1 לַ/כֹּ֖לH3605 זְמָ֑ןH2165 וְ/עֵ֥תH6256 לְ/כָלH3605 ־ חֵ֖פֶץH2656 תַּ֥חַתH8478 הַ/שָּׁמָֽיִםH8064 ׃ ס
2 עֵ֥תH6256 לָ/לֶ֖דֶתH3205 וְ/עֵ֣תH6256 לָ/מ֑וּתH4191 עֵ֣תH6256 לָ/טַ֔עַתH5193 וְ/עֵ֖תH6256 לַ/עֲק֥וֹרH6131 נָטֽוּעַH5193 ׃
3 עֵ֤תH6256 לַ/הֲרוֹג֙H2026 וְ/עֵ֣תH6256 לִ/רְפּ֔וֹאH7495 עֵ֥תH6256 לִ/פְר֖וֹץH6555 וְ/עֵ֥תH6256 לִ/בְנֽוֹתH1129 ׃
4 עֵ֤תH6256 לִ/בְכּוֹת֙H1058 וְ/עֵ֣תH6256 לִ/שְׂח֔וֹקH7832 עֵ֥תH6256 סְפ֖וֹדH5594 וְ/עֵ֥תH6256 רְקֽוֹדH7540 ׃
5 עֵ֚תH6256 לְ/הַשְׁלִ֣יךְH7993 אֲבָנִ֔יםH68 וְ/עֵ֖תH6256 כְּנ֣וֹסH3664 אֲבָנִ֑יםH68 עֵ֣תH6256 לַ/חֲב֔וֹקH2263 וְ/עֵ֖תH6256 לִ/רְחֹ֥קH7368 מֵ/חַבֵּֽקH2263 ׃
6 עֵ֤תH6256 לְ/בַקֵּשׁ֙H1245 וְ/עֵ֣תH6256 לְ/אַבֵּ֔דH6 עֵ֥תH6256 לִ/שְׁמ֖וֹרH8104 וְ/עֵ֥תH6256 לְ/הַשְׁלִֽיךְH7993 ׃
7 עֵ֤תH6256 לִ/קְר֨וֹעַ֙H7167 וְ/עֵ֣תH6256 לִ/תְפּ֔וֹרH8609 עֵ֥תH6256 לַ/חֲשׁ֖וֹתH2814 וְ/עֵ֥תH6256 לְ/דַבֵּֽרH1696 ׃
8 עֵ֤תH6256 לֶֽ/אֱהֹב֙H157 וְ/עֵ֣תH6256 לִ/שְׂנֹ֔אH8130 עֵ֥תH6256 מִלְחָמָ֖הH4421 וְ/עֵ֥תH6256 שָׁלֽוֹםH7965 ׃ ס
9 מַהH4100 ־ יִּתְרוֹן֙H3504 הָֽ/עוֹשֶׂ֔הH6213 בַּ/אֲשֶׁ֖רH834 ה֥וּאH1931 עָמֵֽלH6001 ׃
10 רָאִ֣יתִיH7200 אֶתH853 ־ הָֽ/עִנְיָ֗ןH6045 אֲשֶׁ֨רH834 נָתַ֧ןH5414 אֱלֹהִ֛יםH430 לִ/בְנֵ֥יH1121 הָ/אָדָ֖םH120 לַ/עֲנ֥וֹתH6031 בּֽ/וֹ ׃
11 אֶתH853 ־ הַ/כֹּ֥לH3605 עָשָׂ֖הH6213 יָפֶ֣הH3303 בְ/עִתּ֑/וֹH6256 גַּ֤םH1571 אֶתH853 ־ הָ/עֹלָם֙H5769 נָתַ֣ןH5414 בְּ/לִבָּ֔/םH3820 מִ/בְּלִ֞יH1097 אֲשֶׁ֧רH834 לֹאH3808 ־ יִמְצָ֣אH4672 הָ/אָדָ֗םH120 אֶתH853 ־ הַֽ/מַּעֲשֶׂ֛הH4639 אֲשֶׁרH834 ־ עָשָׂ֥הH6213 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֖יםH430 מֵ/רֹ֥אשׁH7218 וְ/עַדH5704 ־ סֽוֹףH5490 ׃
12 יָדַ֕עְתִּיH3045 כִּ֛יH3588 אֵ֥יןH369 ט֖וֹבH2896 בָּ֑/ם כִּ֣יH3588 אִםH518 ־ לִ/שְׂמ֔וֹחַH8055 וְ/לַ/עֲשׂ֥וֹתH6213 ט֖וֹבH2896 בְּ/חַיָּֽי/וH2416 ׃
13 וְ/גַ֤םH1571 כָּלH3605 ־ הָ/אָדָם֙H120 שֶׁ/יֹּאכַ֣לH398 וְ/שָׁתָ֔הH8354 וְ/רָאָ֥הH7200 ט֖וֹבH2896 בְּ/כָלH3605 ־ עֲמָל֑/וֹH5999 מַתַּ֥תH4991 אֱלֹהִ֖יםH430 הִֽיאH1931 ׃
14 יָדַ֗עְתִּיH3045 כִּ֠יH3588 כָּלH3605 ־ אֲשֶׁ֨רH834 יַעֲשֶׂ֤הH6213 הָ/אֱלֹהִים֙H430 ה֚וּאH1931 יִהְיֶ֣הH1961 לְ/עוֹלָ֔םH5769 עָלָי/ו֙H5921 אֵ֣יןH369 לְ/הוֹסִ֔יףH3254 וּ/מִמֶּ֖/נּוּH4480 אֵ֣יןH369 לִ/גְרֹ֑עַH1639 וְ/הָ/אֱלֹהִ֣יםH430 עָשָׂ֔הH6213 שֶׁ/יִּֽרְא֖וּH3372 מִ/לְּ/פָנָֽי/וH6440 ׃
15 מַהH4100 ־ שֶּֽׁ/הָיָה֙H1961 כְּבָ֣רH3528 ה֔וּאH1931 וַ/אֲשֶׁ֥רH834 לִ/הְי֖וֹתH1961 כְּבָ֣רH3528 הָיָ֑הH1961 וְ/הָ/אֱלֹהִ֖יםH430 יְבַקֵּ֥שׁH1245 אֶתH853 ־ נִרְדָּֽףH7291 ׃
16 וְ/ע֥וֹדH5750 רָאִ֖יתִיH7200 תַּ֣חַתH8478 הַ/שָּׁ֑מֶשׁH8121 מְק֤וֹםH4725 הַ/מִּשְׁפָּט֙H4941 שָׁ֣מָּ/הH8033 הָ/רֶ֔שַׁעH7562 וּ/מְק֥וֹםH4725 הַ/צֶּ֖דֶקH6664 שָׁ֥מָּ/הH8033 הָ/רָֽשַׁעH7562 ׃
17 אָמַ֤רְתִּֽיH559 אֲנִי֙H589 בְּ/לִבִּ֔/יH3820 אֶתH853 ־ הַ/צַּדִּיק֙H6662 וְ/אֶתH853 ־ הָ֣/רָשָׁ֔עH7563 יִשְׁפֹּ֖טH8199 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֑יםH430 כִּיH3588 ־ עֵ֣תH6256 לְ/כָלH3605 ־ חֵ֔פֶץH2656 וְ/עַ֥לH5921 כָּלH3605 ־ הַֽ/מַּעֲשֶׂ֖הH4639 שָֽׁםH8033 ׃
18 אָמַ֤רְתִּֽיH559 אֲנִי֙H589 בְּ/לִבִּ֔/יH3820 עַלH5921 ־ דִּבְרַת֙H1700 בְּנֵ֣יH1121 הָ/אָדָ֔םH120 לְ/בָרָ֖/םH1305 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֑יםH430 וְ/לִ/רְא֕וֹתH7200 שְׁ/הֶםH1992 ־ בְּהֵמָ֥הH929 הֵ֖מָּהH1992 לָ/הֶֽם ׃
19 כִּי֩H3588 מִקְרֶ֨הH4745 בְֽנֵיH1121 ־ הָ/אָדָ֜םH120 וּ/מִקְרֶ֣הH4745 הַ/בְּהֵמָ֗הH929 וּ/מִקְרֶ֤הH4745 אֶחָד֙H259 לָ/הֶ֔ם כְּ/מ֥וֹתH4194 זֶה֙H2088 כֵּ֣ןH3651 מ֣וֹתH4194 זֶ֔הH2088 וְ/ר֥וּחַH7307 אֶחָ֖דH259 לַ/כֹּ֑לH3605 וּ/מוֹתַ֨רH4195 הָ/אָדָ֤םH120 מִןH4480 ־ הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙H929 אָ֔יִןH369 כִּ֥יH3588 הַ/כֹּ֖לH3605 הָֽבֶלH1892 ׃
20 הַ/כֹּ֥לH3605 הוֹלֵ֖ךְH1980 אֶלH413 ־ מָק֣וֹםH4725 אֶחָ֑דH259 הַ/כֹּל֙H3605 הָיָ֣הH1961 מִןH4480 ־ הֶֽ/עָפָ֔רH6083 וְ/הַ/כֹּ֖לH3605 שָׁ֥בH7725 אֶלH413 ־ הֶ/עָפָֽרH6083 ׃
21 מִ֣יH4310 יוֹדֵ֗עַH3045 ר֚וּחַH7307 בְּנֵ֣יH1121 הָ/אָדָ֔םH120 הָ/עֹלָ֥הH5927 הִ֖יאH1931 לְ/מָ֑עְלָ/הH4605 וְ/ר֨וּחַ֙H7307 הַ/בְּהֵמָ֔הH929 הַ/יֹּרֶ֥דֶתH3381 הִ֖יאH1931 לְ/מַ֥טָּהH4295 לָ/אָֽרֶץH776 ׃
22 וְ/רָאִ֗יתִיH7200 כִּ֣יH3588 אֵ֥יןH369 טוֹב֙H2896 מֵ/אֲשֶׁ֨רH834 יִשְׂמַ֤חH8055 הָ/אָדָם֙H120 בְּֽ/מַעֲשָׂ֔י/וH4639 כִּיH3588 ־ ה֖וּאH1931 חֶלְק֑/וֹH2506 כִּ֣יH3588 מִ֤יH4310 יְבִיאֶ֨/נּוּ֙H935 לִ/רְא֔וֹתH7200 בְּ/מֶ֖הH4100 שֶׁ/יִּהְיֶ֥הH1961 אַחֲרָֽי/וH310 ׃
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Ecc. 3:1-22)
Man has his appointed cycle of seasons and vicissitudes, as the sun, wind, and water (
Eccl 1:5-
Eccl 1:7).
purpose--as there is a fixed "season" in God's "purposes" (for example, He has fixed the "time" when man is "to be born," and "to die,"
Eccl 3:2), so there is a lawful "time" for man to carry out his "purposes" and inclinations. God does not condemn, but approves of, the use of earthly blessings (
Eccl 3:12); it is the abuse that He condemns, the making them the chief end (
1Cor 7:31). The earth, without human desires, love, taste, joy, sorrow, would be a dreary waste, without water; but, on the other hand, the misplacing and excess of them, as of a flood, need control. Reason and revelation are given to control them.
2 time to die-- (
Ps 31:15;
Heb 9:27).
plant--A man can no more reverse the times and order of "planting," and of "digging up," and transplanting, than he can alter the times fixed for his "birth" and "death." To try to "plant" out of season is vanity, however good in season; so to make earthly things the chief end is vanity, however good they be in order and season. GILL takes it, not so well, figuratively (
Jer 18:7,
Jer 18:9;
Amos 9:15;
Matt 15:13).
3 time to kill--namely, judicially, criminals; or, in wars of self-defense; not in malice. Out of this time and order, killing is murder.
to heal--God has His times for "healing" (literally,
Isa 38:5,
Isa 38:21; figuratively,
Deut 32:39;
Hos 6:1; spiritually,
Ps 147:3;
Isa 57:19). To heal spiritually, before the sinner feels his wound, would be "out of time," and so injurious.
time to break down--cities, as Jerusalem, by Nebuchadnezzar.
build up--as Jerusalem, in the time of Zerubbabel; spiritually (
Amos 9:11), "the set time" (
Ps 102:13-
Ps 102:16).
4 mourn--namely, for the dead (
Gen 23:2).
dance--as David before the ark (
2Sam 6:12-14;
Ps 30:11); spiritually (
Matt 9:15;
Luke 6:21;
Luke 15:25). The Pharisees, by requiring sadness out of time, erred seriously.
5 cast away stones--as out of a garden or vineyard (
Isa 5:2).
gather--for building; figuratively, the Gentiles, once castaway stones, were in due time made parts of the spiritual building (
Eph 2:19-
Eph 2:20), and children of Abraham (
Matt 3:9); so the restored Jews hereafter (
Ps 102:13-
Ps 102:14;
Zech 9:16).
refrain . . . embracing-- (
Joel 2:16;
1Cor 7:5-6).
6 time to get--for example, to gain honestly a livelihood (
Eph 4:23).
lose--When God wills losses to us, then is our time to be content.
keep--not to give to the idle beggar (
2Thess 3:10).
cast away--in charity (
Pro 11:24); or to part with the dearest object, rather than the soul (
Mark 9:43). To be careful is right in its place, but not when it comes between us and Jesus Christ (
Luke 10:40-
Luke 10:42).
7 rend--garments, in mourning (
Joel 2:13); figuratively, nations, as Israel from Judah, already foretold, in Solomon's time (
1Kgs 11:30-31), to be "sewed" together hereafter (
Ezek 37:15,
Ezek 37:22).
silence-- (
Amos 5:13), in a national calamity, or that of a friend (
Job 2:13); also not to murmur under God's visitation (
Lev 10:3;
Ps 39:1-
Ps 39:2,
Ps 39:9).
8 hate--for example, sin, lusts (
Luke 14:26); that is, to love God so much more as to seem in comparison to hate "father or mother," when coming between us and God.
a time of war . . . peace-- (
Luke 14:31).
9 But these earthly pursuits, while lawful in their season, are "unprofitable" when made by man, what God never intended them to be, the chief good. Solomon had tried to create an artificial forced joy, at times when he ought rather to have been serious; the result, therefore, of his labor to be happy, out of God's order, was disappointment. "A time to plant" (
Eccl 3:2) refers to his planting (
Eccl 2:5); "laugh" (
Eccl 3:4), to
Eccl 2:1-
Eccl 2:2; "his mirth," "laughter"; "build up," "gather stones" (
Eccl 3:3,
Eccl 3:5), to his "building" (
Eccl 2:4); "embrace," "love," to his "princess" (see on
Eccl 2:8); "get" (perhaps also "gather,"
Eccl 3:5-
Eccl 3:6), to his "gathering" (
Eccl 2:8). All these were of "no profit," because not in God's time and order of bestowing happiness.
10 (See on
Eccl 1:13).
11 his time--that is, in its proper season (
Ps 1:3), opposed to worldlings putting earthly pursuits out of their proper time and place (see on
Eccl 3:9).
set the world in their heart--given them capacities to understand the world of nature as reflecting God's wisdom in its beautiful order and times (
Rom 1:19-
Rom 1:20). "Everything" answers to "world," in the parallelism.
so that--that is, but in such a manner that man only sees a portion, not the whole "from beginning to end" (
Eccl 8:17;
Job 26:14;
Rom 11:33;
Rev 15:4). PARKHURST, for "world," translates: "Yet He hath put obscurity in the midst of them," literally, "a secret," so man's mental dimness of sight as to the full mystery of God's works. So HOLDEN and WEISS. This incapacity for "finding out" (comprehending) God's work is chiefly the fruit of the fall. The worldling ever since, not knowing God's time and order, labors in vain, because out of time and place.
12 in them--in God's works (
Eccl 3:11), as far as relates to man's duty. Man cannot fully comprehend them, but he ought joyfully to receive ("rejoice in") God's gifts, and "do good" with them to himself and to others. This is never out of season (
Gal 6:9-
Gal 6:10). Not sensual joy and self-indulgence (
Phil 4:4;
Jas 4:16-
Jas 4:17).
13 Literally, "And also as to every man who eats . . . this is the gift of God" (
Eccl 3:22;
Eccl 5:18). When received as God's gifts, and to God's glory, the good things of life are enjoyed in their due time and order (
Acts 2:46;
1Cor 10:31;
1Tim 4:3-4).
14 (
1Sam 3:12;
2Sam 23:5;
Ps 89:34;
Matt 24:35;
Jas 1:17).
for ever--as opposed to man's perishing labors (
Eccl 2:15-
Eccl 2:18).
any thing taken from it--opposed to man's "crooked and wanting" works (
Eccl 1:15;
Eccl 7:13). The event of man's labors depends wholly on God's immutable purpose. Man's part, therefore, is to do and enjoy every earthly thing in its proper season (
Eccl 3:12-
Eccl 3:13), not setting aside God's order, but observing deep reverence towards God; for the mysteriousness and unchangeableness of God's purposes are designed to lead "man to fear before Him." Man knows not the event of each act: otherwise he would think himself independent of God.
15 Resumption of
Eccl 1:9. Whatever changes there be, the succession of events is ordered by God's "everlasting" laws (
Eccl 3:14), and returns in a fixed cycle.
requireth that . . . past--After many changes, God's law requires the return of the same cycle of events, as in the past, literally, "that which is driven on." The Septuagint and Syriac translate: "God requireth (that is, avengeth) the persecuted man"; a transition to
Eccl 3:16-
Eccl 3:17. The parallel clauses of the verse support English Version.
16 Here a difficulty is suggested. If God "requires" events to move in their perpetual cycle, why are the wicked allowed to deal unrighteously in the place where injustice ought least of all to be; namely, "the place of judgment" (
Jer 12:1)?
17 Solution of it. There is a coming judgment in which God will vindicate His righteous ways. The sinner's "time" of his unrighteous "work" is short. God also has His "time" and "work" of judgment; and, meanwhile, is overruling, for good at last, what seems now dark. Man cannot now "find out" the plan of God's ways (
Eccl 3:11;
Ps 97:2). If judgment instantly followed every sin, there would be no scope for free will, faith, and perseverance of saints in spite of difficulties. The previous darkness will make the light at last the more glorious.
there-- (
Job 3:17-
Job 3:19) in eternity, in the presence of the Divine Judge, opposed to the "there," in the human place of judgment (
Eccl 3:16): so "from thence" (
Gen 49:24).
18 estate--The estate of fallen man is so ordered (these wrongs are permitted), that God might "manifest," that is, thereby prove them, and that they might themselves see their mortal frailty, like that of the beasts.
sons of men--rather, "sons of Adam," a phrase used for "fallen men." The toleration of injustice until the judgment is designed to "manifest" men's characters in their fallen state, to see whether the oppressed will bear themselves aright amidst their wrongs, knowing that the time is short, and there is a coming judgment. The oppressed share in death, but the comparison to "beasts" applies especially to the ungodly oppressors (
Ps 49:12,
Ps 49:20). They too need to be "manifested" ("proved"), whether, considering that they must soon die as the "beasts," and fearing the judgment to come, they will repent (
Dan 4:27).
19 Literally, "For the sons of men (Adam) are a mere chance, as also the beast is a mere chance." These words can only be the sentiments of the skeptical oppressors. God's delay in judgment gives scope for the "manifestation" of their infidelity (
Eccl 8:11;
Ps 55:19;
2Pet 3:3,4). They are "brute beasts," morally (
Eccl 3:18;
Jude 1:10); and they end by maintaining that man, physically, has no pre-eminence over the beast, both alike being "fortuities." Probably this was the language of Solomon himself in his apostasy. He answers it in
Eccl 3:21. If
Eccl 3:19-
Eccl 3:20 be his words, they express only that as regards liability to death, excluding the future judgment, as the skeptic oppressors do, man is on a level with the beast. Life is "vanity," if regarded independently of religion. But
Eccl 3:21 points out the vast difference between them in respect to the future destiny; also (
Eccl 3:17) beasts have no "judgment" to come.
breath--vitality.
21 Who knoweth--Not doubt of the destination of man's spirit (
Eccl 12:7); but "how few, by reason of the outward mortality to which man is as liable as the beast and which is the ground of the skeptic's argument, comprehend the wide difference between man and the beast" (
Isa 53:1). The Hebrew expresses the difference strongly, "The spirit of man that ascends, it belongeth to on high; but the spirit of the beast that descends, it belongeth to below, even to the earth." Their destinations and proper element differ utterly [WEISS].
22 (Compare
Eccl 3:12;
Eccl 5:18). Inculcating a thankful enjoyment of God's gifts, and a cheerful discharge of man's duties, founded on fear of God; not as the sensualist (
Eccl 11:9); not as the anxious money-seeker (
Eccl 2:23;
Eccl 5:10-
Eccl 5:17).
his portion--in the present life. If it were made his main portion, it would be "vanity" (
Eccl 2:1;
Luke 16:25).
for who, &c.--Our ignorance as to the future, which is God's "time" (
Eccl 3:11), should lead us to use the present time in the best sense and leave the future to His infinite wisdom (
Matt 6:20,
Matt 6:25,
Matt 6:31-
Matt 6:34).