Ecclesiastes 1:14-2:16 NIV

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:14

Vexation. Hebrew also, "food of wind;" (Symmachus) or "choice of the spirit." (Septuagint) People are eager to become learned, and yet find no satisfaction. (Haydock) --- All natural things are insufficient to procure felicity. (Worthington) O Curas hominum! O quantum est in rebus inane! (Persius.) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

12-18 Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

The Unreliability of Earthly Wisdom v. 12. I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem, over the entire nation, as Solomon states in looking back over his long reign. v. 13. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom, applying the wisdom given him by the Lord with all zeal, concerning all things that are done under heaven, the motives, acts, and lives of men everywhere; this sore travail, namely, the zealous searching, the steady and ceaseless endeavor to inquire into the... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

ECCLESIASTES____________TITLE:WORDS OF THE PREACHER, SON OF DAVID, KING IN JERUSALEMFIRST DISCOURSEOf the vanity of the practical and the theoretical wisdom of menEcclesiastes 1:2A. The theoretical wisdom of men, directed to a knowledge of the things of this world, is vanity.2Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

the Testimony of an Unsatisfied Soul Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 All is vanity ! This cry finds an echo in human hearts of every age and clime. Clod meant man to be happy. “These things,” said our Lord, “I have spoken to you, that your joy may be full.” “The fruit of the Spirit is joy.” Yet the air is laden with complaint and bitterness. Men are asking constantly, “Is life worth living?” The present age is full of unrest and weariness, of war and strife, of unsatisfied yearnings and desires. The... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

The first verse of this chapter introduces us to the author of the Book. Taken in conjunction with verse Ecclesiastes 1:12, it leaves no room for doubt that he is Solomon. In stating his theme he employs phrases which recur through the whole of the Book: "vanity," "what profit?" "under the sun." The statement is a declaration of the emptiness of life when it is wholly conditioned in material things-"under the sun." In this first section we have a still more particular statement in general... read more

Robert Neighbour

Wells of Living Water Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

The Man under the Sun Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 INTRODUCTORY WORDS In order to introduce this study we can think of no better way than to go to our booklet on Ecclesiastes for a quotation. 1. Ecclesiastes stands by itself in its message to men who live "under the sun." Many of its conclusions are voiced in other portions of Holy Writ, but no other part of the Bible deals exclusively with the things which concern the natural man. Satan knows that Ecclesiastes demonstrates, to a conclusion, that... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

The Preacher Has Made His Enquiries and Comes Up With Nothing (Ecclesiastes 1:12 - Ecclesiastes 2:26 ). The Preacher now brings out that he has made further enquiries and has come up with nothing. He first considers the search for intellectual knowledge (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18), and then he considers the search for pleasure (Ecclesiastes 2:1-26), but he concludes that both lead nowhere. read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Ecclesiastes 1:12 to Ecclesiastes 2:26 . Qoheleth’ s Investigations.— Assuming the character of Solomon the writer tells of his search for happiness under many forms. The pursuit of wisdom ( Ecclesiastes 1:12-Job :), absorption in pleasure ( Ecclesiastes 2:1-1 Kings :), the study of human nature ( Ecclesiastes 2:12-Esther :), the acquisition of wealth ( Ecclesiastes 2:18-Job :), alike fail to yield satisfaction. After all his experience the only verdict he can reach is that there is “... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen, i.e. diligently observed, and in great measure understood. Behold; for it was a great surprise to me, and therefore may seem strange to you. All is vanity and vexation of spirit; and not only unsatisfying, but also troublesome, and an affliction or breaking to a man’s spirit or mind. Or, as others, both ancient and modern translators, render it, a feeding upon wind, as these very words, save only that there is the verb from which this noun seems most probably deduced, are rendered,... read more