Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

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ECCLESIASTES

CHAPTER NINE:
WISDOM AND CHANCE

Summary

No matter who they are, in the end all die. The living poor are better off than the rich dead. Enjoy the life God has given you. Time and chance happen to all. Wisdom is the best thing to possess.

Ecclesiastes 9:1-3 – Everyone Dies

EC9:1 Further, as I attempted to clarify everything I pondered and concluded that everything was in the hands of The God 222 – including the righteous and the wise and all their activity. Their love and hatred no one could find out, for none knows what the future holds. 223
222 Further, as I attempted to clarify everything I pondered and concluded that everything was in the hands of The God: Or, BAS: All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; LXX: are in the hand of God [TOU THEOU]. [Ecclesiastes 1:17; 7:25; 8:16] Compare Deuteronomy 33:5; Psalm 37:5]
223 Their love and hatred no one could find out, for none knows what the future holds: Or, BAS: and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them; LXX: there is no man that knows either love [AGAPEN] or hatred, though all are before their face. Compare Ecclesiastes 9:6.
EC9:2 All persons shares the same final destiny – the righteous and the unrighteous, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, the worshipper and the non-worshipper. 224 What happens to the good person also happens to the sinner. [The same happens] to the person making a vow as well as to the person afraid to make a vow. 225
224 All persons shares the same final destiny – the righteous and the unrighteous, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, the worshipper and the non-worshipper: Or, BAS: Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; JPS: All things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; LXX: Vanity is in all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good, and to the bad; both to the pure, and to the impure; both to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifice not. There is on single finality to both the good and bad, believers and unbelievers – death. Return to Ecclesiastes 3:19-21; 5:15.
225 What happens to the good person also happens to the sinner. [The same happens] to the person making a vow as well as to the person afraid to make a vow: Or, BAS: as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it; LXX: as is the good, so is the sinner: as is the swearer, even so is he that fears an oath. [Job 21:7, 23]
EC9:3 Everything done under the sun is completely futile, for all have the same final destiny. 226 Indeed, the heart of humankind was full of harmfulness. Boastful foolishness was in their heart as they lived out their days. In the end they all die! 227
226 Everything done under the sun is completely futile, for all have the same final destiny: Or, BAS: This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all; LXX: There is this evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all; MOF: one fate. Return to Ecclesiastes 2:15. [Job 3:19; 14:10]
227 Indeed, the heart of humankind was full of harmfulness. Boastful foolishness was in their heart as they lived out their days. In the end they all die: Or, BAS: and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that—to the dead; LXX: the heart of the sons of men is filled with evil, and madness is in their heart during their life, and after that they go to the dead; BAG: instability in their heart; SPR: mad folly; KNX: full of malice and defiance; MOF: evil aims and made desires. Return to Ecclesiastes 7:25. [Genesis 8:21]

Ecclesiastes 9:4-6 – Living Poor Better than Rich Dead

EC9:4 All those still living have hope, for a living dog is better off than a dead lion. 228
228 All those still living have hope, for a living dog is better off than a dead lion: Or, BAS: For him who is joined to all the living there is hope; a living dog is better than a dead lion; YLT: confidence. A “living dog” is conscious while the “dead lion” is not.
EC9:5 For the living are quite aware that they will die, but the dead are aware of nothing. 229 [The dead] receive no more payments, and any memory of them is forgotten. 230
229 For the living are quite aware that they will die, but the dead are aware of nothing: Or, BAS: The living are conscious that death will come to them, but the dead are not conscious of anything; JPS: For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing; LXX: For the living will know [GNOSONTAI] that they shall die: but the dead know [GINOSKONTES] nothing; NAB: the dead no longer know anything. Adam knew he would die. [Genesis 3:19] Humankind has inherited his sinful DNA and so all die. [Romans 5:12] The dead are in an unconscious state liked to sleep. [John 11:11] None of the dead can worship or praise God. [Psalm 115:7] At death all thoughts perish. [Psalm 146:4; Isaiah 38:18] Compare Job 14:10-15. For more details see the work Where Are the Dead? None of the dead has gone to heaven as Jesus himself taught. [John 3:13]
230 [The dead] receive no more payments, and any memory of them is forgotten: Or, BAS: and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them; LXX: and there is no longer any reward to them; for their memory is lost. Return to Ecclesiastes 2:16. [Job 7:10; Isaiah 26:14]
EC9:6 Their love and their hatred and their greed have already been exterminated. Any inheritance they had has been exterminated through out all future periods of time under the sun. 231
231 Their love and their hatred and their greed have already been exterminated. Any inheritance they had has been exterminated through out all future periods of time under the sun: Or, BAS: Their love and their hate and their envy are now ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun; LXX: also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; yea, there is no portion for them any more for ever in all that is done under the sun; GDS: no longer have any share. Compare Ecclesiastes 9:10.

Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 – Enjoy Your Brief Life

EC9:7 Now go your way and eat your bread with gladness, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for The God has already approved of this activity of yours. 232
232 Now go your way and eat your bread with gladness, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for The God has already approved of this activity of yours: Or, BAS: Come, take your bread with joy, and your wine with a glad heart. God has taken pleasure in your works; MOF: for to do this has God’s approval; LXX: for now God [HO THEOS] has favourably accepted thy works. Return to Ecclesiastes 2:24. [Psalm 104:15] God is pleased that humanity finds some joy and happiness in what He has provided.
EC9:8 Let your garments always be white, and do not spare perfumed oil on your head. 233
233 Let your garments always be white, and do not spare perfumed oil on your head: Or, BAS: Let your clothing be white at all times, and let not your head be without oil; MOF: wear white robes always. That is, there is no need to wear black sackcloth as though mourning all the time. Hair was not washed daily as in some modern western countries, but rather a pleasant smelling oil was used. [Luke 7:46]
EC9:9 Experience life with the wife you love throughout all the days of your futile existence under the sun. For this is your portion during your life and during all your hard labor as you toil under the sun. 234
234 Experience life with the wife you love throughout all the days of your futile existence under the sun. For this is your portion during your life and during all your hard labor as you toil under the sun: Or, BAS: Have joy with the woman of your love all the days of your foolish life which he gives you under the sun. Because that is your part in life and in your work which you do under the sun; JPS: Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which He hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun; LXX: And see life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which are given thee under the sun: for that is thy portion in thy life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun. Return to Ecclesiastes 5:18. [Proverbs 5:18] The summary is to “enjoy life” with your wife throughout life’s hardships.
EC9:10 No matter what your hands find to do, do it will all your strength. For in Hades – the place you are bound – there is no work, no logical reasoning, no knowledge, nor any wisdom. 235
235 For in Hades – the place your are bound – there is no work, no logical reasoning, no knowledge, nor any wisdom: Or, BAS: there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going; JPS: there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave [SHEOL], whither thou goest; LXX: for there is no work, nor device [LOGISMOS], nor knowledge [GNOSIS], nor wisdom [SOPHIA], in Hades [HADE] wither thou goest; ABS: no reckoning; BAS: or thought; MOF: no knowledge or intelligence. Return to Ecclesiastes 3:19-21; 9:5. [Psalm 115:17; 146:4; Isaiah 38:18] The whole Bible teaches that the dead are in unconscious sleep and no longer are able to use thought, reason, knowledge or wisdom. For details see the work Where Are The Dead? The Egyptians and the Greeks believed in an immortal soul that survived the death of the body. The Hebrew Bible never taught such a thing. The work Where Are The Dead? traces from the beginning the key words death, soul, Sheol/Hades, resurrection.

Ecclesiastes 9:11, 12 – Time And Chance

EC9:11 In addition, I pondered that under the sun the race is not always won by the fastest, nor the battle to the strongest, nor does food belong to the wisest, nor riches to the most sensible, nor favor to the most knowledgeable 236 – because time and chance affects everyone! 237
236 The race is not always won by the fastest, nor the battle to the strongest, nor does food belong to the wisest, nor riches to the most sensible, nor favor to the most knowledgeable: Or, BAS: the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; JPS: the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill. Return to Ecclesiastes 2:15 and compare Ecclesiastes 9:15. [Psalm 33:16; Jeremiah 46:6; Amos 2:14] History is one long story about how people cannot always control their lives.
237 Time and chance affects everyone: Or, NAB: a time of calamity comes to all alike; TAY: but it is all by chance, by happening to be at the right place at the right time. Bad luck can befall anyone. See examples of “accidents” at Genesis 42:4; 1 Samuel 6:9; 1 Kings 22:34. Both the believer and the unbeliever may be affected by time and bad luck. Return to Ecclesiastes 9:2.
EC9:12 No person can know their final destiny. For like fish they are caught in an unfortunate net. Like birds caught in an unfortunate trap, humanity is also ensnared by an hour of destiny, all falling upon them with unforeseen suddenness. 238
238 No person can know their final destiny. For like fish they are caught in an unfortunate net. Like birds caught in an unfortunate trap, humanity is also ensnared by an hour of destiny, all falling upon them with unforeseen suddenness: Or, BAS: Even man has no knowledge of his time; like fishes taken in an evil net, or like birds taken by deceit, are the sons of men taken in an evil time when it comes suddenly on them; LXX: For surely man also knows not his time: as fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as birds that are caught in a snare; even thus the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them. Return to Ecclesiastes 8:8. [Job 14:1; Proverbs 7:23; Habakkuk 1:15] James 4:14 may be an echo, “You do not know what tomorrow will be.” [See Proverbs 27:1.] Jesus taught an anxiety free life seeking the simple things. [Matthew 6:33, 34] Much of the modern anxiety, depression, emotional stress is from seeking, not just food and drink, but an unnumbered of things and possessions in search of luxury and leisure. [Luke 21:34; 1 Timothy 6:10]

Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 – Wisdom Is Better

EC9:13 Now regarding wisdom under the sun I observed the following – and this was very important to me: EC9:14 There was a small town with few men to fight, and now a great king encircled it, building enormous siege-works. EC9:15 However, within the town a wise pauper was found, and he delivered the town by his wisdom. 239 And yet, no one remembers who this wise pauper was. 240
239 A wise pauper was found, and he delivered the town by his wisdom: Or, BAS: a poor, wise man, and he, by his wisdom, kept the town safe. There is something of an echo in the words of Jesus at Luke 19:43, KHARAKA [fortification] SOI KAI PERICYCLOSOUSIN [encircle], while the LXX Greek uses, CYCLOSE… KHARAKAS. See an example where such was a woman. [2 Samuel 20:15, 22] Return to Ecclesiastes 7:12. Jesus was a wise pauper who told people how to escape the Roman siege. [Matthew 24:15-22]
240 No one remembers who this wise pauper was: Or, BAS: But no one had any memory of that same poor man; JPS: yet no man remembered that same poor man. Return to Ecclesiastes 9:11. An example is Joseph. [Genesis 40:23]
EC9:16 So I came to the conclusion that wisdom was much better than power. Despite this the wise pauper is scorned, and no body listens to his advice. 241
241 So I came to the conclusion that wisdom was much better than power. Despite this the wise pauper is scorned, and no body listens to his advice: Or, BAS: Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man’s wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing; JPS: Wisdom is better than strength; nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard; LXX: Wisdom is better than power: yet the wisdom of the poor man is set at nought, and his words not listened to. Return to Ecclesiastes 7:19 and compare Ecclesiastes 9:18. [Proverbs 21:22]
EC9:17 The words of the wise are learned in a quiet attitude, 242 more than a ruler’s commands to stupid persons.
242 The words of the wise are learned in a quiet attitude: Or, BAS: The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear; JPS: The words of the wise spoken in quiet; LXX: The words of the wise are heard in quiet; SPR: quiet words; BAG: in a time of rest. [Proverbs 22:17]
EC9:18 Though wisdom is better than military weapons one sinner can ruin it all. 243
243 Though wisdom is better than military weapons one sinner can ruin it all: Or, BAS: Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good; KNX: arms cannot match wisdom; by one slip what great advantage is lost; MOF: often a single error spoils good strategy; JB: better wisdom than warlike weapons, but one mistake undoes a deal of good.

Mark Heber Miller