it only leads man to the logical conclusion as he views life under the sun. It is in this light alone he turns to examine the evidence of his quest. The major theme speaks to the emptiness of what is thought of as a full and fruitful and enjoyable life when it is lived without the redeeming nature of grace and apart from the direction of God’s revelation. We have purposely jumped ahead of Solomon. We have read the conclusions, which at this time in his experience, he is eager to discover himself. It is important, therefore, that we realize that at this point in his experiment, he is steeped in the details of one of his most elaborate undertakings.

Ecclesiastes 2:2 Laughter is associated with pleasure. He has learned to laugh much because he has had great pleasure; but once again he admits to the superficial nature of this unrewarding experience. He labels his laughter as madness, and asks of pleasure, What does it accomplish? Laughter, madness, and pleasure should be thought of as harmless delights in this context. Neither does madness convey the idea of mental insanity, but rather boasting and foolishness. His conclusion is that there isn-’t any true, lasting value in the exercising of sensuous pleasure. Note this additional commentary on this subject in Ecclesiastes 7:3; Ecclesiastes 7:6 and Ecclesiastes 10:19. In like manner, Jesus taught that the presence of laughter is not necessarily a sign of genuine joy (Luke 6:25).

Ecclesiastes 2:3-8 In this section, Solomon turns to three additional categories of pleasure which he pursues. The first involves him with food and folly; secondly, he is engaged in aesthetic improvements; and finally he seeks cultural improvements and the pleasures of possessions. One is reminded of the admonition of John, Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (food and folly) and the lust of the eyes (aesthetic improvements) and the boastful pride of life (cultural improvements and pleasures), is not from the Father, but is from the world (1 John 2:15-16). Solomon does each of us a favor in that he comes to the same conclusion (Ecclesiastes 2:11), and thus saves us the necessity of learning this lesson the difficult way.

(1)

Section one: food and folly. (Ecclesiastes 2:3)

Wine could represent all the pleasures of the table as well as just the enjoyment of wine. It would be understood as the part used for the whole. So elaborate were King Solomon’s tables that the Queen of Sheba was totally exhausted in her praise (1 Kings 10:5). One should not understand his statement as an abandonment to strong drink. He assures us that his mind continued to guide him wisely.

Folly implies the harmless nonsense that so often accompanies the pleasure of dining with friends. We should understand this to be the lowest level of his pleasurable pursuits. The following descriptions represent those experiments which he carried out on the middle level. Solomon identifies them as the enlargements of his works.

(2)

Section two: aesthetic improvements. (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6)

Although the Temple was the most important and most elaborate of Solomon’s contributions, no mention is made of it in this section. The reason is obvious. Solomon is discussing only those items which he planned and designed for personal satisfaction, the Temple belonged in a special way to the people as well as to the king. In reality it was God’s Temple and thus it would be out of place to mention it along with those things programmed for sensuous delights. (a)* Houses.* For a detailed explanation of Solomon’s houses, read 1 Kings 7:1-12; 1 Kings 9:19. His endeavors were almost unbelievable in scope. He built numerous buildings and public works in Jerusalem. He spent thirteen years building his own palace. It included the armory and the Hall of Judgment. He built a house of Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Kings 7:2-8). He built a citadel (1 Kings 9:24; 1 Kings 11:27) or huge fortress to protect the temple. He founded cities in distant lands (1 Kings 9:18), built store-cities and chariot towns, national works of great importance, and rebuilt and fortified cities throughout his kingdom.

(b)* Vineyards.* David possessed vineyards that Solomon undoubtedly inherited (1 Chronicles 27:27-28). It is also recorded in Son 8:10-11 that he possessed his own vineyard.

(c)* Gardens.* The term is synonymous with the Greek term for paradise and suggests pleasantry and beauty. There is a reference to a king’s garden in 2 Kings 25:4. Note also Son 4:16. A detailed description of gardens in Palestine cannot be found in the Bible although they are often mentioned. They were generally believed to be walled in-closures with winding paths and canals of running water to provide for the many shade and fruit trees. This is in harmony with the information in this section. One can almost see the sweet-smelling, aromatic blossoms inviting travelers to the cooling arbors and refreshing streams.

(d)* Parks.* The terms parks, gardens, and forests are used interchangeably. From the context in Nehemiah 2:8 and corresponding references, the emphasis is on trees and forestry. Such parks also contained fruit trees and herds of animals.

(e)* Ponds.* Besides the aesthetic value of pools or reservoirs, they served a practical purpose. Pools supplied the water for the irrigation of the growing trees. Because of the long extended periods without rain, sometimes lasting three to four months, the ponds provided an essential and vital supply of water. Evidence of the water supply at Etham is the most celebrated of the pools ascribed to Solomon. There were three large pools ranging in length from 380 feet to 582 feet and in width from 207 feet to 250 feet. They varied in depth from 25 to 50 feet. The pools were located a distance of ten miles from Jerusalem but because of the natural contour of the Judaean hills, the water traveled nearly 15 miles to the enormous reservoir beneath the city. The origin of the aqueduct is uncertain. The history of Jerusalem has always included a struggle on the part of the people to discover and supply water for their needs. However, in Solomon’s description, no mention is made of the utilitarian purposes of the pools, either for Temple needs or the needs of the people. He is searching for the answer to the question: Is there any good in the beautiful?

(3)

Section three: cultural improvements and pleasures of possessions. (Ecclesiastes 2:7-8)

This third and highest level upon which he experiments involves the pleasures derived from developing cultural projects and accumulating earthly wealth. (a) Slaves. Solomon purchased some slaves, captured others and had some born in his own house (1 Kings 9:20-22; 1 Kings 10:4-8). Those who were born in his house were called sons of the house (Genesis 15:3) and were often more desired than other slaves. Solomon’s interest in horses alone required literally thousands of slaves to care for his extensive holdings. It was stated that he had 40,000 stalls of horses, a similar number of chariots and 12,000 horsemen (1 Kings 4:26). It was said of the Queen of Sheba, as she observed the elaborate attention given to the king by his servants, that there was no more spirit in her (1 Kings 10:5). She had not believed the colorful reports; however, upon personal observation she confessed that she had not been told half of what was true!

(b)* Flocks and herds.* Solomon’s provision for one day included, among other things, … ten fat oxen, twenty pasture-fed oxen, a hundred sheep besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl. Read 1 Kings 4:22-23; 1 Kings 8:62-63. The large number of dedicatory sacrifices offered to God at the consecration of the Temple, suggests the magnitude of his flocks and herds. He offered the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep on that one occasion. Cf. 1 Chronicles 27:29-31.

(c)* Silver and gold.* The statement, I collected for myself silver and gold is more flagrant than it appears on the surface. God specifically commanded the king not to multiply gold for himself. The detailed accounts found in the Bible depicting Solomon’s inordinate desire for gold and silver supports his contention. In the face of the prohibition (Deuteronomy 17:17), Solomon made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones (2 Chronicles 1:15). The following record of Solomon’s extensive use of gold is included here to impress the reader with the magnitude of his personal quest. It is found in 2 Chronicles 9:13-21 and is followed immediately with the declaration, So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. It reads:

Now the weight of gold which came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, besides that which the traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. And King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of beaten gold on each large shield. And he made 300 shields of beaten gold, using three hundred shekels of gold on each shield, and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. And there were six steps to the throne and a footstool in gold attached to the throne, and arms on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the arms. And twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for any other kingdom. And all King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. For the king had ships which went to Tarshish with the servants of Hurum; once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks.

(d) The treasure of kings and provinces. If the treasure is that of great wealth, Solomon qualified (1 Kings 4:21; 1 Kings 4:24; 1 Kings 10:14-15). If it means he possessed such treasure unique to kings and not the common man, he also qualified. He controlled provinces and exacted tribute from them; these provinces boarded or neighbored his own country of Palestine and were in addition to the districts of his own country. There were twelve districts in Israel and each district provided Solomon’s needs for one month of the year (1 Kings 4:7). Solomon reigned over all the tribes and nations between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates. The promise God gave in Genesis 15:18 was thus fulfilled. Solomon was a dictator. Everything depended upon his will. Although he was not a man of war as his father David had been known, he still subjected the people of his land to his every desire. In addition to Israel, he ruled the Philistines, the Moabites, the Edomites, the Amonites, the Canaanites, the Hittites and the Syrians. So vast was his wealth that he was greater than all other kings of earth. It was estimated that he provided for 10,000 people in his service.

(e) Male and female singers. From the reference out of David’s life (2 Samuel 19:35), singers were employed to entertain and lighten the spirit. These singers were for Solomon’s personal enjoyment and should not be confused with the male singers of the choir within the Temple. They were chosen solely because of the satisfaction they brought to the king.

(f) The pleasures of men. This euphemistic phrase suggests the sexual enjoyment of men. The translators of the New American Standard Version suggest that concubines represent what is meant by the pleasures of men. This is in harmony with Solomon’s experience as he had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).

This text, however, has been widely disputed. The Septuagint translates it a male cupbearer and a female cupbearer. Both the Syriac and Vulgate agree with this. The King James Translation renders it Musical instruments, and that of all sorts. Other translations supply a variation of ideas. Some of these are: plenty of all sorts, combination of tones, captives, litters, coaches, baths, treasures, chests, and even demons. The original Hebrew expression appears but this one time in the whole of the Bible, and thus the difficulty of determining the proper translation.

Ecclesiastes 2:9 In this verse he sets forth two ideas which qualify his experiment. The first suggests the extensive nature of his experience. He said that he excelled all who preceded him in Jerusalem. This would include David and Saul and very likely implies any of the Jebusite kings of various chieftains who ruled prior to that time. The second suggests that he was always mentally in control of his activities as elaborate as they may have been. He states, My wisdom also stood by me. He never lost sight of his objective that he stated in verse three. The type of wisdom that remained with him is not to be confused with the heavenly wisdom from above. It is the exercising of common sense and earthly propriety. it is the wisdom known to those who live under the sun. The words stood by me carry the idea of served me and bring into sharper focus the purpose and value of this kind of wisdom. Solomon was committed to every pleasure conceivable to the mind of man. The only criterion was that his pleasurable experience would not violate his under the sun wisdom. As we have noted, this opened the door to endless opportunities for one who had at his command the wealth and resources as the world’s richest king.

Ecclesiastes 2:10 In this verse he speaks of his reward. One would expect glowing and colorful descriptions of an exuberant heart declaring, I have found it! A lifetime of searching and millions of dollars expended would surely bring one to the end of the rainbow where the treasure would be discovered and the fortunate man who pursued it could, with the deepest satisfaction, share such fulfillment with his friends. However, no such manifestation of joy is forthcoming. There is a deficiency that manifests itself in his answer. There is a positive note, but it is the rather subdued admission that his reward was simply the fact that he did everything his heart desired. This, however, isn-’t what he was searching to discover. He wanted to do everything in order to find out what profit there is for the sons of men in all the activities of their days upon the earth. His heart was pleased. In other words, the earthly desires were fulfilled and thus the earthly needs were met. He had at least accomplished this.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 Solomon is after a profit. He intends to review all his labors, satisfied that he had exhausted every opportunity for some new thrill of experience. One panoramic flashback over his life brought into focus all the fruit of all his labors. He searches in his mind’s eye to discover something of lasting value, something that abides. He isn-’t interested in speaking to the empty feeling within the one who has so indulged himself, but rather to the profit that comes to one who has thus so lavishly lived. He doesn-’t deny the emptiness, such grief, he admits, is very much the fiber of one who lives under the sun. His conclusion is pointedly harsh: there was no profit under the sun. Men today should learn this lesson from Solomon. Who can find the time or the resources to run the course as skillfully as Solomon? Even if he does, the signpost at the end of the road points to no profit. How unlike the Christian who discovers that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 3:2).

FACT QUESTIONS 2:1-11

What is the question Solomon now seeks to answer?

Explain why Solomon’s first experiment (Ecclesiastes 1:13-18) did not bring satisfaction.

What general area now intrigues him in this second experiment?

What motivation is behind his activity?

How often does he refer to himself in these eleven verses?

What is the kind of pleasure that he seeks?

How common were silver and gold in Jerusalem?

Solomon asks, What is good for man? Find the verse in chapter two where he states this question.

What two verses in chapter one alluded to this same question?

From your study of the list of answers to this question, give five things Solomon indicates as good for man to do.

Name the three categories of pleasure to be pursued by Solomon.

Explain how they correspond to a degree with the teaching in 1 John 2:15-16.

In what two ways could the term wine be understood?

Why isn-’t the Temple mentioned in Solomon’s list of great works?

How many years did it take for Solomon to build his own house?

The term garden corresponds with what other English term that comes to us from the Greek?

What two purposes did the ponds serve?

What is the difference between slaves and home-born slaves?

What was the total number of oxen and sheep sacrificed at the dedication of the Temple?

Why is Solomon’s statement that he collected silver and gold for himself more flagrant than it appears?

From the description found in 2 Chronicles 9:13-21, list the various items which were covered with gold.

What is the distinction between districts and provinces?

How were Solomon’s needs met each month?

Solomon fed from his table approximately how many people?

What purpose did the male and female singers serve?

What is meant by the term euphemistic?

Why is there such difficulty in translating the latter part of verse eight?

What translation seems the most appropriate from the context?

In what ways does he qualify his experiment? (Cf. Ecclesiastes 2:9)

Define the kind of wisdom Solomon used.

What satisfaction came from his experiment? (Cf. Ecclesiastes 2:10)

What profit did he discover?

What was his final conclusion? (Cf. Ecclesiastes 2:11)

Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

2. Conclusions Ecclesiastes 2:12-26

a. Value of this wisdom and pleasure stop at the grave. Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

TEXT 2:12-17

12

So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly, for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done?

13

And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.

14

The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both.

15

Then I said to myself, As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise? So I said to myself, This too is vanity.

16

For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!

17

So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after the wind.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 2:12-17

List the six reasons stated in this passage (Ecclesiastes 2:12-26) that led to the conclusion that all is vanity and futility.

What could be expected of the man who succeeds the king? Ecclesiastes 2:12

Although wisdom excels folly, and it is better to be wise, what fate comes to both the wise and the foolish?

Give proof that Solomon numbered himself among the wise. Ecclesiastes 2:15

What will happen to the memory of both wise men and fools?

Why did Solomon hate life and consider his work grievous?

PARAPHRASE 2:12-17

I turned my attention to another matter. I was interested in making a comparison of wisdom with foolishness and stupidity to determine the value of wisdom. My intention as king was to thoroughly examine this proposal. I did examine it with greater detail than any man who preceded me or any man who would follow me. I reached the conclusion that wisdom is an advantage over folly just as light is an advantage over darkness. The wise man walks in the light as he is guided by the eyes in his head. The fool, the one who practices folly, goes forward blindly, stumbling along the path. Yet they are both influenced by chance and fate. Then I said to myself, I am a wise man, but one day I shall lie in the grave along side the fool. What advantage has my wisdom been to me? Looking at it from that angle, I concluded that this too was futility. Death brings both the wise man and the foolish man to common ground. Not only do both die, but before many days pass, the memories of both have been forgotten. There is no lasting memory of either the wise man or the fool! All of my labor under the sun has thus been interpreted as clutching for wind, unrewarding, and only a vapor. I concluded that since this is true, I hated life.

COMMENT 2:12-17

I turned does not indicate a new experiment, but additional conclusions to be drawn from testing the meaning of life with pleasure. He has already indicated that he is aware that history repeats itself. He stated that God seeks what has passed by (Ecclesiastes 3:15); that what happens in the future has already happened in the past (Ecclesiastes 1:9). He is manifesting this same truth when he draws our attention to the question, What will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done? In this question, Solomon indicates that one will come after the king. Is Solomon speaking only of one who might experiment in the same manner, if such were possible, or is he speaking historically of one who is already standing in the wings waiting his turn to rule over the kingdom? It is difficult to determine. However, the import of his question appears to be that whoever follows, whether in his authority or by his example, will certainly reach similar conclusions. Human nature is the same generation after generation.

One should not conclude that Solomon’s experiment was a failure. He did what he proposed to do as stated in verse twelve. He said that his heart was pleased because of all his labor (Ecclesiastes 2:10). The experiment, however, did not yield the satisfaction that he sought. His dilemma is found in the fact that he did not discover what good there is for the sons of men, and he now admits that the one who follows him will not discover the answer either!

I set my mind (Ecclesiastes 1:17), and I turned to consider (Ecclesiastes 2:12), should be understood as similar statements. In each instance, the objective is to know wisdom, madness and folly (cf. Ecclesiastes 7:25). Wisdom here is the earthly wisdom previously discussed. Although it is not of the high level where wisdom from above is discovered, it still excels madness and folly as light excels darkness. Madness and folly have been identified as foolishness and silliness which is so often associated with those who are caught up in the sheer enjoyment of earthly things.

The metaphor is wisely chosen in verse thirteen. Wisdom is likened to light while folly is likened to darkness. The contrast is sharpened in Ephesians 5:8 and 1 Thessalonians 5:5, because light is the symbol of truth from God, and darkness is the symbol of sin. It should be noted that Solomon makes a similar distinction in Ecclesiastes 2:26 when he identifies the wise man as the good man, and the foolish man as the sinner. Solomon admits to the availability of a particular earthly wisdom that gives an advantage to men. In Ecclesiastes 7:11-12; Ecclesiastes 7:19, he states that wisdom is (1) good and an advantage to men on this earth, (2) a protector to those who possess it, and (3) gives strength to a wise man. In Ecclesiastes 9:18, he writes that (4) wisdom is better than weapons of war, and in Ecclesiastes 10:10, he speaks of wisdom (5) as bringing success. It is this kind of wisdom that excels foolishness as light excells darkness. Note the following comparisons and conclusions made in the remaining section of chapter two.

**THE WISE MAN

THE FOOLISH MAN

COMPARISONS**

Light

Darkness

Eyes are in his head

Walks in darkness

Same fate (death)

Same fate (death)

No lasting remembrance

No lasting remembrance

Will be forgotten

Will be forgotten

In the coming days he will die

In the coming days he will die

CONCLUSIONS

If one labors with wisdom, knowledge and skill only to accumulate a great legacy, he will discover this is futile and striving for the wind (Ecclesiastes 2:19-21).

If collecting and gathering a great fortune is your primary goal in life, your days will be filled with pain and grief and your nights will be restless (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23).

One should resolve to eat, drink and enjoy labor one day at a time as this is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

There is joy that comes to the good man who understands that he should enjoy life day by day. However, to the sinner who collects and gathers for his own satisfaction, there will be no joy but a realization that all that he has gathered will be given to the good man (Ecclesiastes 2:26).

There is a difference that is discernable between one who practices common sense and keeps his eyes within his head, and one who seeks folly and thus walks in darkness. Solomon had written, Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, but the eyes of the fool are on the ends of the earth (Proverbs 17:24). However, there is the recognition that even to the wise man death is an inevitable companion who never discerns between the wise man or the fool. It is in the light of this conclusion that Solomon states that he hates life. In addition he confesses that his work, even the fruit of his labor, is grievous, futile, and striving after wind. Vanity has once again robbed even the wise man of any possible profit of his labor under the sun.

The fact that both the wise man and the fool share equally in many ways is a recurring theme throughout the book. It is discussed in Ecclesiastes 6:6, Ecclesiastes 7:2 and Ecclesiastes 9:2-3. One of the real tragedies of living is the fact that one must die. The tragedy is compounded because through man’s natural eye, he cannot see beyond the grave. If indeed the premise is correct, that is that all activities qualified by the phrase under the sun do not have the redemptive nature of the higher values, then it is possible to interpret Solomon’s despair. David wrote of this when he said, even wise men die; the stupid and the senseless alike perish, and leave their wealth to others (Psalms 49:10).

It is in view of the fact that both the wise man and the fool die and go to the grave that Solomon despairs of being extremely wise. His extreme wisdom is the fruit of his life-long labor, and yet what does it profit him? He is certain that the wise man has no advantage over the fool in this respect (Ecclesiastes 6:8; Ecclesiastes 6:11). Of course one dare not assume these conclusions in the light of Christian hope. However, to the man who is restricted to only that which can be interpreted under the sun, death terminates everything! This is why Solomon amplifies this conclusion with the observation in Ecclesiastes 9:3-4: This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. they go to the dead. For whoever is joined with the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.

The concept of the coming days is also important to the Preacher (Ecclesiastes 2:16). In the days to come, how will a man be remembered? More to the point, however, is the question of will he be remembered? There is surely some profit in the awareness that one’s reputation continues on in the minds of one’s countrymen. Especially would this be true if one were a wise man. However, this is not to be under the sun! His original premise in Ecclesiastes 1:11 underscored how quickly things are to be forgotten. Later in his book he offers two illustrations of this same tragic truth. He speaks of a young man who rises from adverse circumstances to become king. The multitudes, tired of the former king, throng to his side and offer their allegiance. However, he declares that in time even the new king will not be remembered (Ecclesiastes 4:13-16). He speaks further of the dead who no longer have a reward. Their reward would have been for them to have been remembered. However, they no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun. No one remembers them.

There is a relentless correlation between the results of participating in fleeting things and the nature of the things themselves. His conclusions are consistent with the means employed in reaching them. It is not surprising, therefore, to hear him say that he hated life, that he questioned his endless endeavors to become wise, that he looked upon all his work as a grievous, empty, futile task. His thoughts were simply corresponding with the kind of wisdom, madness and folly which he sought. There is a sense in which the very wisdom which he found became the greatest kind of folly.

FACT QUESTIONS 2:12-17

Give three references from Ecclesiastes that Solomon understood that history repeats itself.

What is meant by the man who will come after the king? Give two possible interpretations.

Who ever follows the king will reach what conclusion concerning Solomon’s primary question concerning profit?

In what sense was Solomon’s experiment found in the first eleven verses unsatisfactory? In what sense was it successful?

Identify and define the three objectives which Solomon turned to consider.

List the five good qualities that earthly wisdom affords.

Who is the one who walks in darkness?

The wise man’s eyes are in his head means that he has what? (Cf. Proverbs 17:24)

Why does Solomon say he hates life?

Why did he despair of being extremely wise?

Will either the wise man or the fool be remembered after they die?

Give an illustration found in Ecclesiastes chapter four that confirms your answer.

Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

b. The legacy of one’s labor is often lost to fools when one dies. Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

TEXT 2:18-23

18

Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

19

And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity.

20

Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun.

21

When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil.

22

For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?

23

Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 2:18-23

Why did Solomon hate the fruit of his labor (Ecclesiastes 2:18-20)?

What three tools did Solomon use to accumulate his legacy?

State the qualifying phrase found in verse twenty and twenty-two that proves Solomon’s labor had no eternal value.

Find the verse in this passage that corresponds with the basic question asked in Ecclesiastes 1:3.

What keeps men from restful sleep (Ecclesiastes 2:23)?

PARAPHRASE 2:18-23

I labored and achieved more than any man who had been before me. Yet, I hated my achievements because now I must leave them to some man who will follow me. The basic tragedy is that I have no knowledge of the one who shall follow me. He could be a wise man, or he could be a fool. I have collected everything through wisdom, and now who ever follows me will have complete control over my fortune. What fleeting satisfaction! What vanity! Therefore, I turned my heart aside to despair as I thought of all the works I had accomplished, and the great fortune I had accumulated upon the earth. Why do I despair? I labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and now I must give this legacy to one who had not labored in this manner. This is not only futility it is a great evil. I ask again, What profit does man have in all his toil and stress as he struggles upon the earth in the few days of his short life? For all his days he labors at his task accompanied by pain and grief. Even at night he remembers the vexation of his work and his mind has no rest. This too is vanity.

COMMENT 2:18-23

The Preacher turned toward the past and surveyed the fruit of his life-long endeavor. He had amassed a fortune and collected riches beyond his highest expectations. However, as he contemplated the future and the one who would inherit all that he had gathered together, he grew bitter and cynical. He could designate the next king, but the people would not likely listen to the advice of an old and foolish king. He might dream of the kingdom remaining united but in his heart he realized it was but a dream. He would have little control over these matters. What if the one who follows him is a fool? He had acquired the greatness of his kingdom through wisdom, knowledge and skill. He now senses that it could slip into the hands of one who exercises little of these attributes and thus he will inherit wealth and power which he neither deserves nor can properly handle. His conclusion is that he thus hated life. There are no forthcoming answers which satisfy him. He carries his burden into his bedchamber and is thus robbed of sleep (Ecclesiastes 2:23).

Did Solomon have cause to worry? One has sufficient evidence to recite the history of Israel following Solomon’s death, and he discovers not one but two men who ascended to his throne. The kingdom did divide. In Solomon’s closing years, his foreign wives turned away his heart from the Lord (1 Kings 11:1-8). The author of Chronicles is silent on his closing years, but in I Kings we read that he loved many foreign women (1 Kings 11:1). Solomon also had many adversaries. Among them were Hadad the Edomite and Rezon of Damascus (1 Kings 11:9-25). However, the most dangerous of his foes had to be Jeroboam. Jeroboam had been appointed to a prominent position in Solomon’s kingdom. In addition to his own personal designs on the throne, he had the encouragement of the prophet Ahijah. The aggression and zeal of Jeroboam were manifested throughout the kingdom, and when Solomon suspected him he fled to Egypt for his life (1 Kings 11:26-40). It is thought by some that the lad who comes out of prison to take the place of the king (Ecclesiastes 4:14) is a direct reference to Jeroboam. It is true that upon Solomon’s death, Jeroboam did return from Egypt to assume the leadership of the ten tribes. Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, was proclaimed king in Jerusalem.

Perhaps there is a prophetic sense in which the words of Solomon predict the historical situation of his day. However, this interpretation is not vital to understanding the message of the book. One may readily see that Solomon’s despair is based on two entirely different premises: (1) he will not be remembered for all his great works, and (2) he is uncertain who will inherit his fortune. It could easily be a person who has little regard for wisdom and much regard for silliness and jest.

Either way, Solomon will lose control over all the fruit of his labor. This is the inevitable result of laboring under the sun. How different is the picture for the Christian who one day shall rest from his labor with the sweet peace that his works will follow after him (Revelation 14:13)!

The legacy is of major consequences to the one who has acquired it because he applied wisdom, knowledge, and skill in the task of gathering and collecting. The term skill may also be translated efficiency which suggests hours of toiling and perfecting of trades. He is not like the one who came upon his fortune through happenstance or chance. Solomon has designed and labored toward such an end. He has placed his whole heart in his work. His fortune represents an entire lifetime of tireless effort and toil. Some of the magnitude of his despair is sharpened by his question concerning profit. He asks, For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:22)? His answer: He gets nothing! Thus he declares, I hated all the fruit of my labor. In addition he says, I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor. He places a label on the fruit of his labor. It reads: This too is vanity and a great evil.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

c. Labor is good only when it is acknowledged as from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

TEXT 2:24-26

24

There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen, that it is from the hand of God.

25

For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?

26

For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that He may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 2:24-26

List the three simple things in life that one is instructed to recognize as coming from the hand of God.

Who gives man enjoyment?

What is the condition that one must meet to receive God’s blessings of wisdom, knowledge and joy (Ecclesiastes 2:26)?

What happens to the sinner’s legacy?

PARAPHRASE 2:24-26

Man is not able of himself to find satisfaction in his work or in his pleasure such as eating and drinking. However, if a man finds a temporary satisfaction in his labor or his pleasure, he must recognize that it is entirely from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can find enjoyment apart from God? Let us consider what happens to the one whom God favors and also to the one who offends God. To the person who is good in God’s sight, God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy. To the sinner, however, God gives the vexing task of collecting and heaping up a fortune under the sun. Then the one who offends God must give it to the one who is good in God’s sight. My conclusion is that this too is as unfulfilling as feasting on the wind.

COMMENT 2:24-26

This is the first time in Solomon’s book that he reaches above the sun and speaks of God. As previously noted, however, it is not in the sense of a warm, covenant relationship. Rather, he speaks of God as the Creator who is in complete control of His universe. God’s laws govern our world. There is enjoyment to be found in one’s labor, but it is only when God blesses or permits. There are two classes of people who are identified. One is the good man who receives approval from God, and thus enjoys his labor. The other is the sinner who does not find this approval from God. Perhaps the intention here is to explain that a wise man, in this instance the good man, works in harmony with God’s laws as he interprets them through the revelation of God through nature. As a result he pleases God and finds favor. On the other hand, the sinner is literally one who offends God. He sets aside the rules he discovers in this world. As a result he runs contrary to what he knows to be the better way to live. When one does this, he does not discover wisdom, knowledge or joy.

Solomon employs the term joy in much the same way that it is understood today. It carries the idea of cheerfulness and satisfaction with life. It is used three other times in Ecclesiastes and in each case the NASV renders it differently. They are: pleasure, (Ecclesiastes 2:10); joy, (Ecclesiastes 2:26); gladness, (Ecclesiastes 5:20); cheerful, (Ecclesiastes 9:7). In each reference it speaks to the excitement of discovery and living life to its fullest each day. This kind of joy does not come to the man who is motivated by greed, or gathering wealth and possessions for his own use. The sinner has a grievous task because he gathers and collects with selfish intent. The good man is quite different. His wisdom does not bring grief. His knowledge does not bring sorrow. His joy comes to him because he finds satisfaction in the labor within a single day. This conclusion is clearly stated: Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward (Ecclesiastes 5:18).

The sinner does not enjoy what he has gathered. This has been the basic premise of the book thus far. Not only has Solomon demonstrated this to be true, but what the sinner has gathered and collected for his own use will be inherited by one who is good in God’s sight. This principle of retribution is taught in Proverbs 28:8 which reads: He who increases his wealth by interest and usury, gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor. Again he writes: The wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous (Proverbs 13:22).

The vanity of striving after wind of verse twenty-six, does not refer to the activities of the good man. It has reference to the sinner who is collecting and gathering fruit of his labor, but will not enjoy it because it will soon belong to another. (Read carefully Ecclesiastes 2:11; Ecclesiastes 2:17-18.)

The fact that the good man recognizes that his enjoyment is from the hand of God, should not be interpreted in the context that God has given him a detailed rule book by which he works and lives to increase his joy. Rather, it is simply that the good man realizes that food and drink are gifts, which he acknowledges to be from God, and he finds genuine joy in the use of them. There is a definite moral involved. If avarice is the foe which keeps one from enjoying life, then setting oneself free from such a vain sin would result in the daily satisfaction with life that Solomon is discussing. To try and discover happiness where God has not ordained that happiness can be found, has always been man’s failing. Jesus redirects men’s minds to those higher and nobler efforts which result in genuine happiness. Never has it been that joy results from the pursuit of joy. Our Lord’s beatitudes underscore the truth that when one seeks higher values such as purity, peace, and righteousness, that blessedness, in this case joy, overtakes him, and he discovers that he is experiencing real joy where God has ordained that it is to be found.

The division of chapter three at this particular verse is unfortunate. The same theme is under consideration in all twenty-two verses. In Ecclesiastes 3:9 the basic question is asked once again: What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? The entire chapter is an amplification of chapter two. How can man discover a profit from his labor? First, by submitting to the fact that God does things appropriately in His own time. Second, eat, drink, work, and do good in one’s lifetime. Third, do not be discouraged by the similar fate (death) of both man and beast as man does not have the knowledge to see his future, and thus he should be happy in his activities day-by-day. The profit is limited but it is there. Joy is his reward. Solomon states it clearly: Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy one-self in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward (Ecclesiastes 5:18).

FACT QUESTIONS 2:24-26

What attitude does the good man have toward God’s control of the world?

What attitude does the sinner have?

Give the three synonyms used for joy in Ecclesiastes.

Who cannot experience this joy?

There is a limited profit (reward) that is available to one who labors under the sun. What is it? Cf. Ecclesiastes 5:18

What will happen to that which the sinner collects and gathers?

Does joy result from pursuing joy?

Jesus taught us that we will find joy if we pursue what?

What subject comes under discussion in chapter three?

What basic question is once again raised?

Give three ways one can find a share of profit even under the sun.