---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"
author: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 284 of 927
url: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/284/
cite: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, section 284. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/284/"
---

# Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

*Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown*

The Victorian standard commentary, critical and practical, from Genesis to Revelation.

## 284. Ecclesiastes · 7 of 11

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/284/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/284/#p-N

[¶0] 23. All this--resuming the "all" in [Ec 7:15]; [Ec 7:15-22] is therefore the fruit of his dearly bought experience in the days of his "vanity."

[¶1] I will be wise--I tried to "be wise," independently of God. But true wisdom was then "far from him," in spite of his human wisdom, which he retained by God's gift. So "over wise" ([Ec 7:16]).

[¶2] 24. That ... far off ... deep--True wisdom is so when sought independently of "fear of God" ([Ec 7:18]; [De 30:12], ; [Job 11:7], ; [28:12-20], ; [Psa 64:6]; [Ro 10:6], ).

[¶3] 25. Literally, "I turned myself and mine heart to." A phrase peculiar to Ecclesiastes, and appropriate to the penitent turning back to commune with his heart on his past life.

[¶4] wickedness of folly--He is now a step further on the path of penitence than in [Ec 1:17]; 2:12, where "folly" is put without "wickedness" prefixed.

[¶5] reason--rather, "the right estimation" of things. Holden translates also "foolishness (that is, sinful folly, answering to 'wickedness' in the parallel) of madness" (that is, of man's mad pursuits).

[¶6] 26. "I find" that, of all my sinful follies, none has been so ruinous a snare in seducing me from God as idolatrous women ([1Ki 11:3], ; [Pr 5:3], ; ). As "God's favor is better than life," she who seduces from God is "more bitter than death."

[¶7] whoso pleaseth God--as Joseph ([Ge 39:2], [3, 9]). It is God's grace alone that keeps any from falling.

[¶8] 27. this--namely, what follows in [Ec 7:28].

[¶9] counting one by one--by comparing one thing with another [Holden and Maurer].

[¶10] account--a right estimate. But [Ec 7:28] more favors Gesenius. "Considering women one by one."

[¶11] 28. Rather, referring to his past experience, "Which my soul sought further, but I found not."

[¶12] one man--that is, worthy of the name, "man," "upright"; not more than one in a thousand of my courtiers ([Job 33:23]; [Psa 12:1]). Jesus Christ alone of men fully realizes the perfect ideal of "man." "Chiefest among ten thousand" ([So 5:10]). No perfect "woman" has ever existed, not even the Virgin Mary. Solomon, in the word "thousand," alludes to his three hundred wives and seven hundred concubines. Among these it was not likely that he should find the fidelity which one true wife pays to one husband. Connected with [Ec 7:26], not an unqualified condemnation of the sex, as [Pr 12:4]; , &c., prove.

[¶13] 29. The "only" way of accounting for the scarcity of even comparatively upright men and women is that, whereas God made man upright, they (men) have, &c. The only account to be "found" of the origin of evil, the great mystery of theology, is that given in Holy Writ ([Ge 2:1-3:24]). Among man's "inventions" was the one especially referred to in [Ec 7:26], the bitter fruits of which Solomon experienced, the breaking of God's primeval marriage law, joining one man to "one" woman ([Mt 19:4], [5, 6]). "Man" is singular, namely, Adam; "they," plural, Adam, Eve, and their posterity.

### Chapter 8

[¶15] [Ec 8:1-17].

[¶16] 1. Praise of true wisdom continued ([Ec 7:11], &c.). "Who" is to be accounted "equal to the wise man? ... Who (like him) knoweth the interpretation" of God's providences (for example, [Ec 7:8], 13, 14), and God's word (for example, see on [Ec 7:29]; [Pr 1:6])?

[¶17] face to shine--([Ec 7:14]; [Ac 6:15]). A sunny countenance, the reflection of a tranquil conscience and serene mind. Communion with God gives it ([Ex 34:29], ).

[¶18] boldness--austerity.

[¶19] changed--into a benign expression by true wisdom (religion) ([Jas 3:17]). Maurer translates, "The shining (brightness) of his face is doubled," arguing that the Hebrew noun for "boldness" is never used in a bad sense ([Pr 4:18]). Or as Margin, "strength" ([Ec 7:19]; [Is 40:31]; [2Co 3:18]). But the adjective is used in a bad sense ([De 28:50]).

[¶20] 2. the king's--Jehovah, peculiarly the king of Israel in the theocracy; [Ec 8:3], , prove it is not the earthly king who is meant.

[¶21] the oath of God--the covenant which God made with Abraham and renewed with David; Solomon remembered [Psa 89:35], "I have sworn," &c. ([Psa 89:36]), and the penalties if David's children should forsake it ([Psa 89:30-32]); inflicted on Solomon himself; yet God not "utterly" forsaking him ([Psa 89:33], ).

[¶22] 3. hasty--rather, "Be not terror-struck so as to go out of His sight." Slavishly "terror-struck" is characteristic of the sinner's feeling toward God; he vainly tries to flee out of His sight ([Psa 139:7]); opposed to the "shining face" of filial confidence ([Ec 8:1]; [Joh 8:33-36]; [Ro 8:2]; [1Jo 4:18]).

[¶23] stand not--persist not.

[¶24] for he doeth--God inflicts what punishment He pleases on persisting sinners ([Job 23:13]; [Psa 115:3]). True of none save God.

[¶25] 4. God's very "word" is "power." So the gospel word ([Ro 1:16]; [He 4:12]).

[¶26] who may say, &c.--([Job 9:12]; ; [Is 45:9]; [Da 4:35]). Scripture does not ascribe such arbitrary power to earthly kings.

[¶27] 5. feel--experience.

[¶28] time--the neglect of the right "times" causes much of the sinful folly of the spiritually unwise ([Ec 3:1-11]).

[¶29] judgment--the right manner [Holden]. But as God's future "judgment" is connected with the "time for every purpose" in [Ec 3:17], so it is here. The punishment of persisting sinners ([Ec 8:3]) suggests it. The wise man realizes the fact, that as there is a fit "time" for every purpose, so for the "judgment." This thought cheers him in adversity ([Ec 7:14]; ).

[¶30] 6. therefore the misery, &c.--because the foolish sinner does not think of the right "times" and the "judgment."

[¶31] 7. he--the sinner, by neglecting times (for example, "the accepted time, and the day of salvation, [2Co 6:2]), is taken by surprise by the judgment ([Ec 3:22]; ; ). The godly wise observe the due times of things ([Ec 3:1]), and so, looking for the judgment, are not taken by surprise, though not knowing the precise "when" ([1Th 5:2-4]); they "know the time" to all saving purposes ([Ro 13:11]).

[¶32] 8. spirit--"breath of life" ([Ec 3:19]), as the words following require. Not "wind," as Weiss thinks ([Pr 30:4]). This verse naturally follows the subject of "times" and "judgment" ([Ec 8:6], ).

[¶33] discharge--alluding to the liability to military service of all above twenty years old ([Nu 1:3]), yet many were exempted ([De 20:5-8]). But in that war (death) there is no exemption.

[¶34] those ... given to--literally, the master of it. Wickedness can get money for the sinner, but cannot deliver him from the death, temporal and eternal, which is its penalty ([Is 28:15], ).

[¶35] 9. his own hurt--The tyrannical ruler "hurts" not merely his subjects, but himself; so Rehoboam ([1Ki 12:1-33]); but the "time" of "hurt" chiefly refers to eternal ruin, incurred by "wickedness," at "the day of death" ([Ec 8:8]), and the "time" of "judgment" ([Ec 8:6]; [Pr 8:36]).

[¶36] 10. the wicked--namely, rulers ([Ec 8:9]).

[¶37] buried--with funeral pomp by man, though little meriting it ([Jr 22:19]); but this only formed the more awful contrast to their death, temporal and eternal, inflicted by God ([Lu 16:22], ).

[¶38] come and gone from the place of the holy--went to and came from the place of judicature, where they sat as God's representatives ([Psa 82:1-6]), with pomp [Holden]. Weiss translates, "Buried and gone (utterly), even from the holy place they departed." As Joab, by Solomon's command, was sent to the grave from the "holy place" in the temple, which was not a sanctuary to murderers ([Ex 21:14]; [1Ki 2:28], 31). The use of the very word "bury" there makes this view likely; still "who had come and gone" may be retained. Joab came to the altar, but had to go from it; so the "wicked rulers" ([Ec 8:9]) (including high priests) came to, and went from, the temple, on occasions of solemn worship, but did not thereby escape their doom.

[¶39] forgotten--([Pr 10:7]).

[¶40] 11. The reason why the wicked persevere in sin: God's delay in judgment ([Mt 24:48-51]; [2Pe 3:8], ). "They see not the smoke of the pit, therefore they dread not the fire" [South], ([Psa 55:19]). Joab's escape from the punishment of his murder of Abner, so far from "leading him to repentance," as it ought ([Ro 2:4]), led him to the additional murder of Amasa.

[¶41] 12. He says this, lest the sinner should abuse the statement ([Ec 7:15]), "A wicked man prolongeth his life."

[¶42] before him--literally, "at His presence"; reverently serve Him, realizing His continual presence.

[¶43] 13. neither shall he prolong--not a contradiction to [Ec 8:12]. The "prolonging" of his days there is only seeming, not real. Taking into account his eternal existence, his present days, however seemingly long, are really short. God's delay ([Ec 8:11]) exists only in man's short-sighted view. It gives scope to the sinner to repent, or else to fill up his full measure of guilt; and so, in either case, tends to the final vindication of God's ways. It gives exercise to the faith, patience, and perseverance of saints.

[¶44] shadow--([Ec 6:12]; [Job 8:9]).