Ecclesiastes 4:1. What Does Ecclesiastes 4:12 Mean? Then he extols the virtues of having a partner. 4:9-12 Surely he has more satisfaction in life, who labours hard to maintain those he loves, than the miser has in his toil. Please watch: "The ONE Thing Every Christian Should Be Doing But Most Are NOT!" Again I considered all travail, and every right Browse Sermons on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Browse Sermons on Ecclesiastes 4:12. Oppressed - See the introduction to Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes 10:4 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Ecclesiastes 10:4, NIV: "If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest." No comforter.—If Solomon were the writer, one asks, What was the king about? And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. It may be rendered, "out of the hand of their oppressors comes power", or violence; such as the oppressed are not able to withstand; so the Arabic version; but they had no comforter: which is repeated, not so much for confirmation, as to excite attention and pity, and to express the affliction of the oppressed, and the cruelty of others; and this following on the other clause, leads to observe, that the power of the oppressor is what hinders and deters others from comforting. (1) The comfortless oppression of man under the sun. The people never contented, but rejoicing in changes, Ecclesiastes 4:15,16. This is also vanity and b vexation of spirit. Be Happy. contemptibly of him and his work, and traduce him among men. itself, nor with any good design, only from a spirit of emulation This verse talks about strength in numbers with two or more people together being stronger (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12).. So, avoid envy and avoid laziness. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. and behold the tears of such as were oppressed; which their eyes poured out, and which ran down their cheeks, and were all they could do, having no power to help themselves: it is in the singular number, "and behold the tear" (y); as if it was one continued stream of tears, which, like a torrent, flowed from them; or as if they had so exhausted the source of nature by weeping, that the fountain of tears was dried up, and scarce another could drop; or it was as much as could be, that another should drop from them: and this the wise man could not well behold, without weeping himself; it being the property of a good man to weep with them that weep, especially with good men oppressed; and they had no comforter; to speak a comfortable word to them; not so much as to do that which would be some alleviation of their sorrow, much less to help them, no human comforter; and this is a very deplorable condition, Lamentations 1:2; indeed, when this is the case, good men under their oppressions have a divine Comforter; God comforts them under all their tribulations; one of the names of the Messiah is "the Consolation of Israel", Luke 2:25; and the Spirit of God is "another Comforter", John 14:16; and such are well off, when all other comforters are miserable ones, or other men have none; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; to crush them and keep them under, or to hinder others from helping or comforting them: or there was no "power to deliver them out of the hand of their oppressors" (z); so some render and supply the words; with which sense agrees the Targum, "and there is none to redeem them out of the hand of their oppressors, by strength of hand and by power.''. Of envy, sloth, quarrel, Ecclesiastes 4:4-6. Bible Answer: The commands of God are found in the Old and New Testaments. (y) "lachryma", Montanus, Tigurine version, Cocceius, Rambachius. Jarchi interprets this whole verse of the damned in hell, punished for their evil works, weeping for their souls oppressed by the destroying angels; and so, he says, it is, explained in an ancient book of theirs, called Siphri. who will be sure to find fault with what he has done, speak If God is in the center of one’s worldview, the pursuits of life can be put in their proper place, not offering meaning for life, but offering enjoyment. Of covetousness and selfishness, Ecclesiastes 4:7,8. Could he do nothing but express helpless despair? But instead thereof, so it is, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour; And as you’re avoiding envy and laziness – be happy with a tranquil and quiet life … Ecclesiastes 4:9 'Two are Better Than One' is part of a larger expository study on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 which shows what Solomon meant by 'the two are better … Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (God-Centred Marriage) GOD-CENTRED MARRIAGE (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12): “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work (the investment they put into their relationship): (1) If one falls down, his friend can help him up. 5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. The fool eats his own flesh – or is pictured as doing so – because there’s nothing to eat due to all of his laziness. Abbreviations: Eccles., Eccl. Though nothing can offer fulfillment, one need not adopt a pessimistic, cynical, or fatalistic view toward life. right principle, from love to God, in faith, and with a view to Ecclesiastes 4:4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. They include general commands that … California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The first pair of people in biblical history came about through the need for companionship. 6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. It is sure to have its revenge. The book contains philosophical speeches by a character called '(the) Qoheleth' (="the Teacher"), composed probably between 5th to 2nd century BCE. This [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit. It’s like chasing the wind. Hope for the believer is in the resurrection to eternal life in Jesus. Ecclesiastes 4:4. Ecclesiastes is a phonetic transliteration of the Greek word Ἐκκλησιαστής (Ekklesiastes), which in the Septuagint translates the Hebrew name of its stated author, Kohelet (קֹהֶלֶת). to writing books, for the improvement of those things, and the upon a man, and he endures, for the sake of the good he excels Suffering, Hard Work and No Friends. 5 The … This literary device makes comparisons by using the term “better.” He first uses “better” in verse 3, then again in verse 6, and finally in verse 9 … 3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. And they had no comforter — None afforded them either pity or succour. WORD AND PHRASE STUDY. of The book of Ecclesiastes has long been my… Ecclesiastes 11:4. This shows the uncertainty! The advantage of society and friendship, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Ecclesiastes 4 – Bittersweet Accomplishments A. ECCLESIASTES 4:9 “Two are better than one” KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) TRANSLATION, MEANING, CONTEXT. So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun. They assist each other by encouragement, or friendly reproof. in; but actively, of the spirit of emulation with which he does I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. to outdo his neighbour: so the Targum paraphrases it. Beheld the tears of such as were oppressed, On the side of their oppressors there was power, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Title. is also true of moral works; which are right, when done from a Some apply themselves, good of mankind: and others employ themselves in mechanic arts, here and in Ecclesiastes 2:21 by ἀνδρέα , virtus. So they were utterly unable to deliver themselves, and, as it follows, none else could or would do it. work Now, we move on to chapter 11 for our Ecclesiastes 11 Commentary. Do not procrastinate—plunge in! Derived from כשר , "rectus fuit," it is used partly of "skill, ability in action," and partly of the "fortunate results "thereof. 4. Find Top Church Sermons, Illustrations, and Preaching Slides on Ecclesiastes 4:12. (1) Having dwelt on the instability of human happiness, the Preacher now turns to contemplate the actual misery of which the world is full. So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of. Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! They had no comforter; which is repeated as an argument both of the great inhumanity of men towards others in calamity, and of the extreme misery of oppressed persons. case of Cain and Abel, ( 1 John 3:12 ) ; though Ecclesiastes 4:4. Several commentators fancy that they find here a reference to the wife: but inappropriately. What is the meaning of Ecclesiastes 4:16? Ecclesiastes 4:4 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Ecclesiastes 4:4, NIV: "And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another.This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." There are many of them. (x) "oppressos", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Drusius, Schmidt, Rambachius, so Broughton; "fraudatos", Cocceius. the glory of God; and which when done, and ever so well done, Ecclesiastes 3:11 Or also placed ignorance in the human heart, so that; Ecclesiastes 3:15 Or God calls back the past; Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or spirit The word כשרין , which occurs only in Koheleth, is rendered by the LXX. is better than two handfuls with hard work. ... As Solomon reflected on the choices in his search for the meaning in life, his conclusions help us to focus on what is beneficial, to prioritise wisely and not to crave the passing pleasures this world has to offer. Only in Koheleth, is rendered by the LXX Getty Images unless otherwise indicated sun: and look!! 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