Series: Ecclesiastes
Sermon #22: Q.E.D.
Ecclesiastes
7:23-29
[Audio file from Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/Ecclesiastes723-29.]
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 That
which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25 I
applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the
reason of things, and to know the
wickedness of folly, even of foolishness
and madness: 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman,
whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner
shall be taken by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the
preacher, counting one by one, to
find out the account: 28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not:
one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not
found. 29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man
upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Introduction:
If we were all honest within our heart of hearts, and
with God we would admit that there are certain verses in the Bible that we wish
were not there. This really creates a problem for preachers who expound books
of the Bible verse by verse since they cannot avoid the difficult verses, and
problematic passages.
If this were April Fool’s Day I would try to convince you
that I intend to skip over the verses to avoid the inevitable stoning or
banishment that preaching on them might result in. Hopefully no one brought any
rotten eggs or tomatoes with them today!
Like it or not, these verses will not go away, and we
want God’s Word not men’s words about His Word. We would not settle for the
easy and the simple missing what He has for us in the dark and the difficult.
We must face up to the task, and place ourselves under the Word, even when
something within us rises up against it. We cannot afford to close our minds
and hearts to God’s revelation given by inspiration, and preserved for us to
this day. It will not do to sweep it under the carpet. We would be ill advised
to dismiss some portion of His Word that we are tempted to reject since we know
better. We know, and have been persuaded, that it is His Word, and that it is
holy, and pure, and perfect. We would submit to it, and allow it to judge even
our tendencies to turn away from what faces us in its mirror.
Outline:
I. The Proof of the Unfathomable (7:23-25) — Questions
That Cannot Be Answered
II. The Trap More Bitter Than Death Itself (7:26-28) — A Fate
Worse Than Death
III. The Contrast Between Mankind as Created and Fallen (7:29) —
What Was And What Is
Transition:
“The only easy day was yesterday!”
— motto of the SEALs (Naval Special Warfare Command)
We might adapt that to our present task:
“The only easy passage of Scripture was the last one!”
Or, to put a more politically correct twist on another
military phrase:
“Embrace the difficult!”
I. The Proof of the Unfathomable (7:23-25)
— Questions That Cannot Be Answered
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 That
which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25 I
applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the
reason of things, and to know the wickedness
of folly, even of foolishness and
madness:
1. Qoheleth was able to prove something by wisdom (7:23)
2. Qoheleth was not able to
find the true extent of wisdom (7:24)
3. Qoheleth Explains His Strategy and Objects (7:25)
1. Qoheleth was able to prove something by wisdom (7:23)
On “prove” see Appendix: Translations
of Ecclesiastes 7:23-29.
The title of this sermon,
“Q.E.D.,” is the initials for the Latin “quod erat demonstrandum,” from the Greek “hóper édei deîxai” (ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι), meaning “which had
to be demonstrated.” This is used at the conclusion of a proof indicating that
the task has been accomplished, i.e.,
what needed to be proved has been proved.
1) The plan — “I said, I will be
wise”
2) The reality — “but it was far
from me”
far from me — cp. next verse
2. Qoheleth was not able to
find the true extent of wisdom (7:24)
This is indicated by the following
phrases, and the question.
1) Distance — far off
2) Depth — exceeding deep
3) Despair — who can find it out
- Rhetorical question — assumed answer,
“No one!”
“Find” — used 8 times in these verses
— here and in 7:26, 27 (2x), 28 (3x),
and 29.
See Appendix: Translations of Ecclesiastes
7:23-29.
What is this talking about?
What is far from Qoheleth?
What is it that is far off?
What does the author have in mind
that is exceeding deep?
What eludes his search for wisdom
that no one can find out?
Job 28:12 — [Job] 12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? 13 Man
knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
Job 28:20 — [Job] 20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? 21
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of
the air.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with
our ears.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place
thereof.
Job 28:12-28 — [Job] 12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the
land of the living.
14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not
with me.
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed
for the price thereof.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious
onyx, or the sapphire.
17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of
it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price
of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be
valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom?
and where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close
from the fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with
our ears.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place
thereof.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the
whole heaven;
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by
measure.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning
of the thunder:
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and
searched it out.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is
wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
1 Tim. 6:16 — Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light
which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be
honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Rom. 11:33 — O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding
out!
Job 11:7 — [Zophar the Naamathite] Canst thou by searching find
out God? canst thou find out the
Almighty unto perfection?
Job 37:23 — [Elihu] Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out:
he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will
not afflict.
3. Qoheleth Explains His Strategy and Objects (7:25)
1) The Strategy to Accomplish His Goals — applied mine heart — 3 Initial Endeavors
2) The Objects of These Three Initial Endeavors:
3) The Strategy to Accomplish His Goals — applied mine heart — A Final Endeavor
4) The Objects of This Final Endeavor
1) The Strategy to Accomplish His Goals — applied mine heart — 3 Initial Endeavors
(1) to know
See Appendix: Translations of Ecclesiastes
7:23-29.
(2) to search
See Appendix: Translations of Ecclesiastes
7:23-29.
(3) to seek out
See Appendix: Translations of Ecclesiastes
7:23-29.
2) The Objects of These Three Initial Endeavors
(1) wisdom
(2) the reason of things
See Appendix: Translations of Ecclesiastes
7:23-29.
3) The Strategy to Accomplish His Goals — applied mine heart — A Final Endeavor
to know (same Heb. word as
previously in this verse):
4) The Objects of This Final Endeavor
see various translations,
especially of the 2nd of the 2 phrases
(1) wickedness of folly
(2) foolishness of madness
II. The Trap More Bitter Than Death Itself (7:26-28)
— A Fate Worse Than Death
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands:
whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the
account: 28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among
a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
…find…found…find out…seeketh…find
not…found…not found
On the Heb word for “to find” in
all 7 occurrences in these verses see on 7:24 since it is the same word throughout
consistently translated in this case by the AV.
The word “account” at the end of
7:27 is the same Heb. word as “reason” in 7:25, which see.
The word “seeketh” is the same Heb.
word translated “seek” in 7:25, and “sought” in 7:29.
The repetition of these two words
here following the second occurrence of the Heb. word for “know” in the latter
half of 7:25 may be seen as hinting at a structural connection between the flow
of the original plan expressed in 7:25, and the conclusion that follows in
these verses.
See Appendix: Translations of Ecclesiastes
7:23-29.
In order to understand what is
meant by Qoheleth’s statements in these verses the following should be kept in
mind.
1. The Sinner’s
Only Hope of Escape is by Pleasing God
(7:26)
2. The Suspension of the Answer (7:27)
3. The Search For an Explanation Goes On (7:28)
1. The Sinner’s Only Hope of Escape (7:26)
The identification of this “woman”
is problematic. The commentaries by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., and William D.
Barrick are recommended sources on this issue:
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Ecclesiastes:
Total Life, in Everyman’s
Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), pp. 87-88; and,
William D. Barrick, Ecclesiastes:
The Philippians of the Old Testament, Focus on the Bible series
(Fearn, Ross-Shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2012), pp. 133-136.
Garrett’s article on this passage
must be considered, even though ultimately it is not persuasive. See Duane A.
Garret, “Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 and the Feminist Hermeneutic,” Criswell
Theological Review 2:2 (1988), pp. 309-321. Note: Garrett is also the author of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Vol. 14, New American Commentary
(Nashville: Broadman, 1993); on Gordon
Faculty Online at http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/21-Ecclesiastes/Text/Articles/Garrett-Eccl7Fem-CTR.htm [accessed 13 JUL 2015].
7:20 — For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good,
and sinneth not.
The imagery involving her heart and
her hands is graphic including snares, nets, and bands.
If Solomon had used the plural,
“women,” the idea of an identification might go in another direction.
1 Ki. 11:3 — And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three
hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
1 Ki. 11:1-10 — 1 But king Solomon loved many strange women,
together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites,
Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD
said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall
they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their
gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives,
princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 4
For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart
after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was
the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess
of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 And
Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD,
as did David his father. 7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh,
the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech,
the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 And likewise did he for all his
strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. 9 And the
LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of
Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 10 And had commanded him concerning
this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which
the LORD commanded.
2. The Suspension of the Answer (7:27)
This verse, though not precisely in the middle of this passage, is
the turning point, as indicated by the interjection, “Behold!”
What Qoheleth found, the result of his search, the antecedent of
“this, is not given here.
The answer, the only answer, is in verse 29, not in verse 28!
3. The Search For an Explanation Goes On (7:28)
What Solomon is not asserting:
That men have a .1% advantage over women in the wisdom department!
That wisdom is extremely rare among men, and non-existent among
women!
This is a numerical figure of speech in the midst of an immediate
context strewn with mathematical figures (7:27-29). In this case it is a
two-sided coin, a double-edged dagger that cuts both ways! This figure is not
unknown, or even uncommon in the Old Testament literature, and continues in use
by at least two of the New Testament authors.
Job:9:3: If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
Job 33:23 — [Elihu] If there be a messenger with him, an
interpreter, one
among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:
Psalms 3:6 — I will not be afraid
of ten thousands
of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
Psalms 50:10 — For every beast of
the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
Psalms 84:10 — For a day in thy
courts is better than a thousand.
I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in
the tents of wickedness.
Psalms 90:4 — For a thousand years
in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Psalms 91:7 — A thousand
shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not
come nigh thee.
Psalms 105:8 — He hath remembered
his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
Psalms 119:72 — The law of thy
mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
1 Cor. 4:15 — For though ye have ten thousand
instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ
Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
1 Cor. 14:19 — Yet in the church I
had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might
teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
2 Pet. 3:8 — But, beloved, be not
ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,
and a thousand
years as one day.
III. The Contrast Between Mankind as Created and Fallen (7:29)
— What Was And What Is
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but
they have sought out many inventions.
1. The Introduction of the Explanation
2. The Solitary Nature of the Explanation
3. The Explanation of the Anthropological Catastrophe
1. The Interjectory Introduction of the Explanation
Lo — Again, the verse begins with an interjection
identical to that which begins verse 27, “Behold!” Though it is translated
differently here, and often left untranslated in modern versions, it
nevertheless links this verse back to verse 27.
Now comes the answer to the question raised by verse 27,
and not given there, or in the intervening verse (28), “What did Qoheleth find
out?”
2. The Solitary Nature of the Explanation
this only have I found — It must be understood that
from the beginning of this passage in verse 23 until here we are left with one,
and only one discovery in the intense search by Qoheleth.
If the previous verse is to be taken literally, which
does not seem to be the case, but for the sake of argument, IF this were to be
done, then the one man among a thousand is Solomon himself. This is also
consistent with taking it as a figure if it is understood that he looked for
one more besides himself and His divinely gifted wisdom, and was unable to do
so.
3. The Anthropological Catastrophe included in the
Explanation
that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many
inventions — This is all that Qoheleth discovered: the contrast
between man as created by God due to the depravity of mankind.
Gen. 1:27 — So God created man in his own image, in the image of
God created he him; male and female created he them.
Gen. 3:6-7 — And when the woman saw that the tree was good for
food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make
one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her
husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and
they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made
themselves aprons.
“Sought” — same
Heb. word as “seek” in 7:25, and “seeketh” in 7:28.
On this word and
“inventions” see See Appendix: Translations of Ecclesiastes
7:23-29.
[Sermon preached 3 APR 2016 by Pastor John T. “Jack”
Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]
Complete Outline:
I. The Proof of the Unfathomable (7:23-25) — Questions
That Cannot Be Answered
1. Qoheleth was able to prove
something by wisdom (7:23)
1)
The plan — “I will be wise”
2)
The reality — “it was far from me”
2.
Qoheleth was not able to find the true extent of wisdom (7:24)
1)
Distance — “far off”
2)
Depth — “exceeding deep”
3)
Despair — no one can find it out
3. Qoheleth Explains His Strategy
and Objects (7:25)
1) The Strategy to Accomplish His
Goals — 3 Initial Endeavors
2) The Objects of These Three
Initial Endeavors
3) The Strategy to Accomplish His
Goals — A Final Endeavor
4) The Objects of This Final
Endeavor
II. The Trap More Bitter Than Death Itself (7:26-28) — A Fate
Worse Than Death
1.
The Sinner’s Only Hope of Escape is by Pleasing
God (7:26)
2. The Suspension of the Answer
(7:27)
3. The Search For an Explanation
Goes On (7:28)
III. The Contrast Between Mankind as Created and Fallen (7:29) —
What Was And What Is — One Solitary Discovery
1. The Interjectory Introduction
of the Explanation
2. The Solitary Nature of the
Explanation
3. The Anthropological
Catastrophe included in the Explanation
Appendix: Translations of Ecclesiastes 7:23-29
|
KJV
|
VS
|
HEBREW
|
NASB
|
ESV
|
HCSB
|
NIV
|
|
proved
|
23
|
5254 נָסָה
[nacah /naw·saw/]
|
tested
|
tested
|
tested
|
tested
|
|
find
|
24
|
4672 מָצָא
[matsaʾ /maw·tsaw/]
|
discover
|
find
|
discover
|
discover
|
|
find
|
26
|
4672
|
discovered
|
find
|
find
|
find
|
|
found
|
27
|
4672
|
discovered
|
found
|
discovered
|
discovered
|
|
find
|
27
|
4672
|
find
|
find
|
find
|
discover
|
|
find
|
28
|
4672
|
found
|
found
|
find
|
finding
|
|
found
|
28
|
4672
|
found
|
found
|
found
|
found
|
|
found
|
28
|
4672
|
found
|
found
|
found
|
—
|
|
found
|
29
|
4672
|
found
|
found
|
discovered
|
found
|
|
know
|
25
|
3045 דָּעָה, יָדַע
[yadaʿ /yaw·dah/]
|
know
|
know
|
know
|
understand
|
|
know
|
25
|
3045
|
know
|
know
|
know
|
understand
|
|
search
|
25
|
8446 תּוּר
[tuwr /toor/]
|
investigate
|
search
|
explore
|
investigate
|
|
seek
|
25
|
1245 בָּקַשׁ
[baqash /baw·kash/]
|
seek
|
seek
|
seek
|
search
|
|
seeketh
|
28
|
1245
|
seeking
|
sought
|
searches
|
searching
|
|
sought
|
29
|
1245
|
sought
|
sought
|
pursued
|
…search
|
|
reason
|
25
|
2808 חֶשְׁבֹּון
[cheshbown /khesh·bone/]
|
explanation
|
scheme
|
explanation
|
scheme
|
|
account
|
27
|
2808
|
explanation
|
scheme
|
scheme
|
scheme
|
|
inventions
|
29
|
2810 חִשָּׁבֹון
[chishshabown
/khish·shaw·bone/]
|
devices
|
schemes
|
schemes
|
schemes
|
Notes:
The Hebrew information includes Strong’s numbering
system, transliteration, and pronunciation.
A dotted line preceding a translation indicates that
other words were used in combination.
A dash indicates where a word was left untranslated.
Key to Translations:
KJV — The Holy
Bible: King James Version (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems,
n.d.; 1995 electronic ed. of 1769 ed. of 1611 Authorized Version)
NASB — New American
Standard Bible (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995 update)
ESV — English
Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001)
HCSB — The Holy
Bible: Holman Christian standard version (Nashville:
Holman Bible Publishers, 2009)
NIV — The
New International Version (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011)
7:23 — “Proved”: 5254 נָסָה [nacah /naw·saw/] v. A primitive root; TWOT
1373; GK 5814; 36 occurrences; AV translates as “prove” 20 times, “tempt” 12
times, “assay” twice, “adventure” once, and “try” once. 1 to test, try, prove,
tempt, assay, put to the proof or test. 1A (Piel). 1A1 to test, try. 1A2 to
attempt, assay, try. 1A3 to test, try, prove, tempt.
— Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced
Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
7:24 — “Find” — used 8 times in these verses — here and in 7:26, 27 (2x), 28 (3x), and 29.
4672 מָצָא [matsaʾ /maw·tsaw/] v. A primitive
root; TWOT 1231; GK 5162; 456 occurrences; AV translates as “find” 359 times, “present”
20 times, “find out” 20 times, “come” eight times, “meet” five times, “befall”
five times, “get” four times, “suffice” three times, “deliver” twice, “hit”
twice, “left” twice, “hold” twice, and translated miscellaneously 24 times. 1
to find, attain to. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to find. 1A1A to find, secure, acquire, get
(thing sought). 1A1B to find (what is lost). 1A1C to meet, encounter. 1A1D to
find (a condition). 1A1E to learn, devise. 1A2 to find out. 1A2A to find out.
1A2B to detect. 1A2C to guess. 1A3 to come upon, light upon. 1A3A to happen
upon, meet, fall in with. 1A3B to hit. 1A3C to befall. 1B (Niphal). 1B1 to be
found. 1B1A to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered. 1B1B to appear,
be recognised. 1B1C to be discovered, be detected. 1B1D to be gained, be
secured. 1B2 to be, be found. 1B2A to be found in. 1B2B to be in the possession
of. 1B2C to be found in (a place), happen to be. 1B2D to be left (after war).
1B2E to be present. 1B2F to prove to be. 1B2G to be found sufficient, be
enough. 1C (Hiphil). 1C1 to cause to find, attain. 1C2 to cause to light upon,
come upon, come. 1C3 to cause to encounter. 1C4 to present (offering
— Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced
Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
7:25 —
3045 דָּעָה, יָדַע [yadaʿ /yaw·dah/]
v. A primitive root; TWOT 848; GK 1977 and 3359; 947 occurrences; AV translates
as “know” 645 times, “known” 105 times, “knowledge” 19 times, “perceive” 18
times, “shew” 17 times, “tell” eight times, “wist” seven times, “understand”
seven times, “certainly” seven times, “acknowledge” six times, “acquaintance”
six times, “consider” six times, “declare” six times, “teach” five times, and
translated miscellaneously 85 times. 1 to know. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to know. 1A1A to
know, learn to know. 1A1B to perceive. 1A1C to perceive and see, find out and
discern. 1A1D to discriminate, distinguish. 1A1E to know by experience. 1A1F to
recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess. 1A1G to consider. 1A2 to know, be
acquainted with. 1A3 to know (a person carnally). 1A4 to know how, be skilful
in. 1A5 to have knowledge, be wise. 1B (Niphal). 1B1 to be made known, be or
become known, be revealed. 1B2 to make oneself known. 1B3 to be perceived. 1B4
to be instructed. 1C (Piel) to cause to know. 1D (Poal) to cause to know. 1E
(Pual). 1E1 to be known. 1E2 known, one known, acquaintance (participle). 1F
(Hiphil) to make known, declare. 1G (Hophal) to be made known. 1H (Hithpael) to
make oneself known, reveal onese
— Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced
Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
8446 תּוּר [tuwr /toor/] v. A
primitive root; TWOT 2500; GK 9365; 23 occurrences; AV translates as “search”
11 times, “search out” three times, “spy out” twice, “seek” twice, “chapmen +
582” once, “descry” once, “espied” once, “excellent” once, and “merchantmen +
582” once. 1 to seek, search out, spy out, explore. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to seek out,
select, find out how to do something. 1A2 to spy out, explore. 1A2A explorers,
spies (participle). 1A3 to go about. 1A3A merchant, trader (participle). 1B
(Hiphil) to make a search, make a reconnaissance.
— Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced
Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
Also “seeketh in 7:28, and “sought”
in 7:29 — 1245 בָּקַשׁ [baqash /baw·kash/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 276; GK
1335; 225 occurrences; AV translates as “seek” 189 times, “require” 14 times,
“request” four times, “seek out” four times, “enquired” three times, “besought”
twice, “ask” twice, “sought for” twice, “begging” once, “desire” once, “get”
once, “inquisition” once, and “procureth” once. 1 to seek, require, desire,
exact, request. 1A (Piel). 1A1 to seek to find. 1A2 to seek to secure. 1A3 to
seek the face. 1A4 to desire, demand. 1A5 to require, exact. 1A6 to ask,
request. 1B (Pual) to be sought.
— Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced
Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
“Reason” — Heb. word only used
here, 7:27 and 9:10.
2808 חֶשְׁבֹּון [cheshbown /khesh·bone/] n m.
From 2803; TWOT 767b; GK 3113; Three occurrences; AV translates as “reason”
once, “account” once, and “device” once. 1 account, reasoning, reckoning.
— Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced
Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
“Reason” — see also: 3113 I. חֶשְׁבּוֹן
(ḥěš·bôn): n.masc.; ≡ Str 2808; TWOT 767b—LN 30.75–30.85 plan, accounting,
i.e., a reckoning as a rational thinking in decision making (Ecc 7:25, 27;
9:10+), note: in these contexts, either from God’s cosmic plan “the grand
scheme,” or other personal plans of a person
— Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of
Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic
ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
7:29 — “Inventions” — different form of same Heb.
word translated “reason” in 7:25, and “account” in 7:27 — 2810 חִשָּׁבֹון
[chishshabown /khish·shaw·bone/] n m. From 2803; TWOT 767c; GK 3115; Two
occurrences; AV translates as “engine” once, and “invention” once. 1 device,
invention.
— Strong, J.
(1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
See also:
7:23 — Robert Baker Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament: Their Bearing on Christian Doctrine,
2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., n.d., 1976 reprint of
1897 ed.), pg. 292.
7:29 — Charles Simeon, Evangelical
Preaching: An Anthology of Sermons by Charles Simeon, Classics of Faith and
Devotion (Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1986), pg. 16.
7:29 — John Calvin, Institutes
of the Christian Religion, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles,
in The Library of Christian Classics, gen. eds. John Baillie, John T. McNeill,
and Henry P. Van Dusen (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), 2.1.10.
7:29 — John Calvin, Institutes
of the Christian Religion, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles,
in The Library of Christian Classics, gen. eds. John Baillie, John T. McNeill,
and Henry P. Van Dusen (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), 2.5.18.
7:25-29 — Duane
A. Garrett, “Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 and the Feminist Hermeneutic,” Criswell Theological Review 2 (1988), pp. 309-321; on Gordon Faculty Online at http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/21-Ecclesiastes/Text/Articles/Garrett-Eccl7Fem-CTR.htm [accessed 13 JUL 2015].
Select Sources on Ecclesiastes:
J. Sidlow Baxter,
Explore The Book: A Basic and Broadly
Interpretive Course of Bible Study from Genesis to Revelation, 6 vols. in 1
ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d., 1960 printing).
William D.
Barrick, Ecclesiastes: The Philippians of
the Old Testament, Focus on the Bible series (Fearn, Ross-Shire, Scotland:
Christian Focus, 2012).
C. Hassell
Bullock, An Introduction to the Old
Testament Poetic Books: The Wisdom and Songs of Israel (Chicago: Moody
Press, 1979)/
Michael A. Eaton,
Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and
Commentary, Vol. 16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL:
Inter-Varsity, 1983).
F. Delitzsch,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon,
trans. M. G. Easton, Vol. VI in C. F. Kiel and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten
Volumes, trans. James Martin (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, n.d., 1975 reprint).
Duane A. Garrett,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs,
Vol. 14, New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman, 1993).
Donald R. Glenn,
“Ecclesiastes,” in The Bible Knowledge
Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. J. F. Walvoord, and R. B.
Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1985).
William Henry
Green, “Scope and Plan of the Book of Ecclesiastes,” Biblical Reparatory and Princeton Review 29 (1857), pp. 419-40; on Gordon Faculty Online at http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/21-Ecclesiastes/Text/Articles/Green-ScopeofEccl-1857.pdf [accessed 7 NOV 2015].
Walter C. Kaiser,
Jr., Ecclesiastes: Total Life, in
Everyman’s Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979).
Walter C. Kaiser,
Jr., Coping With Change: Ecclesiastes
(Fearn, Roth-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2013).
H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Ecclesiastes (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1952).
Tremper Longman
III, The Book of Ecclesiastes, New
International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
John MacArthur, MacArthur Study Bible, rev. ed.
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997).
Roland Edmund
Murphy, Ecclesiastes, Vol. 23A, Word
Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, 1992).
Philip Graham
Ryken, Ecclesiastes: Why Everything
Matters, in Preaching the Word, gen. ed. R. Kent Hughes (Wheaton: Crossway,
2010).
Philip G. Ryken, Why Everything Matters: The Gospel in
Ecclesiastes (Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications,
Ltd., 2015).
J. Stafford Wright, “Ecclesiastes,” in Psalms-Song of Songs, Vol. 5,
Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1991).
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