ecclesiastes-11:2-12:1-niv

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Ecclesiastes 11:1-2

Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. (2) Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. The opening of this Chapter, in the precept given, seems to be figurative. Casting bread upon the waters, is perhaps intended to imply an act of grace, or of charity, given in a way, as our Lord hath marked, so secret that the left hand knoweth not what the right hand doeth: Matthew 6:3 . Like seed sown in the field, it... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 11:2

Eight. To as many as thou art able, (Calmet) especially to those who are of the household of faith, (Galatians vi. 10.; Haydock) whether under the old or the new Testament, signified by the numbers, seven and eight. (Worthington) (St. Jerome) --- Mandatum accipis octo illis partem dare, fortasse benedictionibus, (St. Ambrose in Luke vi. n. 49.) which intimates, that we must apply ourselves to the pursuit of al virtues, as the number eight denotes perfection. (Calmet) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

1-6 Solomon presses the rich to do good to others. Give freely, though it may seem thrown away and lost. Give to many. Excuse not thyself with the good thou hast done, from the good thou hast further to do. It is not lost, but well laid out. We have reason to expect evil, for we are born to trouble; it is wisdom to do good in the day of prosperity. Riches cannot profit us, if we do not benefit others. Every man must labour to be a blessing to that place where the providence of God casts him.... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Practicing Benevolence v. 1. Cast thy bread upon the waters, in practicing benevolence freely, without the hope of profit or immediate return, Matthew 5:46-2 Corinthians :; Luke 6:35-Zechariah :; for thou shalt find it after many days, God will return a rich harvest at the time appointed by Him, Galatians 6:9-2 Samuel :; 2 Corinthians 9:6-1 Samuel :; 1 Timothy 6:18-Psalms :. v. 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight, ready to dispense charity to many; for thou knowest not what evil... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

C. The only true way to happiness in this world and the world beyond consists in benevolence, fidelity to calling, a calm and contented enjoyment of life, and unfeigned fear of God from early youth to advanced ageEcclesiastes 11:1 to Ecclesiastes 12:71. Of Benevolence and Fidelity to Calling(Ecclesiastes 11:1-6)1Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days. 2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight, for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3If the... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Live not for Today Alone Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 The casting of bread upon the waters is an allusion to the oriental custom of casting rice-grains on the fields, when they lie submerged beneath the annual inundation of such a river as the Nile. To the inexperienced eye, this would seem the prodigality of waste, but the husbandman knows full well that he will meet his seed again with abundant returns. So it is in life, whether we befriend young boys and girls, or distribute tracts, or speak kind... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

The method of worldly wisdom is not that of discretion only; it is, moreover, that of diligence, and this passage urges such diligence. Again, we have taken more than one text out of this passage to preach the truth of God, and therein we do not necessarily do wrong, for there are high spiritual applications of all these things. However, it must be remembered that here they are related to the outlook which has characterized the whole discourse. We have not yet reached, though we are fast... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 11:1-8

Chapter Ecclesiastes 11:1-8 Advice From The Wise Man To The Wise. Central to these verses is the recognition of our ignorance. We do not know what will happen when we do things, we do not know what God will work, thus we should seek to make the maximum effort recognising that some of our efforts will be blessed, and we have no idea which. Ecclesiastes 11:1 ‘Cast (send away) your bread on the waters, for you will find it after many days.’ Various interpretations have been given for the meaning... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Chapters Ecclesiastes 11:9 to Ecclesiastes 12:14 The Venturing Of The Young, The Trials Of The Old and Man’s Final Destiny. As we come to the end of the writer’s musings we are rewarded with the final conclusions that he has reached. He calls on the young man to arise out of life’s vainness and look to his Creator, recognising that God will bring him into judgment in whatever he does. Interestingly he no longer appears to see life as meaningless, but as something to be treated very... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Ecclesiastes 11:1 to Ecclesiastes 12:8 . Closing Counsels.— It is well to do and to get all one can, in the way of industry and pleasure, before old age draws on. Ecclesiastes 11:1 and Ecclesiastes 11:2 are best taken as referring either to merchandise or generosity, though “ bread” has also been interpreted as seed sown on irrigated land ( cf. Ecclesiastes 11:4 and Ecclesiastes 11:6) or even as human semen, and Ecclesiastes 11:2 and Ecclesiastes 11:6 forced into line. The trader’ s venture... read more