Ecclesiastes 2
Overview
2:1 The vanity of human courses in the works of pleasure;
2:12 Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event;
2:18 The vanity of human labour, in leaving it they know not to whom;
2:24 Nothing better than joy in our labour; but that is God's gift. Verse 1saidEcclesiastes 2:15, 1:16, 1:17, 3:17, 3:18; Psalm 10:6, 14:1, 27:8, 30:6, 30:7; Luke 12:19 Go toGenesis 11:3, 11:4, 11:7; 2 Kings 5:5; Isaiah 5:5; James 4:13, 5:1 I willEcclesiastes 8:15, 11:9; Isaiah 50:5, 50:11; Luke 16:19, 16:23; James 5:5; Titus 3:3; Revelation 18:7, 18:8ReciprocalPsalm 127:2 - vain; Ecclesiastes 2:25 - who can; 7:25 - I applied mine heart; 10:19 - feast; 11:8 - All that Verse 2I saidSolomon is not speaking here of sober enjoyment of the things of the world, but of intemperate pleasure, whose two attendants, laughter and mirth, are introduced by a beautiful prosopopoeia, as two persons, whom he treats with the utmost contempt.It isEcclesiastes 7:2-6; Proverbs 14:13; Isaiah 22:12, 22:13; Amos 6:3-6; 1 Peter 4:2-4Reciprocal1 Samuel 25:36 - merry; Ecclesiastes 7:6 - as; 10:19 - feast; Matthew 13:45 - seeking; Luke 6:25 - laugh; James 4:9 - let Verse 3soughtEcclesiastes 1:17; 1 Samuel 25:36 give myself unto wineHeb. draw my flesh with wineyetProverbs 20:1, 31:4, 31:5; Ephesians 5:18 and to layEcclesiastes 7:18; Proverbs 20:1, 23:29-35; Matthew 6:24; 2 Corinthians 6:15-17 tillEcclesiastes 6:12, 12:13 allHeb. the number of, Genesis 47:9; Job 14:14; Psalm 90:9-12Reciprocal4:6 - many; 34:12 - that he; Ecclesiastes 3:1 - under; 6:11 - General; 1 Peter 3:10 - see Verse 4madeGenesis 11:4; 2 Samuel 18:18; Daniel 4:30 I buildedDeuteronomy 8:12-14; 1 Kings 7:1, 7:2, 7:8-12, 9:1, 15:19, 10:19, 10:20; 2 Chronicles 8:1-6, 8:11; Psalm 49:11 I planted1 Chronicles 27:27; 2 Chronicles 26:10; Song of Songs 1:14, 7:12, 8:11, 8:12; Isaiah 5:1ReciprocalGenesis 4:17 - and he; 2 Samuel 5:11 - they built; 2 Chronicles 7:11 - all that came; 8:6 - all that Solomon desired to build; Proverbs 4:7 - with; Ecclesiastes 2:18 - I hated; 6:2 - so Verse 5meSong of Songs 4:12-16, 5:1, 6:2; Jeremiah 39:4 I plantedGenesis 2:8, 2:9; Luke 17:27-29Reciprocal1 Kings 7:1 - thirteen years; 21:2 - a garden of herbs; Song of Songs 4:13 - are Verse 6poolsNehemiah 2:14; Song of Songs 7:4 to waterPsalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:8ReciprocalSong of Songs 4:15 - fountain Verse 7servants1 Kings 9:20-22; Ezra 2:58; Nehemiah 7:57 and hadGenesis 17:12, 17:13 servants born in my houseHeb. sons of my housealso13:2; 2 Kings 3:4; 1 Chronicles 27:29-31; 2 Chronicles 26:10, 32:27-29; Job 1:3, 42:12ReciprocalGenesis 14:14 - born; 15:3 - born; 30:43 - General; Exodus 21:4 - shall be her; Jeremiah 2:14 - he a homeborn Verse 8silver1 Kings 9:14, 9:28, 10:10, 14:21, 14:22, 14:27; 2 Chronicles 9:11, 9:15-21 men singers2 Samuel 19:35; Ezra 2:65 musical instrumentsetc. Heb. musical instrument and instruments, 1 Chronicles 25:1, 25:6; Job 21:11, 21:12; Psalm 150:3-5; Daniel 3:5, 3:7, 3:15; Amos 6:5
The difficult words shiddah weshiddoth are variously rendered. The LXX have, "male and female cup-bearers," with which the Syriac and Arabic and Parkhurst agree; Aquila, κυλικον και κυλικια, "a cup and smaller cups;" Jerome, scyphos et urceolos, Vulgate urceos
"goblets and pots;" Targum, "warm and cold baths;" others, as M. Desvoeux, "male and female captives;" others, "cooks and confectioners;" others, "a species of musical compositions," derived from Sido, a celebrated Phoenician woman, to whom Sanchoniatho attributes the invention of music; but others, with more probability, "wives and concubines;" and siddoth may be in this sense synonymous with the Arabic seedat, domina, conjux from sada, in Conj. V. conjugium inivit. Of the former, Solomon had three hundred, and of the latter, seven hundred; and if they are not mentioned here they are not mentioned at all, which is wholly unaccountable.Reciprocal2 Chronicles 8:18 - took thence; Psalm 39:6 - he heapeth; Daniel 6:18 - and passed
Verse 9Ecclesiastes 1:16; 1 Kings 3:12, 10:7, 10:23; 1 Chronicles 29:25; 2 Chronicles 1:1, 9:22, 9:23Reciprocal1:12 - such as none Verse 10whatsoeverEcclesiastes 3:22, 6:9, 11:9; Genesis 3:6, 6:2; Judges 14:2; Job 31:1; Psalm 119:37; Proverbs 23:5; 1 John 2:16 my heart rejoicedEcclesiastes 2:22, 5:18, 9:9; Psalm 128:2Reciprocal1 Kings 9:1 - all Solomon's; 9:19 - that which Solomon desired; 2 Chronicles 7:11 - all that came; Proverbs 14:13 - General; 15:16 - great; 27:20 - so; Ecclesiastes 1:17 - I perceived Verse 11I lookedEcclesiastes 1:14; Genesis 1:31; Exodus 39:43; 1 John 2:16, 2:17 beholdEcclesiastes 2:17-23, 1:3, 1:14; Habakkuk 2:13; 1 Timothy 6:6ReciprocalGenesis 3:17 - cursed; 2 Chronicles 7:11 - all that came; Psalm 39:5 - verily; 119:96 - I have seen; Proverbs 14:13 - General; 15:16 - great; 27:20 - so; Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General; 1:8 - full; 1:17 - I perceived; 3:9 - General; 3:22 - nothing; 4:16 - this; 5:10 - this; 6:9 - this; Jeremiah 2:13 - broken cisterns Verse 12I turnedEcclesiastes 1:17, 7:25, even that which hath already been done, or, in those things which have been already done, 2:25Reciprocal9:11 - returned Verse 13I sawEcclesiastes 7:11, 7:12, 9:16; Proverbs 4:5-7, 16:16; Malachi 3:18, 4:1, 4:2 that wisdom excelleth follyHeb. that there is an excellency in wisdom more than in folly, etclightEcclesiastes 11:7; Psalm 119:105, 119:130; Proverbs 4:18, 4:19; Matthew 6:23; Luke 11:34, 11:35; Ephesians 5:8ReciprocalGenesis 1:4 - that; Ecclesiastes 8:1 - as the; Jeremiah 9:23 - wise; Daniel 6:3 - an Verse 14wiseEcclesiastes 8:1, 10:2, 10:3; Proverbs 14:8, 17:24; 1 John 2:11 oneEcclesiastes 9:1-3, 9:11, 9:16; Psalm 19:10, 49:10ReciprocalExodus 10:21 - darkness; Psalm 82:5 - walk; Ecclesiastes 6:8 - what hath the wise; 8:5 - a wise; 8:14 - there be just; 9:2 - alike; John 11:10 - General Verse 15even to meHeb. to meeven to meand why, Ecclesiastes 1:16, 1:18; 1 Kings 3:12 Then IEcclesiastes 2:1, 1:2, 1:14Reciprocal2 Samuel 3:33 - as a fool dieth; Ecclesiastes 7:25 - the reason; 9:11 - but; 11:8 - All that; 1 Corinthians 15:55 - is thy victory Verse 16there isEcclesiastes 1:11; Exodus 1:6, 1:8; Psalm 88:12, 103:16; Malachi 3:16 howEcclesiastes 6:8; 2 Samuel 3:33; Psalm 49:10; Habakkuk 3:1ReciprocalPsalm 73:4 - no; Ecclesiastes 3:19 - that which; 8:10 - they were; 9:5 - for the; Isaiah 14:10 - Art thou also; 1 Corinthians 15:55 - is thy victory Verse 17I hatedNumbers 11:15; 1 Kings 19:4; Job 3:20-22, 7:15, 7:16, 14:13; Jeremiah 20:14-18; Jonah 4:3, 4:8; Philippians 1:23-25 workEcclesiastes 1:14, 3:16; Ezekiel 3:14; Habakkuk 1:3 forEcclesiastes 2:11, 2:22, 6:9; Psalm 89:47ReciprocalGenesis 3:17 - cursed; Psalm 39:6 - surely; Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General; 2:21 - whose; 4:2 - General; 4:3 - who; 4:16 - this; 5:10 - this; 11:8 - All that; 12:8 - General; Luke 14:26 - hate; John 12:25 - hateth Verse 18I hatedEcclesiastes 2:4-9, 1:13, 4:3, 5:18, 9:9 takenHeb. labouredI should2:26, 5:13, 5:14; 1 Kings 11:11-13; Psalm 17:14, 39:6, 49:10; Luke 12:20, 16:27, 16:28; Acts 20:29, 20:30; 1 Corinthians 3:10ReciprocalExodus 1:8 - a new king; 1 Kings 14:26 - the shields of gold; 2 Chronicles 6:10 - I am risen; Esther 8:1 - give the house; 8:2 - Esther set; Job 14:21 - he knoweth it not; 20:22 - the fulness; 21:21 - For what; Proverbs 15:16 - great; 17:25 - General; 19:13 - foolish; 27:11 - be wise; Ecclesiastes 2:21 - whose; 5:10 - this; 9:6 - have they; Daniel 11:4 - and shall be; Zechariah 9:6 - General Verse 19who knowethEcclesiastes 3:22; 1 Kings 12:14-20, 14:25-28; 2 Chronicles 10:13-16, 12:9, 12:10 wise underEcclesiastes 9:13; Luke 16:8; James 1:17, 3:17ReciprocalExodus 1:8 - a new king; 1 Samuel 8:3 - his sons; 1 Kings 14:26 - the shields of gold; 2 Chronicles 6:10 - I am risen; 10:14 - My father; 33:3 - he built again; Esther 8:1 - give the house; 8:2 - Esther set; Job 14:21 - he knoweth it not; 21:21 - For what; Psalm 49:10 - leave; Proverbs 10:1 - A wise; 17:25 - General; 19:13 - foolish; 23:24 - father; Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General; 1:3 - under; 11:8 - All that; Jeremiah 9:23 - wise; Daniel 11:4 - and shall be Verse 20Genesis 43:14; Job 17:11-15; Psalm 39:6, 39:7; 1 Corinthians 15:19; 2 Corinthians 1:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 3:3, 3:4ReciprocalPsalm 127:2 - vain; Ecclesiastes 3:19 - for; 7:25 - I applied mine heart Verse 21whoseEcclesiastes 2:17, 2:18, 9:18; 2 Chronicles 31:20, 31:21, 33:2-9, 34:2, 35:18, 36:5-10; Jeremiah 22:15, 22:17 leaveHeb. giveReciprocalGenesis 1:20 - life; Psalm 39:6 - surely; 49:10 - leave; Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General; 4:4 - This is; 11:8 - All that; Jeremiah 2:13 - broken cisterns Verse 22hath manEcclesiastes 1:3, 3:9, 5:10, 5:11, 5:17, 6:7, 6:8, 8:15; Proverbs 16:26; 1 Timothy 6:8 and of theEcclesiastes 4:6, 4:8; Psalm 127:2; Matthew 6:11, 6:25, 6:34, 16:26; Luke 12:22, 12:29; Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7ReciprocalGenesis 3:17 - in sorrow; Job 5:7 - trouble; Ecclesiastes 2:10 - my heart rejoiced; 2:17 - for; 5:16 - a sore; 6:9 - this; Matthew 11:28 - all Verse 23allGenesis 47:9; Job 5:7, 14:1; Psalm 90:7-10, 90:15, 127:2 his heartEcclesiastes 5:12; Esther 6:1; Job 7:13, 7:14; Psalm 6:6, 6:7, 32:4, 77:2-4; Daniel 6:18; Acts 14:22ReciprocalGenesis 3:17 - in sorrow; Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General; 3:9 - General; 4:8 - it is; 5:16 - a sore; 6:9 - this; 7:15 - have I; 8:16 - there is that; Matthew 11:28 - all Verse 24nothingEcclesiastes 3:12, 3:13, 3:22, 5:18, 8:15, 9:7-9, 11:9, 11:10; Deuteronomy 12:12, 12:18; Nehemiah 8:10; Acts 14:17; 1 Timothy 6:17 make his soul enjoy goodor, delight his sensesthat itEcclesiastes 3:13, 5:19, 6:2; Malachi 2:2; Luke 12:19, 12:20ReciprocalGenesis 48:15 - fed me; Ruth 3:7 - his heart; 1 Kings 4:20 - eating; 1 Chronicles 29:22 - eat and drink; Ecclesiastes 6:9 - Better; 9:9 - for; Jeremiah 22:15 - eat; 1 Corinthians 7:31 - use; 15:32 - let; 1 Timothy 6:8 - General Verse 25who canEcclesiastes 2:1-12; 1 Kings 4:21-24ReciprocalGenesis 48:15 - fed me; Ecclesiastes 2:12 - I turned; 1 Corinthians 7:31 - use Verse 26in his sightHeb. before him, Genesis 7:1; Luke 1:6 wisdom2 Chronicles 31:20, 31:21; Proverbs 3:13-18; Isaiah 3:10, 3:11; John 16:24; Romans 14:17, 14:18; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1:31; Galatians 5:22, 5:23; Colossians 1:9-12, 3:16, 3:17; James 3:17 to the sinnerJob 27:16, 27:17; Proverbs 13:22, 28:8ReciprocalGenesis 42:38 - bring; Deuteronomy 12:25 - when; 1 Kings 4:29 - God; 2 Chronicles 19:11 - the good; Job 32:8 - the inspiration; 38:36 - Who hath put; Psalm 37:16 - General; 39:6 - he heapeth; 49:10 - leave; Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General; 1:8 - full; 1:14 - General; 2:18 - I should; 3:10 - General; 4:4 - This is; 4:16 - this; 5:10 - this; 5:14 - those; 7:26 - whoso pleaseth God; 9:2 - as is; 11:8 - All that; Isaiah 23:18 - for them; Jeremiah 2:13 - broken cisterns; Daniel 1:17 - God; Matthew 6:19 - General; 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - in the; 2 Peter 3:15 - according