Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Ecclesiastes 4:7-16

Evils of Social and Civil Life v. 7. Then I returned, fixing his attention upon another point that needed explanation, and I saw vanity under the sun. v. 8. There is one alone, and there is not a second, the reference being to a man without relatives or friends; yea, he hath neither child nor brother, no one bound to him by natural ties, the necessity being laid upon him, therefore, to gain friends by other means; yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

B. The Impediments to Earthly Happiness, proceeding partly from personal misfortune of various kinds, and partly from the evils of social and civil lifeEcclesiastes 4:1-16.1. The personal misfortune of many men(Ecclesiastes 4:1-6)1So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun; and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 2Wherefore I praised the dead which... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

From this general survey the preacher returned to examine the condition of the beings whom he had described as being no better than the beasts. He looked out upon them, and saw them in suffering, and concluded that death or nonexistence is preferable to life. He declared, moreover, that toil is nothing worth, as it produces envy and striving. This leads him further to declare the vanity of success under such conditions. The wealthy man stands alone, and in his loneliness is more helpless than... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

Chapter 4 The Dreadfulness of Oppression. Guidance on Living. This chapter begins with considering the dreadfulness of oppression and then continues with thoughts on living, giving both good and bad examples. At this point the fact that he is ‘a wise man’ comes out. It finishes with a parable or illustration about wisdom and folly. read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 4:4-12

Sundry Observations On Life (Ecclesiastes 4:4-12 ). Having all to briefly considered the oppression that was in the world, which has left him feeling that it was better if they had never been born, he now turns his thoughts back to the thought of man’s constant toil. This too was meaningless. The first three verses in this section contrast three differing lifestyles. The first results either in envy or overwork, the second in total laziness, and the third in contentment. This is followed by... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

Ecclesiastes 4. A Gloomy Survey.— The chapter falls into four parts, which treat respectively of oppression ( Ecclesiastes 4:1-Leviticus :), rivalry ( Ecclesiastes 4:4-Joshua :), isolation amounting to self-torture ( Ecclesiastes 4:7-2 Kings :), and a paragraph on a young king’ s popularity ( Ecclesiastes 4:13-Nehemiah :). Ecclesiastes 4:1. Man’ s inhumanity to man awakens Qoheleth’ s compassion; they had no comforter must refer in both cases to the oppressed; the words are repeated for the... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 4:9

Two, who live together in any kind of society, and join their powers together in any enterprises; which he opposeth to that humour of the covetous man, who desired to live alone, as was now said. A good reward for their labour; both have great benefit by such combinations and conjunctions of their counsels and abilities, whereby they do exceedingly support, and encourage, and strengthen one another, and effect many things which neither of them alone could do. read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 4:10

They; one of them, the plural being put for the singular, as Jonah 1:5; Matthew 21:7; 1 Timothy 2:15. Or both of them successively. Fall, in any kind, into any mistakes and errors, or sins, or dangers and distresses. Will lift up his fellow; hold him up if he be falling, or raise him up if he be fallen. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

CRITICAL NOTES.—Ecclesiastes 4:10. If they fall.] Not both together, but if one or the other falls. Ecclesiastes 4:12. A threefold cord.] Two cords would only suggest plurality, but three give the idea of strength. MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Ecclesiastes 4:7-12PORTRAIT OF A MAMMON WORSHIPPERInstead of using the gifts of fortune wisely, and gaining favour with mankind, some only increase their misery by depriving life of its proper happiness. Here is the picture of a man who is possessed... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

Ecclesiastes 4:1-5:7 I. In the fourth chapter Koheleth comes to the conclusion that life is essentially and irretrievably wretched wretched not because (as he had formerly thought) it would so soon be over, but wretched because it lasted too long. All that pleasure did for him was thus to increase his gloom. There was one thing he had forgotten in making out his programme: he had forgotten the miseries of other people. The prosperity he secured for himself did not remove their adversity, but... read more

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