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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 2:26 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ec 2:26 |
Strong Concordance |
For God giveth [05414] to a man [0120] that is good [02896] in his sight [06440] wisdom [02451], and knowledge [01847], and joy [08057]: but to the sinner [02398] he giveth [05414] travail [06045], to gather [0622] and to heap up [03664], that he may give [05414] to him that is good [02896] before [06440] God [0430]. This also is vanity [01892] and vexation [07469] of spirit [07307]. |
| |
King James |
For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
True, literally, in the Jewish theocracy; and in some measure in all ages (Job 27:16-17; Pro 13:22; Pro 28:8). Though the retribution be not so visible and immediate now as then, it is no less real. Happiness even here is more truly the portion of the godly (Psa 84:11; Mat 5:5; Mar 10:29-30; Rom 8:28; Ti1 4:8).
that he--the sinner
may give--that is, unconsciously and in spite of himself. The godly Solomon had satisfaction in his riches and wisdom, when God gave them (Ch2 1:11-12). The backsliding Solomon had no happiness when he sought it in them apart from God; and the riches which he heaped up became the prey of Shishak (Ch2 12:9).
Earthly pursuits are no doubt lawful in their proper time and order (Ecc 3:1-8), but unprofitable when out of time and place; as for instance, when pursued as the solid and chief good (Ecc 3:9-10); whereas God makes everything beautiful in its season, which man obscurely comprehends (Ecc 3:11). God allows man to enjoy moderately and virtuously His earthly gifts (Ecc 3:12-13). What consoles us amidst the instability of earthly blessings is, God's counsels are immutable (Ecc 3:14). |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
"For to a man who appears to Him as good, He gave wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gave the work of gathering and heaping up, in order to give it to him who appears to Him as good: this also is vain, and grasping after the wind;" viz., this striving after enjoyment in and of the labour - it is "vain," for the purpose and the issue lie far apart; and "striving after the wind," because that which is striven for, when one thinks that he has it, only too often cannot be grasped, but vanishes into nothing. If we refer this sentence to a collecting and heaping up (Hengst., Grtz, and others), then the author would here come back to what has already been said, and that too in the foregoing section; the reference also to the arbitrary distribution of the good things of life on the part of God (Knobel) is inadmissible, because "this, although it might be called הבל, could not also be called רוח רעות" (Hitz.); and perfectly inadmissible the reference to the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, and joy (Bullock), for referred to these the sentence gains a meaning only by introducing all kinds of things into the text which here lie out of the connection.
Besides, what is here said has indeed a deterministic character, and לפניו, especially if it is thought of in connection with ולח,
(Note: Written with segol under ט in P, Biblia Rabb., and elsewhere. Thus correctly after the Masora, according to which this form of the word has throughout the book segol under ,ט with the single exception of Ecc 7:26. Cf. Michol 124b, 140b.)
sounds as if to the good and the bad their objective worth and distinction should be adjudicated; but this is not the meaning of the author; the unreasonable thought that good or bad is what God's arbitrary ordinance and judgment stamp it to be, is wholly foreign to him. The "good before Him" is he who appears as good before God, and thus pleases Him, because he is truly good; and the חוטא, placed in contrast, as at Ecc 7:26, is the sinner, not merely such before God, but really such; here לפניו has a different signification than when joined with טוב: one who sins in the sight of God, i.e., without regarding Him (Luk 15:18, ἐνώπιον), serves sin. Regarding ענין, vid., under 23a: it denotes a business, negotium; but here such as one fatigues himself with, quod negotium facessit. Among the three charismata, joy stands last, because it is the turning-point of the series of thoughts: joy connected with wise, intelligent activity, is, like wisdom and intelligence themselves, a gift of God. The obj. of לתת (that He may give it) is the store gathered together by the sinner; the thought is the same as that at Pro 13:22; Pro 28:8; Job 27:16. The perfect we have so translated, for that which is constantly repeating itself is here designated by the general expression of a thing thus once for all ordained, and thus always continued. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Wisdom - To direct him how to use his comforts aright; that so they may be blessings, and not curses to him. Joy - A thankful contented mind. To heap up - He giveth him up to insatiable desires, and wearisome labours, that he may leave it to others, yea to such as he least desired, to good and virtuous men. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
For who can eat - more than I? - But instead of חוץ ממני chuts mimmenni, more than I; חוץ ממנו chuts mimmennu, without Him, is the reading of eight of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., as also of the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic.
"For who maye eat, drynke, or bring enythinge to pass without him?"
- Coverdale.
I believe this to be the true reading. No one can have a true relish of the comforts of life without the Divine blessing. This reading connects all the sentences: "This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God; - for who can eat, and who can relish without Him? For God giveth to man that is good." It is through his liberality that we have any thing to eat or drink; and it is only through his blessing that we can derive good from the use of what we possess.
Giveth - wisdom, and knowledge, and joy -
1. God gives wisdom - the knowledge of himself, light to direct in the way of salvation.
2. Knowledge - understanding to discern the operation of his hand; experimental acquaintance with himself, in the dispensing of his grace and the gifts of his Spirit.
3. Joy; a hundred days of ease for one day of pain; one thousand enjoyments for one privation; and to them that believe, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
But to the sinner he giveth travail - He has a life of labor, disappointment, and distress; for because he is an enemy to God, he travails in pain all his days; and, as the wise man says elsewhere, the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just. So he loseth earthly good, because he would not take a heavenly portion with it. |
14 I know [03045] that, whatsoever God [0430] doeth [06213], it shall be for ever [05769]: nothing [0369] can be put [03254] to it, nor any thing taken [01639] from it: and God [0430] doeth [06213] it, that men should fear [03372] before [06440] 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].
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].
11 He hath made [06213] every thing beautiful [03303] in his time [06256]: also he hath set [05414] the world [05769] in their heart [03820], so that [01097] no man [0120] can find out [04672] the work [04639] that God [0430] maketh [06213] from the beginning [07218] to the end [05490].
9 What profit [03504] hath he that worketh [06213] in that wherein [0834] he laboureth [06001]?
10 I have seen [07200] the travail [06045], which God [0430] hath given [05414] to the sons [01121] of men [0120] to be exercised [06031] in it.
1 To every thing there is a season [02165], and a time [06256] to every purpose [02656] under the heaven [08064]:
2 A time [06256] to be born [03205], and a time [06256] to die [04191]; a time [06256] to plant [05193], and a time [06256] to pluck up [06131] that which is planted [05193];
3 A time [06256] to kill [02026], and a time [06256] to heal [07495]; a time [06256] to break down [06555], and a time [06256] to build up [01129];
4 A time [06256] to weep [01058], and a time [06256] to laugh [07832]; a time [06256] to mourn [05594], and a time [06256] to dance [07540];
5 A time [06256] to cast away [07993] stones [068], and a time [06256] to gather [03664] stones [068] together [03664]; a time [06256] to embrace [02263], and a time [06256] to refrain [07368] from embracing [02263];
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];
7 A time [06256] to rend [07167], and a time [06256] to sew [08609]; a time [06256] to keep silence [02814], and a time [06256] to speak [01696];
8 A time [06256] to love [0157], and a time [06256] to hate [08130]; a time [06256] of war [04421], and a time [06256] of peace [07965].
9 So Shishak [07895] king [04428] of Egypt [04714] came up [05927] against Jerusalem [03389], and took away [03947] the treasures [0214] of the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], and the treasures [0214] of the king's [04428] house [01004]; he took [03947] all: he carried away [03947] also the shields [04043] of gold [02091] which Solomon [08010] had made [06213].
11 And God [0430] said [0559] to Solomon [08010], Because this was in thine heart [03824], and thou hast not asked [07592] riches [06239], wealth [05233], or honour [03519], nor the life [05315] of thine enemies [08130], neither yet hast asked [07592] long [07227] life [03117]; but hast asked [07592] wisdom [02451] and knowledge [04093] for thyself, that thou mayest judge [08199] my people [05971], over whom I have made thee king [04427]:
12 Wisdom [02451] and knowledge [04093] is granted [05414] unto thee; and I will give [05414] thee riches [06239], and wealth [05233], and honour [03519], such as none of the kings [04428] have had that have been before [06440] thee, neither shall there any after [0310] thee have the like.
8 For [1063] bodily [4984] exercise [1129] profiteth [2076] little [4314] [3641]: but [1161] godliness [2150] is [2076] profitable unto [4314] all things [3956], having [2192] promise [1860] of the life [2222] that now is [3568], and [2532] of that which is to come [3195].
28 And [1161] we know [1492] that all things [3956] work together [4903] for [1519] good [18] to them that [3754] love [25] God [2316], to them who are [5607] the called [2822] according [2596] to his purpose [4286].
29 And [1161] Jesus [2424] answered [611] and said [2036], Verily [281] I say [3004] unto you [5213], There is [2076] no man [3762] that [3739] hath left [863] house [3614], or [2228] brethren [80], or [2228] sisters [79], or [2228] father [3962], or [2228] mother [3384], or [2228] wife [1135], or [2228] children [5043], or [2228] lands [68], for my [1700] sake [1752], and [2532] the gospel's [2098],
30 But [3362] he shall receive [2983] an hundredfold [1542] now [3568] in [1722] this [5129] time [2540], houses [3614], and [2532] brethren [80], and [2532] sisters [79], and [2532] mothers [3384], and [2532] children [5043], and [2532] lands [68], with [3326] persecutions [1375]; and [2532] in [1722] the world [165] to come [2064] eternal [166] life [2222].
5 Blessed [3107] are the meek [4239]: for [3754] they [846] shall inherit [2816] the earth [1093].
11 For the LORD [03068] God [0430] is a sun [08121] and shield [04043]: the LORD [03068] will give [05414] grace [02580] and glory [03519]: no good [02896] thing will he withhold [04513] from them that walk [01980] uprightly [08549].
8 He that by usury [05392] and unjust gain [08636] increaseth [07235] his substance [01952], he shall gather [06908] it for him that will pity [02603] the poor [01800].
22 A good [02896] man leaveth an inheritance [05157] to his children's [01121] children [01121]: and the wealth [02428] of the sinner [02398] is laid up [06845] for the just [06662].
16 Though he heap up [06651] silver [03701] as the dust [06083], and prepare [03559] raiment [04403] as the clay [02563];
17 He may prepare [03559] it, but the just [06662] shall put it on [03847], and the innocent [05355] shall divide [02505] the silver [03701].
16 Though he heap up [06651] silver [03701] as the dust [06083], and prepare [03559] raiment [04403] as the clay [02563];
8 He that by usury [05392] and unjust gain [08636] increaseth [07235] his substance [01952], he shall gather [06908] it for him that will pity [02603] the poor [01800].
22 A good [02896] man leaveth an inheritance [05157] to his children's [01121] children [01121]: and the wealth [02428] of the sinner [02398] is laid up [06845] for the just [06662].
18 I will arise [450] and go [4198] to [4314] my [3450] father [3962], and [2532] will say [2046] unto him [846], Father [3962], I have sinned [264] against [1519] heaven [3772], and [2532] before [1799] thee [4675],
26 And I find [04672] more bitter [04751] than death [04194] the woman [0802], whose heart [03820] is snares [04685] and nets [02764], and her hands [03027] as bands [0612]: whoso pleaseth [02896] [06440] God [0430] shall escape [04422] from her; but the sinner [02398] shall be taken [03920] by her.
26 And I find [04672] more bitter [04751] than death [04194] the woman [0802], whose heart [03820] is snares [04685] and nets [02764], and her hands [03027] as bands [0612]: whoso pleaseth [02896] [06440] God [0430] shall escape [04422] from her; but the sinner [02398] shall be taken [03920] by her.