the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Bishop's Bible
Ecclesiastes 1:12
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I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, Kohelet, was king over Yisra'el in Yerushalayim.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I said these things when I lived in Jerusalem as king of Israel.
I, Kohelet, have been king over Isra'el in Yerushalayim.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Philosopher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I myself ye Preacher, beynge kynge of Israel & Ierusale,
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I Koheleth have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher was king ouer Israel in Ierusalem.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I Ecclesiastes was king of Israel in Jerusalem;
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem,
I, the Proclaimer, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem.
I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Call me "the Quester." I've been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I looked most carefully into everything, searched out all that is done on this earth. And let me tell you, there's not much to write home about. God hasn't made it easy for us. I've seen it all and it's nothing but smoke—smoke, and spitting into the wind.
I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Ecclesiastes 1:1, 1 Kings 4:1-19
Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 17:7 - he sent 2 Chronicles 34:30 - he read Ecclesiastes 12:10 - Preacher 1 Timothy 2:7 - a preacher
Cross-References
And God called the drie lande ye earth, and the gatheryng together of waters called he the seas: and God sawe that it was good.
And God sayde: let the earth bryng foorth [both] budde and hearbe apt to seede, and fruitfull trees yeeldyng fruite after his kynde, which hath seede in it selfe vpon the earth: and it was so.
And God sayde: let the earth bryng foorth lyuyng creature after his kynde, cattell, worme, and beastes of the earth after his kynde: and it was so.
God saide: let vs make man in our image, after our lykenesse, and let them haue rule of the fisshe of the sea, & of the foule of the ayre, and of cattell, & of all the earth, and of euery creepyng thyng that creepeth vpon the earth.
For like as the ground bringeth foorth her fruite, and as the garden shooteth foorth seede: so shall the Lorde God cause righteousnesse and prayse to floorishe foorth before all the heathen.
For the earth bringeth foorth fruite of her selfe, first the blade, then the eare, after that, the full corne in the eare.
For euery tree is knowen by his fruite: for of thornes do not me gather fygges, nor of busshes, gather they grapes.
He that ministreth seede vnto ye sower, ministreth bread also for foode, and multiplieth your seede, and encreaseth the fruites of your ryghteousnesse:
Be not deceaued, God is not mocked: For whatsoeuer a man soweth, that shall he also reape.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. Solomon having given a general proof of the vanity of all things here below, and of the insufficiency of them to make men happy, proceeds to particular instances, and begins with human wisdom and knowledge, which of all things might be thought to be most conducive to true happiness; and yet it falls short of it: he instances in himself for proof of it; and he could not have pitched on anyone more proper and pertinent to the purpose, who had all the advantages of obtaining wisdom, was assiduous in his pursuit of it, and made a proficiency in it above all mankind; wherefore he must be owned to be a proper judge, and whatever is concluded by him may be taken for granted as certain; and this is the sum of the following verses to the end of the chapter. Now let it be observed, that he was a "preacher", not a private person, and must have a good share of knowledge to qualify him for teaching and instructing others; and, more than this, he was a king, and did not want money to purchase books, and procure masters to instruct him in all the branches of literature; and when he entered upon the more profound study of wisdom, and especially when he said this, it was not in his infancy or childhood, or before he came to the throne, but after; even after he had asked, wisdom of God to govern, and it had been given him; yea, after he had been a long time king, as he now was; though the Jewish writers, as the Targum, Jarchi, and others, conclude from hence that he was not now a king, but become a private person, deposed or driven from his throne, which does not appear: moreover, he was king of Israel, not over a barbarous people, where darkness and ignorance reigned, but over a "wise and understanding people", as they are called Deuteronomy 4:6; and he was king over them in Jerusalem too, the metropolis of the nation; there he had his royal palace, where were not only the temple, the place of divine worship, but a college of prophets, and a multitude of priests, and an abundance of wise and knowing men, whom he had opportunity of conversing with frequently; to which may be added, his large correspondence abroad; persons from all kings and kingdoms came to hear his wisdom, as the queen of Sheba; and by putting questions to him, and so exercising his talents, not a little contributed to the improvement of them. Now a person so qualified must be a judge of wisdom, and what he says deserves attention; and it may be observed, that what he says, as follows, is "in verbo regis et sacerdotis", on the word of a king and preacher, who would never risk his honour, or forfeit his character, by saying an untruth.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Solomon relates his personal experience Ecclesiastes 2:0; the result of which was “no profit,” and a conviction that all, even God’s gifts of earthly good to good men, in this life are subject to vanity. His trial of God’s first gift, wisdom, is recounted in Ecclesiastes 1:12-18.
Was - This tense does not imply that Solomon had ceased to be king when the word was written. See the introduction to Ecclesiastes. He begins with the time of his accession to the throne, when the gifts of wisdom and riches were especially promised to him 1 Kings 3:12-13.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Ecclesiastes 1:12. I the Preacher was king — This is a strange verse, and does not admit of an easy solution. It is literally, "I, Choheleth, have been king over Israel, in Jerusalem." This book, as we have already seen, has been conjectured by some to have been written about the time that Ptolemy Philadelphus formed his great library at Alexandria, about two hundred and eighty-five years before our Lard; and from the multitude of Jews that dwelt there, and resorted to that city for the sake of commerce, it was said there was an Israel in Alexandria. See the introduction. Ecclesiastes 1:1.
It has also been conjectured from this, that if the book were written by Solomon, it was intended to be a posthumous publication. "I that was king, still continue to preach and instruct you." Those who suppose the book to have been written after Solomon's fall, think that he speaks thus through humility. "I was once worthy of the name of king: but I fell into all evil; and, though recovered, I am no longer worthy of the name." I am afraid this is not solid.
