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Selected Verse: Ecclesiates 2:3 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ec 2:3	Strong Concordance	I sought [08446] in mine heart [03820] to give [04900] myself [01320] unto wine [03196], yet acquainting [05090] mine heart [03820] with wisdom [02451]; and to lay hold [0270] on folly [05531], till I might see [07200] what was that good [02896] for the sons [01121] of men [0120], which they should do [06213] under the heaven [08064] all [04557] the days [03117] of their life [02416].
	King James	I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

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]
Illustration more at large of Ecc 2:1-2. I sought--I resolved, after search into many plans. give myself unto wine--literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Rom 6:16, Rom 6:19; Co1 12:2); or, one "allured" (Pe2 2:18-19). yet acquainting . . . wisdom--literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [GESENIUS]. MAURER translates: "was weary of (worldly) wisdom." But the end of Ecc 2:9 confirms English Version. folly--namely, pleasures of the flesh, termed "mad," Ecc 2:2. all the days, &c.--(See Margin and Ecc 6:12; Job 15:20).

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

Illustration more at large of Ecc 2:1-2.

I sought--I resolved, after search into many plans.

give myself unto wine--literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Rom 6:16, Rom 6:19; Co1 12:2); or, one "allured" (Pe2 2:18-19).

yet acquainting . . . wisdom--literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [GESENIUS]. MAURER translates: "was weary of (worldly) wisdom." But the end of Ecc 2:9 confirms English Version.

folly--namely, pleasures of the flesh, termed "mad," Ecc 2:2.

all the days, &c.--(See Margin and Ecc 6:12; Job 15:20).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
I sought ... - Rather, I resolved (literally "I turned in my heart") to draw my flesh with wine (see the margin), my heart guiding me with wisdom. In the course of his attempt to answer the question of Ecc 1:3, while his heart was directing him (as a charioteer directs his horses or a shepherd his sheep) with wisdom, and while he was following that guidance, he determined to draw with him his flesh by wine, thus making his flesh, which he speaks of as distinct from himself (compare Rom 7:25), a confederate and subsidiary in his attempt.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
"I searched in my heart, (henceforth) to nourish my body with wine, while my heart had the direction by means of wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the children of men that they should do, all the number of the days of their life." After he became conscious that unbridled sensual intoxication does not lead to the wished-for end, he looked around him farther, and examined into the following reception for happiness. Inappropriately, Zckl., with Hengst.: "I essayed in my heart to nourish ...." תּוּר does not mean probare, but explorare, to spy out, Num 10:33, and frequently in the Book of Koheleth (here and at Ecc 1:13; Ecc 7:25) of mental searching and discovery (Targ. אלּל). With למשׁוך there then follows the new thing that is contrived. If we read משׁך and נהג in connection, then the idea of drawing a carriage, Isa 5:18, cf. Deu 21:3, and of driving a carriage, Sa2 6:3, lies near; according to which Hitzig explains: "Wine is compared to a draught beast such as a horse, and he places wisdom as the driver on the box, that his horse may not throw him into a ditch or a morass." But moshēk is not the wine, but the person himself who makes the trial; and nohēg is not the wisdom, but the heart, - the former thus only the means of guidance; no man expresses himself thus: I draw the carriage by means of a horse, and I guide it by means of a driv. Rightly the Syr.: "To delight (למבסמן, from בּסּם, oblectare) my flesh with wine." Thus also the Targ. and the Venet., by "drawing the flesh." The metaphor does not accord with the Germ. ziehen = to nourish by caring for (for which רבּה is used); it is more natural, with Gesen., to compare the passing of trahere into tractare, e.g., in the expression se benignius tractare (Horace, Ep. 1:17); but apart from the fact that trahere is a word of doubtful etymology, (Note: Vid., Crossen's Nachtr. zur lat. Formenlehre, pp. 107-109.) tractare perhaps attains the meaning of attending to, using, managing, through the intermediate idea of moving hither and thither, which is foreign to the Heb. משׁך, which means only to draw, - to draw to oneself, and hold fast (attractum sive prehensum tenere). As the Talm. משׁך occurs in the sense of "to refresh," e.g., Chagiga 14a: "The Haggadists (in contradistinction to the Halachists) refresh the heart of a man as with water"; so here, "to draw the flesh" = to bring it into willing obedience by means of pleasant attractions. (Note: Grtz translates: to embrocate my body with wine, and remarks that in this lies a raffinement. But why does he not rather say, "to bathe in wine"? If משׁח can mean "to embrocate," it may also mean "to bathe," and for ביין may be read ביוני: in Grecian, i.e., Falernian, Chian, wine.) The phrase which follows: velibbi nohēg bahhochmāh, is conditioning: While my heart had the direction by means of wisdom; or, perhaps in accordance with the more modern usus loq. While my heart guided, demeaned, behaved itself with wisdom. Then the inf. limshok, depending on tarti as its obj., is carried forward with velěěhhoz besichluth. Plainly the subject treated of is an intermediate thing (Bardach: ממצּעת). He wished to have enjoyment, but in measure, without losing himself in enjoyment, and thereby destroying himself. He wished to give himself over to sweet desipere, but yet with wise self-possession (because it is sadly true that ubi mel ibi fel) to lick the honey and avoid the gall. There are drinkers who know how to guide themselves so that they do not end in drunken madness; and there are habitual pleasure-seekers who yet know how so far to control themselves, that they do not at length become rous. Koheleth thus gave himself to a foolish life, yet tempered by wisdom, till there dawned upon him a better light upon the way to true happiness. The expression of the donec viderem is old Heb. Instead of אי־זה טוב, quidnam sit bonum in indirect interrog. (as Ecc 11:6, cf. Jer 6:16), the old form מה־טוב (Heb 6:12) would lie at least nearer. Asher yǎǎsu may be rendered: quod faciant or ut faciant; after Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:22; Ecc 5:4; Ecc 7:18, the latter is to be assumed. The accus. designation of time, "through the number of days of their life," is like Ecc 5:17; Ecc 6:12. We have not, indeed, to translate with Knobel: "the few days of their life," but yet there certainly lies in מספּר the idea that the days of man's life are numbered, and that thus even if they are not few but many (Ecc 6:3), they do not endure for ev. The king now, in the verse following, relates his undertakings for the purpose of gaining the joys of life in fellowship with wisdom, and first, how he made architecture and gardening serviceable to this new style of life.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

"I searched in my heart, (henceforth) to nourish my body with wine, while my heart had the direction by means of wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the children of men that they should do, all the number of the days of their life." After he became conscious that unbridled sensual intoxication does not lead to the wished-for end, he looked around him farther, and examined into the following reception for happiness. Inappropriately, Zckl., with Hengst.: "I essayed in my heart to nourish ...." תּוּר does not mean probare, but explorare, to spy out, Num 10:33, and frequently in the Book of Koheleth (here and at Ecc 1:13; Ecc 7:25) of mental searching and discovery (Targ. אלּל). With למשׁוך there then follows the new thing that is contrived. If we read משׁך and נהג in connection, then the idea of drawing a carriage, Isa 5:18, cf. Deu 21:3, and of driving a carriage, Sa2 6:3, lies near; according to which Hitzig explains: "Wine is compared to a draught beast such as a horse, and he places wisdom as the driver on the box, that his horse may not throw him into a ditch or a morass." But moshēk is not the wine, but the person himself who makes the trial; and nohēg is not the wisdom, but the heart, - the former thus only the means of guidance; no man expresses himself thus: I draw the carriage by means of a horse, and I guide it by means of a driv. Rightly the Syr.: "To delight (למבסמן, from בּסּם, oblectare) my flesh with wine." Thus also the Targ. and the Venet., by "drawing the flesh." The metaphor does not accord with the Germ. ziehen = to nourish by caring for (for which רבּה is used); it is more natural, with Gesen., to compare the passing of trahere into tractare, e.g., in the expression se benignius tractare (Horace, Ep. 1:17); but apart from the fact that trahere is a word of doubtful etymology,

(Note: Vid., Crossen's Nachtr. zur lat. Formenlehre, pp. 107-109.)

tractare perhaps attains the meaning of attending to, using, managing, through the intermediate idea of moving hither and thither, which is foreign to the Heb. משׁך, which means only to draw, - to draw to oneself, and hold fast (attractum sive prehensum tenere). As the Talm. משׁך occurs in the sense of "to refresh," e.g., Chagiga 14a: "The Haggadists (in contradistinction to the Halachists) refresh the heart of a man as with water"; so here, "to draw the flesh" = to bring it into willing obedience by means of pleasant attractions.

(Note: Grtz translates: to embrocate my body with wine, and remarks that in this lies a raffinement. But why does he not rather say, "to bathe in wine"? If משׁח can mean "to embrocate," it may also mean "to bathe," and for ביין may be read ביוני: in Grecian, i.e., Falernian, Chian, wine.)

The phrase which follows: velibbi nohēg bahhochmāh, is conditioning: While my heart had the direction by means of wisdom; or, perhaps in accordance with the more modern usus loq. While my heart guided, demeaned, behaved itself with wisdom. Then the inf. limshok, depending on tarti as its obj., is carried forward with velěěhhoz besichluth. Plainly the subject treated of is an intermediate thing (Bardach: ממצּעת). He wished to have enjoyment, but in measure, without losing himself in enjoyment, and thereby destroying himself. He wished to give himself over to sweet desipere, but yet with wise self-possession (because it is sadly true that ubi mel ibi fel) to lick the honey and avoid the gall. There are drinkers who know how to guide themselves so that they do not end in drunken madness; and there are habitual pleasure-seekers who yet know how so far to control themselves, that they do not at length become rous. Koheleth thus gave himself to a foolish life, yet tempered by wisdom, till there dawned upon him a better light upon the way to true happiness.

The expression of the donec viderem is old Heb. Instead of אי־זה טוב, quidnam sit bonum in indirect interrog. (as Ecc 11:6, cf. Jer 6:16), the old form מה־טוב (Heb 6:12) would lie at least nearer. Asher yǎǎsu may be rendered: quod faciant or ut faciant; after Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:22; Ecc 5:4; Ecc 7:18, the latter is to be assumed. The accus. designation of time, "through the number of days of their life," is like Ecc 5:17; Ecc 6:12. We have not, indeed, to translate with Knobel: "the few days of their life," but yet there certainly lies in מספּר the idea that the days of man's life are numbered, and that thus even if they are not few but many (Ecc 6:3), they do not endure for ev.

The king now, in the verse following, relates his undertakings for the purpose of gaining the joys of life in fellowship with wisdom, and first, how he made architecture and gardening serviceable to this new style of life.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
To wine - To gratify myself with delicious meats and drinks. Yet - Yet resolving to use my wisdom, that I might try whether I could not arrive at satisfaction, by mixing wine and wisdom together. To lay hold - To pursue sensual pleasures, which was my folly. 'Till - 'Till I might find out the true way to contentment and satisfaction, during this mortal life.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
To give myself unto wine, (yet acquainting [נהג noheg, "guiding"] mine heart with wisdom) - I did not run into extremes, as when I gave up myself to mirth and pleasure. There, I threw off all restraint; here, I took the middle course, to see whether a moderate enjoyment of the things of the world might not produce that happiness which I supposed man was created to enjoy here below.

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²⁰ The wicked [07563] man travaileth [02342] with pain all his days [03117], and the number [04557] of years [08141] is hidden [06845] to the oppressor [06184].

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]?

² I said [0559] of laughter [07814], It is mad [01984]: and of mirth [08057], What [02090] doeth [06213] it?

⁹ So I was great [01431], and increased [03254] more than all that were before [06440] me in Jerusalem [03389]: also my wisdom [02451] remained [05975] with me.

¹⁸ For [1063] when they speak [5350] great swelling [5246] words of vanity [3153], they allure [1185] through [1722] the lusts [1939] of the flesh [4561], through much wantonness [766], those that were clean [3689] escaped [668] from them who live [390] in [1722] error [4106].
¹⁹ While they promise [1861] them [846] liberty [1657], they themselves [846] are [5225] the servants [1401] of corruption [5356]: for [1063] of whom [3739] a man [5100] is overcome [2274], [2532] of the same [5129] is he brought in bondage [1402].

² Ye know [1492] that [3754] ye were [2258] Gentiles [1484], carried away [520] unto [4314] these dumb [880] idols [1497], even as [5613] [302] ye were led [71].

¹⁹ I speak [3004] after the manner of men [442] because [1223] of the infirmity [769] of your [5216] flesh [4561]: for [1063] as [5618] ye have yielded [3936] your [5216] members [3196] servants [1401] to uncleanness [167] and [2532] to iniquity [458] unto [1519] iniquity [458]; even so [3779] now [3568] yield [3936] your [5216] members [3196] servants [1401] to righteousness [1343] unto [1519] holiness [38].

¹⁶ Know ye [1492] not [3756], that [3754] to whom [3739] ye yield [3936] yourselves [1438] servants [1401] to [1519] obey [5218], his servants [1401] ye are [2075] to whom [3739] ye obey [5219]; whether [2273] of sin [266] unto [1519] death [2288], or [2228] of obedience [5218] unto [1519] righteousness [1343]?

¹ I said [0559] in mine heart [03820], Go to now [03212], I will prove [05254] thee with mirth [08057], therefore enjoy [07200] pleasure [02896]: and, behold, this also is vanity [01892].
² I said [0559] of laughter [07814], It is mad [01984]: and of mirth [08057], What [02090] doeth [06213] it?

²⁵ I thank [2168] God [2316] through [1223] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547] our [2257] Lord [2962]. So then [686] [3767] with the mind [3563] I [1473] myself [846] serve [3303] [1398] the law [3551] of God [2316]; but [1161] with the flesh [4561] the law [3551] of sin [266].

³ What profit [03504] hath a man [0120] of all his labour [05999] which he taketh [05998] under the sun [08121]?

³ If a man [0376] beget [03205] an hundred [03967] children, and live [02421] many [07227] years [08141], so that the days [03117] of his years [08141] be many [07227], and his soul [05315] be not filled [07646] with good [02896], and also that he have no burial [06900]; I say [0559], that an untimely birth [05309] is better [02896] than he.

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].

¹⁸ It is good [02896] that thou shouldest take hold [0270] of this; yea, also from this [02088] withdraw [03240] not thine hand [03027]: for he that feareth [03373] God [0430] shall come forth [03318] of them all.

⁴ When thou vowest [05087] a vow [05088] unto God [0430], defer [0309] not to pay [07999] it; for he hath no pleasure [02656] in fools [03684]: pay [07999] that which thou hast vowed [05087].

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?

²⁴ 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].

¹² That [3363] ye be [1096] not [3363] slothful [3576], but [1161] followers [3402] of them who through [1223] faith [4102] and [2532] patience [3115] inherit [2816] the promises [1860].

¹⁶ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Stand [05975] ye in the ways [01870], and see [07200], and ask [07592] for the old [05769] paths [05410], where is the good [02896] way [01870], and walk [03212] therein, and ye shall find [04672] rest [04771] for your souls [05315]. But they said [0559], We will not walk [03212] therein.

⁶ In the morning [01242] sow [02232] thy seed [02233], and in the evening [06153] withhold [03240] not thine hand [03027]: for thou knowest [03045] not whether [0335] shall prosper [03787], either this or that, or whether they both [08147] shall be alike [0259] good [02896].

³ And they set [07392] the ark [0727] of God [0430] upon a new [02319] cart [05699], and brought [05375] it out of the house [01004] of Abinadab [041] that was in Gibeah [01390]: and Uzzah [05798] and Ahio [0283], the sons [01121] of Abinadab [041], drave [05090] the new [02319] cart [05699].

³ And it shall be, that the city [05892] which is next [07138] unto the slain man [02491], even the elders [02205] of that city [05892] shall take [03947] an heifer [01241] [05697], which hath not been wrought with [05647], and which hath not drawn [04900] in the yoke [05923];

¹⁸ Woe [01945] unto them that draw [04900] iniquity [05771] with cords [02256] of vanity [07723], and sin [02403] as it were with a cart [05699] rope [05688]:

²⁵ I applied [05437] mine heart [03820] to know [03045], and to search [08446], and to seek out [01245] wisdom [02451], and the reason [02808] of things, and to know [03045] the wickedness [07562] of folly [03689], even of foolishness [05531] and madness [01947]:

¹³ And I gave [05414] my heart [03820] to seek [01875] and search out [08446] by wisdom [02451] concerning all things that are done [06213] under heaven [08064]: this sore [07451] travail [06045] hath God [0430] given [05414] to the sons [01121] of man [0120] to be exercised [06031] therewith.

³³ And they departed [05265] from the mount [02022] of the LORD [03068] three [07969] days [03117]' journey [01870]: and the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of the LORD [03068] went [05265] before [06440] them in the three [07969] days [03117]' journey [01870], to search out [08446] a resting place [04496] for them.