ecclesiastes-9:2-3

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 9:2

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:3

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all ,.... A very great evil, a very sore one, the worst of evils. Not an evil, as the providence of God is concerned with it, who does no evil; nor is there any unrighteousness in him; he is righteous in all his ways: but this is an evil, and distressing thing, to the minds of good men; see Psalm 73:2 ; and is what bad men make an ill use of, to harden themselves in sin, and to despise religion... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 9:3

The heart of the sons of men is full of evil - No wonder then that the curse of God should be frequent in the earth. 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 9:3

This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun . The "evil" is explained in the following words, which speak of the common fate. The Vulgate (followed by Ginsburg and others) lakes the first words as equivalent to a superlative: Hoc est pessimum inter omnia, "This is the greatest evil of all that is done under the sun." But the article would have been used in this case; nor would this accurately express Koheleth's sentiments. He looks upon death only as one of the evils... read more

Albert Barnes