Ecclesiastes 4
Overview
4:1 Vanity is increased unto men by oppression;
4:4 by envy;
4:5 by idleness;
4:7 by covetousness;
4:9 by solitariness;
4:13 by wilfulness. Verse 1 I returned Job 6:29; Malachi 3:18 and considered Ecclesiastes 3:16, 5:8, 7:7; Exodus 1:13, 1:14, 1:16, 1:22, 2:23, 2:24, 5:16-19; Deuteronomy 28:33, 28:48; Judges 4:3, 10:7, 10:8; Nehemiah 5:1-5; Job 24:7-12; Psalm 10:9, 10:10; Proverbs 28:3, 28:15, 28:16; Isaiah 5:7, 51:23, 59:7, 59:13-15; Malachi 3:5 the tears Psalm 42:3, 42:9, 80:5, 102:8, 102:9; Malachi 2:13; James 5:4 they had Job 16:4, 19:21, 19:22; Psalm 69:20, 142:4; Proverbs 19:7; Lamentations 1:2, 1:9; Matthew 26:56; 2 Timothy 4:16, 4:17 sideHeb. handReciprocal Exodus 3:9 - and I have; 5:19 - evil case; 1 Kings 21:7 - Dost thou now; 21:13 - they carried him; Job 20:19 - Because; 24:12 - groan; Psalm 12:5 - oppression; 72:12 - him; Proverbs 24:30 - went; 30:14 - to devour; Ecclesiastes 1:8 - man; 4:7 - General; 6:11 - General; 9:11 - returned; 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, 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, 10:18, 10:19; Jeremiah 20:17, 20:18; Matthew 24:19; Luke 23:29 who Ecclesiastes 1:14, 2:17; Psalm 55:6-11; Jeremiah 9:2, 9:3 Reciprocal Ecclesiastes 1:3 - under; 2:18 - I hated Verse 4 everyetc. Heb. all the rightness of work, that this is the envy of man from his neighbour, Genesis 4:4-8, 37:2-11; 1 Samuel 18:8, 18:9, 18:14-16, 18:29, 18:30; Proverbs 27:4; Matthew 27:18; Acts 7:9; James 4:5; 1 John 3:12 This is Ecclesiastes 4:16, 1:14, 2:21, 2:26, 6:9, 6:11; Genesis 37:4, 37:11 Reciprocal 26:14 - envied; 30:1 - Rachel envied; 31:1 - Jacob; Exodus 1:9 - the people; Judges 8:1 - the men; 12:1 - Wherefore; 1 Samuel 17:28 - Eliab's anger; Nehemiah 6:2 - Come; Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General; 1:13 - this sore; 4:5 - eateth; 5:10 - this; 6:2 - vanity; 8:14 - a vanity; 9:11 - returned; 12:8 - General; Jeremiah 2:13 - broken cisterns; Ezekiel 31:9 - envied; Daniel 3:12 - certain; 6:4 - sought; Matthew 26:8 - they; Mark 14:4 - there; 15:10 - for envy; John 3:26 - he that; 10:32 - for; 12:4 - one; Acts 5:17 - indignation; 13:45 - they Verse 5 fool Proverbs 6:10, 6:11, 12:27, 13:4, 20:4, 24:33, 24:34 eatethThat 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 Psalm 37:16; Proverbs 15:16, 15:17, 16:8, 17:1 Reciprocal 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; Psalm 78:33; Zechariah 1:6 Reciprocal Psalm 39:6 - surely; Ecclesiastes 1:3 - under; 8:9 - this; 10:5 - an evil Verse 8 one Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Genesis 2:18; Isaiah 56:3-5 he hath Genesis 15:2, 15:3 no Isaiah 5:8 is his Ecclesiastes 1:8, 5:10; Proverbs 27:20; Habakkuk 2:5-9; 1 John 2:16 For Psalm 39:6; Isaiah 44:19, 44:20; Luke 12:20 it is Ecclesiastes 1:13, 2:23; Isaiah 55:2; Matthew 11:28 Reciprocal Genesis 33:9 - have enough; Exodus 20:17 - thy neighbour's house; Psalm 127:2 - vain; Proverbs 2:4 - searchest; 4:7 - with; 11:17 - but; Ecclesiastes 1:2 - General; 2:22 - and of the; 5:13 - a sore; 6:2 - vanity; 6:11 - General; 8:9 - this; 8:14 - a vanity; 8:16 - there is that; 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; 15:39, 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; 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, 32:21; Deuteronomy 9:19, 9:20; 1 Samuel 23:16; 2 Samuel 11:27, 12:7-14; Job 4:3, 4:4; Isaiah 35:3, 35:4; Luke 22:31, 22:32; Galatians 2:11-14, 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 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, 1:2
Verse 12 And ifThis 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, 23:16, 23:18, 23:19, 23:23; Daniel 3:16, 3:17; Ephesians 4:3
Verse 13 is a poor Ecclesiastes 9:15, 9:16; Genesis 37:2; Proverbs 19:1, 28:6, 28:15, 28:16 will no more beHeb. knoweth not to be, 1 Kings 22:8; 2 Chronicles 16:9, 16:10, 24:20-22, 25:16 Reciprocal 30:2 - the king; 34:1 - eight years; Job 32:9 - neither; Proverbs 12:15 - but; 16:31 - if; 17:2 - wise Verse 14 For outThis 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, 41:33-44; Job 5:11; Psalm 113:7, 113:8 also 1 Kings 14:26, 14:27; 2 Kings 23:31-34, 24:1, 24:2, 24:6, 24:12, 25:7, 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, 15:13; 1 Kings 1:5-7, 1:40, 12:10-16 they also Judges 9:19, 9:20; 2 Samuel 18:7, 18:8, 19:9 this Ecclesiastes 1:14, 2:11, 2:17, 2:26 Reciprocal 1:2 - General; 4:4 - This is; 5:10 - this; 6:11 - General; 11:8 - All that