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 1 said Ecclesiastes 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 to Genesis 11:3, 11:4, 11:7; 2 Kings 5:5; Isaiah 5:5; James 4:13, 5:1 I will Ecclesiastes 8:15, 11:9; Isaiah 50:5, 50:11; Luke 16:19, 16:23; James 5:5; Titus 3:3; Revelation 18:7, 18:8 Reciprocal Psalm 127:2 - vain; Ecclesiastes 2:25 - who can; 7:25 - I applied mine heart; 10:19 - feast; 11:8 - All that Verse 2 I 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 is Ecclesiastes 7:2-6; Proverbs 14:13; Isaiah 22:12, 22:13; Amos 6:3-6; 1 Peter 4:2-4 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 25:36 - merry; Ecclesiastes 7:6 - as; 10:19 - feast; Matthew 13:45 - seeking; Luke 6:25 - laugh; James 4:9 - let Verse 3 sought Ecclesiastes 1:17; 1 Samuel 25:36 give myself unto wineHeb. draw my flesh with wineyet Proverbs 20:1, 31:4, 31:5; Ephesians 5:18 and to lay Ecclesiastes 7:18; Proverbs 20:1, 23:29-35; Matthew 6:24; 2 Corinthians 6:15-17 till Ecclesiastes 6:12, 12:13 allHeb. the number of, Genesis 47:9; Job 14:14; Psalm 90:9-12 Reciprocal 4:6 - many; 34:12 - that he; Ecclesiastes 3:1 - under; 6:11 - General; 1 Peter 3:10 - see Verse 4 made Genesis 11:4; 2 Samuel 18:18; Daniel 4:30 I builded Deuteronomy 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 planted 1 Chronicles 27:27; 2 Chronicles 26:10; Song of Songs 1:14, 7:12, 8:11, 8:12; Isaiah 5:1 Reciprocal Genesis 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 5 me Song of Songs 4:12-16, 5:1, 6:2; Jeremiah 39:4 I planted Genesis 2:8, 2:9; Luke 17:27-29 Reciprocal 1 Kings 7:1 - thirteen years; 21:2 - a garden of herbs; Song of Songs 4:13 - are Verse 6 pools Nehemiah 2:14; Song of Songs 7:4 to water Psalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:8 Reciprocal Song of Songs 4:15 - fountain Verse 7 servants 1 Kings 9:20-22; Ezra 2:58; Nehemiah 7:57 and had Genesis 17:12, 17:13 servants born in my houseHeb. sons of my housealso 13:2; 2 Kings 3:4; 1 Chronicles 27:29-31; 2 Chronicles 26:10, 32:27-29; Job 1:3, 42:12 Reciprocal Genesis 14:14 - born; 15:3 - born; 30:43 - General; Exodus 21:4 - shall be her; Jeremiah 2:14 - he a homeborn Verse 8 silver 1 Kings 9:14, 9:28, 10:10, 14:21, 14:22, 14:27; 2 Chronicles 9:11, 9:15-21 men singers 2 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.Reciprocal 2 Chronicles 8:18 - took thence; Psalm 39:6 - he heapeth; Daniel 6:18 - and passed Verse 9 Ecclesiastes 1:16; 1 Kings 3:12, 10:7, 10:23; 1 Chronicles 29:25; 2 Chronicles 1:1, 9:22, 9:23 Reciprocal 1:12 - such as none Verse 10 whatsoever Ecclesiastes 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 rejoiced Ecclesiastes 2:22, 5:18, 9:9; Psalm 128:2 Reciprocal 1 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 11 I looked Ecclesiastes 1:14; Genesis 1:31; Exodus 39:43; 1 John 2:16, 2:17 behold Ecclesiastes 2:17-23, 1:3, 1:14; Habakkuk 2:13; 1 Timothy 6:6 Reciprocal Genesis 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 12 I turned Ecclesiastes 1:17, 7:25, even that which hath already been done, or, in those things which have been already done, 2:25 Reciprocal 9:11 - returned Verse 13 I saw Ecclesiastes 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, etclight Ecclesiastes 11:7; Psalm 119:105, 119:130; Proverbs 4:18, 4:19; Matthew 6:23; Luke 11:34, 11:35; Ephesians 5:8 Reciprocal Genesis 1:4 - that; Ecclesiastes 8:1 - as the; Jeremiah 9:23 - wise; Daniel 6:3 - an Verse 14 wise Ecclesiastes 8:1, 10:2, 10:3; Proverbs 14:8, 17:24; 1 John 2:11 one Ecclesiastes 9:1-3, 9:11, 9:16; Psalm 19:10, 49:10 Reciprocal Exodus 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 15 even to meHeb. to meeven to meand why, Ecclesiastes 1:16, 1:18; 1 Kings 3:12 Then I Ecclesiastes 2:1, 1:2, 1:14 Reciprocal 2 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 16 there is Ecclesiastes 1:11; Exodus 1:6, 1:8; Psalm 88:12, 103:16; Malachi 3:16 how Ecclesiastes 6:8; 2 Samuel 3:33; Psalm 49:10; Habakkuk 3:1 Reciprocal Psalm 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 17 I hated Numbers 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 work Ecclesiastes 1:14, 3:16; Ezekiel 3:14; Habakkuk 1:3 for Ecclesiastes 2:11, 2:22, 6:9; Psalm 89:47 Reciprocal Genesis 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 18 I hated Ecclesiastes 2:4-9, 1:13, 4:3, 5:18, 9:9 takenHeb. labouredI should 2:26, 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 3:10 Reciprocal Exodus 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 19 who knoweth Ecclesiastes 3:22; 1 Kings 12:14-20, 14:25-28; 2 Chronicles 10:13-16, 12:9, 12:10 wise under Ecclesiastes 9:13; Luke 16:8; James 1:17, 3:17 Reciprocal Exodus 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 20 Genesis 43:14; Job 17:11-15; Psalm 39:6, 39:7; 1 Corinthians 15:19; 2 Corinthians 1:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 3:3, 3:4 Reciprocal Psalm 127:2 - vain; Ecclesiastes 3:19 - for; 7:25 - I applied mine heart Verse 21 whose Ecclesiastes 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. giveReciprocal Genesis 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 22 hath man Ecclesiastes 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 the Ecclesiastes 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 5:7 Reciprocal Genesis 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 23 all Genesis 47:9; Job 5:7, 14:1; Psalm 90:7-10, 90:15, 127:2 his heart Ecclesiastes 5:12; Esther 6:1; Job 7:13, 7:14; Psalm 6:6, 6:7, 32:4, 77:2-4; Daniel 6:18; Acts 14:22 Reciprocal Genesis 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 24 nothing Ecclesiastes 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 it Ecclesiastes 3:13, 5:19, 6:2; Malachi 2:2; Luke 12:19, 12:20 Reciprocal Genesis 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 25 who can Ecclesiastes 2:1-12; 1 Kings 4:21-24 Reciprocal Genesis 48:15 - fed me; Ecclesiastes 2:12 - I turned; 1 Corinthians 7:31 - use Verse 26 in his sightHeb. before him, Genesis 7:1; Luke 1:6 wisdom 2 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 sinner Job 27:16, 27:17; Proverbs 13:22, 28:8 Reciprocal Genesis 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