Ecclesiastes 4
4
1Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them! 2I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.#4:2. “And being oppressed”: supplied, but this is the context for the Teacher's statement. 3But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.
4I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.
5Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
6It's better to earn a little#4:6. Literally, “one handful.” without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
7Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand. 8What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business! 9Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work. 10If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up. 11In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone. 12Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.
13A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice. 14He may even come out of prison#4:14. Perhaps to be understood as “the prison of bad circumstances.” to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor. 15I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.#4:15. Presumably the young man mentioned in 4:13 who replaces the old king. 16He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.
Currently Selected:
Ecclesiastes 4: FBV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Ecclesiastes 4
4
1Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. # Jb 35:9; Ec 3:16; 5:8 Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. 2So I admired the dead, # Jb 3:11-26 who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. 3But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, # Ec 6:3; Lk 23:29 who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.
The Loneliness of Wealth
4I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to a man’s jealousy of his friend. # 1Sm 18:9; Ec 2:21; Ac 13:45; 2Co 12:20 This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. # Ec 1:14
5The fool folds his arms # Pr 6:10; 24:33
and consumes his own flesh. # Is 9:20
6Better one handful with rest
than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind. # Pr 15:16-17
7Again, I saw futility under the sun: 8There is a person without a companion, # Lit person, but there is not a second, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. # Pr 27:20; Ec 1:8; 5:10 “So who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself from good? ” This too is futile and a miserable task.
9Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. 10For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. 11Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? # 1Kg 1:1-4 12And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
13Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings. # Ec 9:15 14For he came from prison to be king, # Gn 41:14,41-43 even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow # Lit with a second youth who succeeds him. 16There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. # Ec 1:14
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.