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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 2:24 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ec 2:24	Strong Concordance	There is nothing better [02896] for a man [0120], than that he should eat [0398] and drink [08354], and that he should make his soul [05315] enjoy [07200] good [02896] in his labour [05999]. This [02090] also I saw [07200], that it was from the hand [03027] of God [0430].
	King James	There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
English Version gives a seemingly Epicurean sense, contrary to the general scope. The Hebrew, literally is, "It is not good for man that he should eat," &c., "and should make his soul see good" (or "show his soul, that is, himself, happy"), &c. [WEISS]. According to HOLDEN and WEISS, Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:22 differ from this verse in the text and meaning; here he means, "It is not good that a man should feast himself, and falsely make as though his soul were happy"; he thus refers to a false pretending of happiness acquired by and for one's self; in Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:22; Ecc 5:18-19, to real seeing, or finding pleasure when God gives it. There it is said to be good for a man to enjoy with satisfaction and thankfulness the blessings which God gives; here it is said not to be good to take an unreal pleasure to one's self by feasting, &c. This also I saw--I perceived by experience that good (real pleasure) is not to be taken at will, but comes only from the hand of God [WEISS] (Psa 4:6; Isa 57:19-21). Or as HOLDEN, "It is the appointment from the hand of God, that the sensualist has no solid satisfaction" (good).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

English Version gives a seemingly Epicurean sense, contrary to the general scope. The Hebrew, literally is, "It is not good for man that he should eat," &c., "and should make his soul see good" (or "show his soul, that is, himself, happy"), &c. [WEISS]. According to HOLDEN and WEISS, Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:22 differ from this verse in the text and meaning; here he means, "It is not good that a man should feast himself, and falsely make as though his soul were happy"; he thus refers to a false pretending of happiness acquired by and for one's self; in Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:22; Ecc 5:18-19, to real seeing, or finding pleasure when God gives it. There it is said to be good for a man to enjoy with satisfaction and thankfulness the blessings which God gives; here it is said not to be good to take an unreal pleasure to one's self by feasting, &c.

This also I saw--I perceived by experience that good (real pleasure) is not to be taken at will, but comes only from the hand of God [WEISS] (Psa 4:6; Isa 57:19-21). Or as HOLDEN, "It is the appointment from the hand of God, that the sensualist has no solid satisfaction" (good).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
"There is nothing better among men, than that one eat and drink, and that he should pamper his soul by his labour: this also have I seen, that it is in the hand of God." The lxx, as well as the other Greek transl., and Jerome, had before them the words באדם שיאכל. The former translates: "Man has not the good which he shall eat and drink," i.e., also this that he eats ... is for him no true good; but the direct contrary of this is what Koheleth says. Jerome seeks to bring the thought which the text presents into the right track, by using the form of a question: nonne melius est comedere ...; against this Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:22; Ecc 8:15, are not to be cited where טוב אין stands in the dependent sentence; the thought is not thus to be improved; its form is not this, for טוב rof ,siht, beginning a sentence, is never interrog., but affirm.; thus טוב אין is not = הלא טוב, but is a negative statement. It is above all doubt, that instead of שׁיּ בּאדם we must read בּאדם משּׁיּ, after Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:22; Ecc 8:15; for, as at Job 33:17, the initial letter mem after the terminal mem has dropped out. Codd. of the lxx have accordingly corrected ὃ into πλὴν ὃ or εἰ μὴ ὃ (thus the Compl. Ald.), and the Syr. and Targ. render ש here by אלא דּ and אלהן דּ unless that he eat; Jerome also has non est bonum homini nisi quod in his Comm.; only the Venet. seeks to accommodate itself to the traditional text. Besides, only מ is to be inserted, not אם כי; for the phrase לאכל אם כי is used, but not כי אם ס. Instead of ba-a-da-m, the form la-a-da-m would be more agreeable, as at Ecc 6:12; Ecc 8:15. Hitzig remarks, without proof, that bāādām is in accordance with later grammatical forms, which admit ב = "for" before the object. ב, Ecc 10:17, is neither prep. of the object, nor is ἐν, Sir. 3:7, the exponent of the dative (vid., Grimm). bāādām signifies, as at Sa2 23:3, and as ἐν ἀνθ, Sir. 11:14, inter homines; also Ecc 3:12 designates by טוב טוב what among them (men) has to be regarded as good. It is interesting to see how here the ancient and the modern forms of the language run together, without the former wholly passing over into the latter; משׁי, quam ut edat, is followed by norm. perfects, in accordance with that comprehensive peculiarity of the old syntax which Ewald, by an excellent figure, calls the dissolution of that which is coloured into grey. טוב ... הד is equivalent to לו הי, Psa 49:19, the causative rendering of the phrase טוב ראה, Ecc 3:13, or ר טובה, Ecc 5:17; Ecc 6:6. It is well to attend to בּעמלו by his labour, which forms an essential component part of that which is approved of as good. Not a useless sluggard-life, but a life which connects together enjoyment and labour, is that which Koheleth thinks the best in the world. But this enjoyment, lightening, embellishing, seasoning labour, has also its But: etiam hoc vidi e manu Dei esse (pendere). The order of the words harmonizes with this Lat.; it follows the scheme referred to at Gen 1:4; cf. on the contrary, Ecc 3:6. Instead of גּם־זה, neut. by attraction, there is here the immediately neut. גּם־זה; the book uniformly makes use of this fem. form instead of זאת. This or that is "in the hand of God," i.e., it is His gift, Ecc 3:13, Ecc 3:18, and it is thus conditioned by Him, since man cannot give it to himself; cf. minni, Isa 30:1; mimmenni, Hos 8:4; mimmennu, Kg1 20:33. This dependence of the enjoyment of life on God is established.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Enjoy - That he should thankfully take, and freely and chearfully enjoy the comforts which God gives him. It was - A singular gift of God.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
There is nothing better for a man - The sense of this passage is well expressed in the following lines: - "For these disorders wouldst thou find a cure, Such cure as human frailty would admit? Drive from thee anxious cares; let reason curb Thy passions; and with cheerful heart enjoy That little which the world affords; for here, Though vain the hopes of perfect happiness, Yet still the road of life, rugged at best, Is not without its comforts - Wouldst thou their sweetness taste, look up to heaven, And praise the all-bounteous Donor, who bestows The power to use aright."

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¹⁹ I create [01254] the fruit [05108] of the lips [08193]; Peace [07965], peace [07965] to him that is far off [07350], and to him that is near [07138], saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; and I will heal [07495] him.
²⁰ But the wicked [07563] are like the troubled [01644] sea [03220], when it cannot [03201] rest [08252], whose waters [04325] cast up [01644] mire [07516] and dirt [02916].
²¹ There is no peace [07965], saith [0559] my God [0430], to the wicked [07563].

⁶ There be many [07227] that say [0559], Who will shew [07200] us any good [02896]? LORD [03068], lift thou up [05375] the light [0216] of thy countenance [06440] upon us.

¹⁸ Behold that which I have seen [07200]: it is good [02896] and comely [03303] for one to eat [0398] and to drink [08354], and to enjoy [07200] the good [02896] of all his labour [05999] that he taketh [05998] under the sun [08121] all [04557] the days [03117] of his life [02416], which God [0430] giveth [05414] him: for it is his portion [02506].
¹⁹ Every man [0120] also to whom God [0430] hath given [05414] riches [06239] and wealth [05233], and hath given him power [07980] to eat [0398] thereof, and to take [05375] his portion [02506], and to rejoice [08055] in his labour [05999]; this [02090] is the gift [04991] of God [0430].

²² Wherefore I perceive [07200] that there is nothing better [02896], than that a man [0120] should rejoice [08055] in his own works [04639]; for that is his portion [02506]: for who shall bring [0935] him to see [07200] what shall be after [0310] him?

¹² I know [03045] that there is no good [02896] in them, but for a man to rejoice [08055], and to do [06213] good [02896] in his life [02416].

³³ Now the men [0582] did diligently observe [05172] whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily [04116] catch [02480] it: and they said [0559], Thy brother [0251] Benhadad [01130]. Then he said [0559], Go [0935] ye, bring [03947] him. Then Benhadad [01130] came forth [03318] to him; and he caused him to come up [05927] into the chariot [04818].

⁴ They have set up kings [04427], but not by me: they have made princes [07786], and I knew [03045] it not: of their silver [03701] and their gold [02091] have they made [06213] them idols [06091], that they may be cut off [03772].

¹ Woe [01945] to the rebellious [05637] children [01121], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], that take [06213] counsel [06098], but not of me; and that cover [05258] with a covering [04541], but not of my spirit [07307], that they may add [05595] sin [02403] to sin [02403]:

¹⁸ I said [0559] in mine heart [03820] concerning the estate [01700] of the sons [01121] of men [0120], that God [0430] might manifest [01305] them, and that they might see [07200] that they [01992] themselves are beasts [0929].

¹³ And also that every man [0120] should eat [0398] and drink [08354], and enjoy [07200] the good [02896] of all his labour [05999], it is the gift [04991] of God [0430].

⁶ A time [06256] to get [01245], and a time [06256] to lose [06]; a time [06256] to keep [08104], and a time [06256] to cast away [07993];

⁴ And God [0430] saw [07200] [0853] the light [0216], that [03588] it was good [02896]: and God [0430] divided [0914] [0996] the light [0216] from [0996] the darkness [02822].

⁶ Yea, though [0432] he live [02421] a thousand [0505] years [08141] twice [06471] told, yet hath he seen [07200] no good [02896]: do not all go [01980] to one [0259] place [04725]?

¹⁷ All his days [03117] also he eateth [0398] in darkness [02822], and he hath much [07235] sorrow [03707] and wrath [07110] with his sickness [02483].

¹³ And also that every man [0120] should eat [0398] and drink [08354], and enjoy [07200] the good [02896] of all his labour [05999], it is the gift [04991] of God [0430].

¹⁹ He shall go [0935] to the generation [01755] of his fathers [01]; they shall never [03808] [05331] see [07200] light [0216].

¹² I know [03045] that there is no good [02896] in them, but for a man to rejoice [08055], and to do [06213] good [02896] in his life [02416].

³ The God [0430] of Israel [03478] said [0559], the Rock [06697] of Israel [03478] spake [01696] to me, He that ruleth [04910] over men [0120] must be just [06662], ruling [04910] in the fear [03374] of God [0430].

¹⁷ Blessed [0835] art thou, O land [0776], when thy king [04428] is the son [01121] of nobles [02715], and thy princes [08269] eat [0398] in due season [06256], for strength [01369], and not for drunkenness [08358]!

¹⁵ Then I commended [07623] mirth [08057], because a man [0120] hath no better thing [02896] under the sun [08121], than to eat [0398], and to drink [08354], and to be merry [08055]: for that shall abide [03867] with him of his labour [05999] the days [03117] of his life [02416], which God [0430] giveth [05414] him under the sun [08121].

¹² For who knoweth [03045] what is good [02896] for man [0120] in this life [02416], all [04557] the days [03117] of his vain [01892] life [02416] which he spendeth [06213] as a shadow [06738]? for who can tell [05046] a man [0120] what shall be after [0310] him under the sun [08121]?

¹⁷ That he may withdraw [05493] man [0120] from his purpose [04639], and hide [03680] pride [01466] from man [01397].

¹² I know [03045] that there is no good [02896] in them, but for a man to rejoice [08055], and to do [06213] good [02896] in his life [02416].