Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 KJV,NLT

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

Here is, I. An account of the penman of this book; it was Solomon, for no other son of David was king of Jerusalem; but he conceals his name Solomon, peaceable, because by his sin he had brought trouble upon himself and his kingdom, had broken his peace with God and lost the peace of his conscience, and therefore was no more worthy of that name. Call me not Solomon, call me Marah, for, behold, for peace I had great bitterness. But he calls himself, 1. The preacher, which intimates his present... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1

The words of the preacher ,.... Or the preacher's sermon. The whole book is one continued discourse, and an excellent one it is; consisting not of mere words, but of solid matter; of things of the greatest importance, clothed with words apt and acceptable, which the preacher sought out, Ecclesiastes 12:10 . The Targum is, "the words of the prophecy, which the preacher, who is Solomon, prophesied.' According to which this book is prophetic; and so it interprets it, and owns it to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher ,.... This is the preacher's text; the theme and subject he after enlarges upon, and proves by an induction of particulars; it is the sum of the whole book; vanity of vanities, all is vanity ; most extremely vain, exceedingly so, the height of vanity: this is repeated, both for the confirmation of it, men being hard of belief of it; and to show how much the preacher was affected with it himself, and to affect others with the same. The Targum... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:1

The words of the Preacher - Literally, "The words of Choheleth, son of David, king of Jerusalem." But the Targum explains it thus: "The words of the prophecy, which Choheleth prophesied; the same is Solomon, son of David the king, who was in Jerusalem. For when Solomon, king of Israel, saw by the spirit of prophecy that the kingdom of Rehoboam his son was about to be divided with Jeroboam, the son of Nebat; and the house of the sanctuary was about to be destroyed, and the people of Israel... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity of vanities - As the words are an exclamation, it would be better to translate, O vanity of vanities! Emptiness of emptinesses. True, substantial good is not to be found in any thing liable to change and corruption. The author referred to in the introduction begins his paraphrase thus: - "O vain deluding world! whose largest gifts Thine emptiness betray, like painted clouds, Or watery bubbles: as the vapor flies, Dispersed by lightest blast, so fleet thy joys, And leave... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1

THE TITLE . The words of the Preacher, the son of David, King in Jerusalem ; Septuagint, "King of Israel in Jerusalem" (comp. Ecclesiastes 1:12 ). The word rendered "Preacher" is Koheleth , a feminine noun formed from a verb kalal , "to call" (see Introduction, § 1), and perhaps better rendered" Convener" or "Debater." It is found nowhere else but in this book, where it occurs three times in this chapter ( Ecclesiastes 1:1 , Ecclesiastes 1:2 , Ecclesiastes 1:12 ),... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity (comp. Ecclesiastes 12:8 ). "Vanity" is hebel , which means "breath," and is used metaphorically of anything transitory, frail, unsatisfying. We have it in the proper name Abel, an appropriate designation of the youth whose life was cut short by a brother's murderous hand. "Vanity of vanities," like "heaven of heavens" ( 1 Kings 8:27 ), "song of songs" (So Ecclesiastes 1:1 ), etc; is equivalent to a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

PROLOGUE . The vanity of all human and mundane things, and the oppressive monotony of their continued recurrence. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:1

Preacher - literally, Convener. No one English word represents the Hebrew קהלת qôheleth adequately. Though capable, according to Hebrew usage, of being applied to men in office, it is strictly a feminine participle, and describes a person in the act of calling together an assembly of people as if with the intention of addressing them. The word thus understood refers us to the action of Wisdom personified Proverbs 1:20; Proverbs 8:8. In Proverbs and here, Solomon seems to support two... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity - This word הבל hebel, or, when used as a proper name, in Genesis 4:2, “Abel”, occurs no less than 37 times in Ecclesiastes, and has been called the key of the book. Primarily it means “breath,” “light wind;” and denotes what:(1) passes away more or less quickly and completely;(2) leaves either no result or no adequate result behind, and therefore(3) fails to satisfy the mind of man, which naturally craves for something permanent and progressive: it is also applied to:(4) idols, as... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:1

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2

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