Bible Commentaries
Ecclesiastes 4

Introduction

Overview

Ecclesiastes 4:1, Vanity is increased unto men by oppression; Ecclesiastes 4:4, by envy; Ecclesiastes 4:5, by idleness; Ecclesiastes 4:7, by covetousness; Ecclesiastes 4:9, by solitariness; Ecclesiastes 4:13, by wilfulness.

Verse 1

I returned: Job 6:29, Malachi 3:18

and considered: Ecclesiastes 3:16, Ecclesiastes 5:8, Ecclesiastes 7:7, Exodus 1:13, Exodus 1:14, Exodus 1:16, Exodus 1:22, Exodus 2:23, Exodus 2:24, Exodus 5:16-19, Deuteronomy 28:33, Deuteronomy 28:48, Judges 4:3, Judges 10:7, Judges 10:8, Nehemiah 5:1-5, Job 24:7-12, Psalms 10:9, Psalms 10:10, Proverbs 28:3, Proverbs 28:15, Proverbs 28:16, Isaiah 5:7, Isaiah 51:23, Isaiah 59:7, Isaiah 59:13-15, Malachi 3:5

the tears: Psalms 42:3, Psalms 42:9, Psalms 80:5, Psalms 102:8, Psalms 102:9, Malachi 2:13, James 5:4

they had: Job 16:4, Job 19:21, Job 19:22, Psalms 69:20, Psalms 142:4, Proverbs 19:7, Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Matthew 26:56, 2 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 4:17

side: Heb. hand

Reciprocal: Exodus 3:9 - and I have Exodus 5:19 - evil case 1 Kings 21:7 - Dost thou now 1 Kings 21:13 - they carried him Job 20:19 - Because Job 24:12 - groan Psalms 12:5 - oppression Psalms 72:12 - him Proverbs 24:30 - went Proverbs 30:14 - to devour Ecclesiastes 1:8 - man Ecclesiastes 4:7 - General Ecclesiastes 6:11 - General Ecclesiastes 9:11 - returned Ecclesiastes 10:5 - as an Isaiah 51:19 - by whom Amos 4:1 - which oppress Habakkuk 1:3 - General Revelation 14:13 - Blessed

Verse 2

Ecclesiastes 2:17, Ecclesiastes 9:4-6, Job 3:17-21

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 7:1 - the day Jeremiah 22:10 - Weep ye Revelation 14:13 - Blessed

Verse 3

better: Ecclesiastes 6:3-5, Job 3:10-16, Job 10:18, Job 10:19, Jeremiah 20:17, Jeremiah 20:18, Matthew 24:19, Luke 23:29

who: Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:17, Psalms 55:6-11, Jeremiah 9:2, Jeremiah 9:3

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 1:3 - under Ecclesiastes 2:18 - I hated

Verse 4

every: etc. Heb. all the rightness of work, that this is the envy of man from his neighbour, Genesis 4:4-8, Genesis 37:2-11, 1 Samuel 18:8, 1 Samuel 18:9, 1 Samuel 18:14-16, 1 Samuel 18:29, 1 Samuel 18:30, Proverbs 27:4, Matthew 27:18, Acts 7:9, James 4:5, 1 John 3:12

This is: Ecclesiastes 4:16, Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:21, Ecclesiastes 2:26, Ecclesiastes 6:9, Ecclesiastes 6:11, Genesis 37:4, Genesis 37:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 26:14 - envied Genesis 30:1 - Rachel envied Genesis 31:1 - Jacob Exodus 1:9 - the people Judges 8:1 - the men Judges 12:1 - Wherefore 1 Samuel 17:28 - Eliab's anger Nehemiah 6:2 - Come Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General Ecclesiastes 1:13 - this sore Ecclesiastes 4:5 - eateth Ecclesiastes 5:10 - this Ecclesiastes 6:2 - vanity Ecclesiastes 8:14 - a vanity Ecclesiastes 9:11 - returned Ecclesiastes 12:8 - General Jeremiah 2:13 - broken cisterns Ezekiel 31:9 - envied Daniel 3:12 - certain Daniel 6:4 - sought Matthew 26:8 - they Mark 14:4 - there Mark 15:10 - for envy John 3:26 - he that John 10:32 - for John 12:4 - one Acts 5:17 - indignation Acts 13:45 - they

Verse 5

fool: Proverbs 6:10, Proverbs 6:11, Proverbs 12:27, Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 20:4, Proverbs 24:33, Proverbs 24:34

eateth: That is, with envy - see Ecclesiastes 4:4, though too idle to follow his neighbour's example. Job 13:14, Proverbs 11:17, Isaiah 9:20

Reciprocal: Ephesians 5:29 - hated

Verse 6

Psalms 37:16, Proverbs 15:16, Proverbs 15:17, Proverbs 16:8, Proverbs 17:1

Reciprocal: Proverbs 15:6 - in the revenues Ecclesiastes 2:22 - and of the Luke 12:15 - for 1 Thessalonians 4:11 - that 2 Thessalonians 3:12 - that with

Verse 7

Ecclesiastes 4:1, Psalms 78:33, Zechariah 1:6

Reciprocal: Psalms 39:6 - surely Ecclesiastes 1:3 - under Ecclesiastes 8:9 - this Ecclesiastes 10:5 - an evil

Verse 8

one: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Genesis 2:18, Isaiah 56:3-5

he hath: Genesis 15:2, Genesis 15:3

no: Isaiah 5:8

is his: Ecclesiastes 1:8, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Proverbs 27:20, Habakkuk 2:5-9, 1 John 2:16

For: Psalms 39:6, Isaiah 44:19, Isaiah 44:20, Luke 12:20

it is: Ecclesiastes 1:13, Ecclesiastes 2:23, Isaiah 55:2, Matthew 11:28

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:9 - have enough Exodus 20:17 - thy neighbour's house Psalms 127:2 - vain Proverbs 2:4 - searchest Proverbs 4:7 - with Proverbs 11:17 - but Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General Ecclesiastes 2:22 - and of the Ecclesiastes 5:13 - a sore Ecclesiastes 6:2 - vanity Ecclesiastes 6:11 - General Ecclesiastes 8:9 - this Ecclesiastes 8:14 - a vanity Ecclesiastes 8:16 - there is that Ecclesiastes 11:8 - All that Daniel 11:4 - and shall be Matthew 13:22 - the deceitfulness Mark 4:19 - the deceitfulness James 4:2 - lust

Verse 9

are: Genesis 2:18, Exodus 4:14-16, Numbers 11:14, Proverbs 27:17, Haggai 1:14, Mark 6:7, Acts 13:2, Acts 15:39, Acts 15:40, 1 Corinthians 12:18-21

a good: Ruth 2:12, John 4:36, 2 John 1:8

Reciprocal: Exodus 4:27 - Go into Exodus 31:6 - I have given Judges 13:23 - his wife 1 Samuel 23:16 - strengthened 1 Chronicles 19:12 - If the Syrians Ezra 1:4 - help him Ecclesiastes 4:8 - one 1 Corinthians 12:22 - General

Verse 10

if: Exodus 32:2-4, Exodus 32:21, Deuteronomy 9:19, Deuteronomy 9:20, 1 Samuel 23:16, 2 Samuel 11:27, 2 Samuel 12:7-14, Job 4:3, Job 4:4, Isaiah 35:3, Isaiah 35:4, Luke 22:31, Luke 22:32, Galatians 2:11-14, Galatians 6:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:11

but: Genesis 4:8, 2 Samuel 14:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:1 - he said Judges 13:23 - his wife Ezra 1:4 - help him Mark 6:7 - two and

Verse 11

1 Kings 1:1, 1 Kings 1:2

Verse 12

And if: This is well illustrated by the fable of the dying father, who, to shew his sons the advantages of union, gave them a bundle of twigs, which could not be broken when bound together, but were easily snapped asunder one by one.

and a: 2 Samuel 23:9, 2 Samuel 23:16, 2 Samuel 23:18, 2 Samuel 23:19, 2 Samuel 23:23, Daniel 3:16, Daniel 3:17, Ephesians 4:3

Verse 13

is a poor: Ecclesiastes 9:15, Ecclesiastes 9:16, Genesis 37:2, Proverbs 19:1, Proverbs 28:6, Proverbs 28:15, Proverbs 28:16

will no more be: Heb. knoweth not to be, 1 Kings 22:8, 2 Chronicles 16:9, 2 Chronicles 16:10, 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, 2 Chronicles 25:16

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 30:2 - the king 2 Chronicles 34:1 - eight years Job 32:9 - neither Proverbs 12:15 - but Proverbs 16:31 - if Proverbs 17:2 - wise

Verse 14

For out: This is probably an allusion to some fact with which we are unacquainted. History furnishes many instances of mean persons raised to sovereign authority, and of kings being reduced to the meanest offices, and to a morsel. Agrippa mounted the throne of Israel after having been long in prison; and similar instances are not wanting in modern times. Genesis 41:14, Genesis 41:33-44, Job 5:11, Psalms 113:7, Psalms 113:8

also: 1 Kings 14:26, 1 Kings 14:27, 2 Kings 23:31-34, 2 Kings 24:1, 2 Kings 24:2, 2 Kings 24:6, 2 Kings 24:12, 2 Kings 25:7, 2 Kings 25:27-30, Lamentations 4:20, Daniel 4:31

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 2:8 - set them Luke 1:52 - put

Verse 15

child: 2 Samuel 15:6

Verse 16

no end: 2 Samuel 15:12, 2 Samuel 15:13, 1 Kings 1:5-7, 1 Kings 1:40, 1 Kings 12:10-16

they also: Judges 9:19, Judges 9:20, 2 Samuel 18:7, 2 Samuel 18:8, 2 Samuel 19:9

this: Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:11, Ecclesiastes 2:17, Ecclesiastes 2:26

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General Ecclesiastes 4:4 - This is Ecclesiastes 5:10 - this Ecclesiastes 6:11 - General Ecclesiastes 11:8 - All that