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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:1-3

It has been observed concerning those who have pretended to search for the philosophers? stone that, though they could never find what they sought for, yet in the search they have hit upon many other useful discoveries and experiments. Thus Solomon, when, in the close of the foregoing chapter, he applied his heart to know the work of God, and took a great deal of pains to search into it, though he despaired of finding it out, yet he found out that which abundantly recompensed him for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:1

For all this I considered in mine heart ,.... What goes before, in the latter end of the preceding chapter, concerning the various providences of God, the difficulty of finding out the reasons of them, and the fruitlessness of attempting it; and also what follows, the work of Providence: Solomon gave his mind unto, attended it with great application, and strictly considered and examined it, in order to find it out, but could not; and if he could not, no other man could. And he had a good... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:2

All things come alike to all ,.... That is, all outward things in this life, good and bad men share in alike; which proves that neither love nor hatred can be known by them: so the emperor Mark Antonine, in speaking of life and death, of honour and dishonour, of pain and pleasure, riches and poverty, says F19 De scipso, l. 2. c. 11. , all these things happen alike to good men and bad men; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked ; the same prosperous ones happen to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 9:1

The righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God - This is a continuation of the preceding subject; and here the wise man draws a conclusion from what he had seen, and from the well-known character of God, that the righteous, the wise, and their conduct, were all in the hand of God, protected by his power, and safe in his approbation: but we cannot judge from the occurrences which take place in life who are the objects of God's love or displeasure. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 9:2

All things come alike to all - This is very generally true; but God often makes a difference and his faithful followers witness many interventions of Divine Providence in their behalf. But there are general blessings, and general natural evils, that equally affect the just and the unjust. But in this all is right; the evils that are in nature are the effects of the Fall of man; and God will not suspend general laws, or alter them, to favor individual cases. Nor does he design that his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:1

This continues the subject treated above, confirming the conclusion arrived at in Ecclesiastes 8:17 , viz. that God's government of the world is unfathomable. For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this ; literally, for all this laid up in my heart, and all this I have been about (equivalent to I sought ) to clear up . The reference is both to what has been said and to what is coming. The ki, "for" (which the Vulgate omits), at the beginning gives the reason... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

One fate happens to all, and the dead are cut off from all the feelings and interests of life in the upper world. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:2

All things come alike to all ; literally, all things [are] like that which [happens] to all persons . There is no difference in the treatment of persons; all people of every kind meet with circumstances of every kind. Speaking generally, there is no discrimination, apparently, in the distribution of good and evil. Sun and shade, calm and storm. fruitful and unfruitful seasons, joy and sorrow, are dispensed by inscrutable laws. The Septuagint, reading differently, has, "Vanity is in all;"... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 9:1

A good man’s trust in God is set forth as a counterpoise to our Ignorance of the ways of Providence.In the hand of God - Under His special protection (Deuteronomy 33:3 ff) as righteous, and under His direction Proverbs 21:1 as people.No man ... - literally, both love and also hatred man knoweth not: all are before them. Love and hatred here mean the ordinary outward tokens of God’s favor or displeasure, i. e., prosperity and adversity. “Man knoweth not” probably means: “man knows not whether to... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 9:2

Event - See Ecclesiastes 2:14 note.Sweareth - i. e., Swears lightly or profanely. read more

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