The stranger is the successor of the Persian in the dominion of the world. Events outside this man"s control, of which there are many in life (Ecc. This observation, however, is set in a very strong light, by the opposition of the case of another man, to whom God Almighty granted both wealth and enjoyment. Eastern men, as may be seen in the instance of Abraham, felt it a deep calamity that their estates should go to —. John Trapp Complete Commentary. There are various laws in the spiritual realm and one of those laws is that greed will prevent you from enjoying what you have (5:10-12). That wealth without enjoyment is nothing but vanity and an evil disease, the author now shows by introducing another historical figure, and thereby showing that life without enjoyment is worse than never to have come into existence at all: A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. Ecclesiastes 8:10 Context 3 Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and lose thy fruit, and leave thyself as a dry tree. With advice given to the young ( 11:9-12:7 ), Ecclesiastes then draws to a close - 12:8-14 2. 1. He has a room full of action figures, video games, cable TV, a VCR, interactive CD-ROM virtual-reality simulators, and a fully loaded computer with Internet access. This man, indeed, has no cause to complain, or to reckon his days as if they were burdensome to him; but as he is indebted to God's liberality, and not to his own labour and industry, for the ease and happiness that he enjoys, his case is no objection to the general observation laid down in the present proposition. Ecc 6:2 - God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. The book of Ecclesiastes was given to teach us the meaning of life, which is to fear the Lord and to obey his word. Ver. If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and … 5. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease. How is it possible that that should be a matter for envy which more closely viewed is but a vain show? Ecclesiastes 6:2 (ASV) a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 8 . The Meaning of Life in Ecclesiastes: Coherence, Purpose, and Significance from a Psychological Perspective* Arthur Keefer Eton College; email: arthurkeefer@gmail.com Abstract Attending to ongoing debates about the “meaning of life” in Ecclesiastes, this article determines how Qoheleth addressed meaningfulness by drawing on a threefold scheme of definitions for life’s meaning. A wise heathen saw this: -. This encouragement is more valuable than every book they could ever be … Ecclesiastes 6:2 (Amplified Bible) 6:2 A man to whom God has given riches, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he might desire, yet God does not give him the power or capacity to enjoy them [things which are gifts from God], but a stranger [in whom he has no interest succeeds him and] consumes and enjoys them. (Read all of Ecclesiastes 6) 6:2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet a God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it: this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil disease. 3. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Ecclesiastes 6:3, NIV: "A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he." He famisheth at a full feast, he starveth at a fireside. 6:2 "God has given" This refers to the sovereignty of God in human life and daily affairs (cf. Curse not the king, no not in your thought; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter. all of it; devoureth it all in an instant. He seems to have it in his "power" to do as he will with his wealth, but an unseen power gives him up to his own avarice. This distinguishes him from the "rich" man in Ecclesiastes 5:19. So much for the idea of the self-made man or millionaire. Evil disease is not a bad rendering — an “evil” utterly out of harmony with nature. נכרי is quite generally used of such as belong to another nation and society (Deuteronomy 17:15), and that it is to be taken in this sense here is evident from the correspondence that exists between the words, "a stranger will cat it," of this verse, and those of the 3d verse, "also he will have no grave." so that he lacks nothing that his heart 1 desires, 2 . "This rich man never got beyond the painful process of acquisition" (Leupold p. 135). JuvenalF23"Cum furor dubius", &c. Satyr. this is vanity, and it is an evil disease; it is a vain thing to be possessed of great substance, and not enjoy anything of it in a comfortable way, through the sin of covetousness; which is a spiritual disease, and a very bad one; very prejudicial to the soul, and the state of it, and is rarely cured. But, it seems to me often it is for those outside of Christ. Ecclesiastes 6:2, ESV: "a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. Riches and wealth and honour, are put together in this way also in 2 Chronicles 1:11. He does not dare to enjoy his wealth, and the enemy will soon take it away from him. American King James Version ×). A man to whom God hath given riches - A man may possess much earthly goods, and yet enjoy nothing of them. One ought not to envy him his riches. Juvenal (w) calls it frenzy and madness for a man to live poor, that be may die rich; he is like the ass that Crassus Agelastus saw, loaded with figs, and eating thorns. Possession and fruition are not necessarily joined together; and this is also among the vanities of life. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. These are not the basic realities of life, and true success and accomplishment cannot be measured by them. And he may well lose it through no fault of his own: perhaps when war, or sickness, or injustice spills everything into another"s lap….One could have the things men dream of….children by the score, and years of life by the thousand-and still depart unnoticed, unlamented, and unfulfilled", John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary, Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Ernst Hengstenberg on John, Revelation, Ecclesiastes, Ezekiel & Psalms. Now Solomon adds a further observation, which had been already hinted at, chap. in the sense of wanting, lacking, as at 1 Samuel 21:1-15 :16; 1 Kings 11:22; Proverbs 12:9. "Di tibi divitias dederunt artemque fruendi." [1 Timothy 6:17] Vel mihi da clavem, vel mihi tolle feram. Wealth; all sorts of riches, as gold and silver, cattle and lands, &c. Of all that he desireth; which he doth or can reasonably desire. Ecclesiastes 7:2 [It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.. Ver. For with all these things, what is the end result but death? Either give me the key, saith one, or take away the lock. "God hath given" distinguishes him also from the man who got his wealth by "oppression" (Ecclesiastes 5:8). A man to whom God hath given, &c.— From the 18th verse of the foregoing chapter to the present, we have the 2nd proof of the 2nd proposition, which is taken from the insufficiency of riches to give a man any real satisfaction, even though the actual possession of them should never be taken from him. Boredom is often the motivation for adultery and divorce, abuse of alcohol or drugs, and even suicide. Ecclesiastes 6:2 KJ21 a man to whom God hath given riches, wealth and honor, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not the power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it. Abraham was sad at having no son, though his heir would be his tried and good servant Eliezer. Herein he is like a stag that hath great horns, but no courage to use them; or rather like an ass loaded with gold and victuals, but feeding upon thistles. An evil disease - as fatal to happiness of the soul as a severe sickness is to the ease of the body (Deuteronomy 28:59). that the only advantage to be had from earthly acquisitions is present enjoyment. American King James Version ×; Ecclesiastes 6:9 Ecclesiastes 6:9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 6:2 God gives a man riches, property, and wealth. "God has not empowered him to eat from them", "The man of verse 2, just because he is outstanding, has more to lose than the plodder who will never arrive. 3 A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. "for a foreigner enjoys them"-the word foreigner or stranger can refer to someone other than this man"s heir, and simply another person, someone other than oneself. — Grammar requires us to supply the word. Boredom is a chronic symptom of a pleasure-obsessed age. לנפשׁו, “for his soul,” i.e., his person, is = the synon. So that he wanteth nothing.] is not a bad rendering — an “evil” utterly out of harmony with nature. The preceding chapter gave us the case of a man who had a son and nothing to give him — this is of one who has riches, but no son and heir. He seems to have it in his “power” to do as he will with his wealth, but an unseen power gives him up to his own avarice: God wills that he should toil for “a stranger” (Ecclesiastes 2:26), who has found favor in God‘s sight. that possession and fruition are so far from being necessarily linked together, that the Supreme Dispenser of all things, as experience testifies, often grants the one without granting the other. (Horace, i. Ep. And since wealth is relative (you can always find someone who has more than you do-and less), these truths apply to all of us. Ecclesiastes 6 6 1 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. Riches do not make people happy. "The gods had given thee riches, and the art to enjoy them.". He wanteth nothing for his soul - i:e., for his enjoyment. (Verse 1), is speaking of all the things collectively, that he will detail in the next few verses. This is fruitless and a grave misfortune. Ecclesiastes 6:2 King James Version (KJV) 2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. "whom God has given"-A thought that should humble us. Hebrew. There were of course rich spendthrifts among the Persians also. It was observed before, (ch. 2. yet God does not enable 3 him to enjoy 4 the fruit of his labor 5 – instead, someone else 6 enjoys 7 it! נכריּה of the unmarried wife in the Book of Proverbs). Ecclesiastes 5:19 tells us God has given wealth and the power to enjoy. So, the person who asked this question is asking, What does this mean? God giveth him not power to eat — This distinguishes him from the “rich” man in Ecclesiastes 5:19. American King James Version ×. "a weighty person in society, worthy of respect, someone who is honorable, impressive" (TWOT p. 426). App-4. ""I"m bored." 1 "The man of verse 2, just because he is outstanding, has more to lose than the plodder who will never arrive. To eat — Because God gives him up to a base and covetous mind. God enables us to prosper (Matthew ; Luke 6:35; Acts 14:15-17; 17:25 "since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things"). = the [true] God, or the Deity. 2 Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart; that thy soul be not torn in pieces as a bull straying alone. Ecclesiastes 6:2. Hence it follows. And what is the use of riches to one who starves in the midst of plenty, but to torment him? Ecclesiastes 6:2 Context. "Yet he is unable to enjoy it" (Mof). Ecclesiasticus 6:2 Context. So that he wanteth nothing. That observation, on the other hand, is strongly confirmed by the instance of the unhappy rich man; viz. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil." Di tibi divitias dederant, artemque fruendi. "God has not empowered him to eat from them"-to "eat from them", means "to enjoy them". A nice point is made by the terms, (referring to the master,), , that is, using care and prudence, so as to amass, while the stranger. And he may well lose it through no fault of his own: perhaps when war, or sickness, or injustice spills everything into another"s lap….One could have the things men dream of….children by the score, and years of life by the thousand-and still depart unnoticed, unlamented, and unfulfilled" (Kidner p. 59). Yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof. Boredom is more than an irritation in child-raising. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. (w) "Cum furor dubius", &c. Satyr. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20. Yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, κτητικον, φυλακτικον, κοσμητικον των υπαρχοντων, και χρηστικον. Ecclesiastes 6:2 New International Version (NIV) 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. Nothing but everything, because he dare not make use of anything almost, but is tantalised by his own baseness. (with Art.) However, His activity is exactly opposite to traditional wisdom (cf. To get what Ecclesiastes 6:2 means based on its source text, scroll down or follow these links for the original scriptural meaning , biblical context and relative popularity. God so providing that if one will not, another shall; that if the owner will not eat, but sit piddling or sparing, a stranger, and perhaps an enemy, shall take away. So that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth. A nice point is made by the terms, (referring to the master,) to eat thereof, that is, using care and prudence, so as to amass, while the stranger eateth it, that is, recklessly uses it up. — This word, seeing it follows the sense of to eat, might better be given as in some other passages, The case is not rare of one successful in, making great accumulations, who still, from some dyspeptic weakness of body, or some morbid penurious narrowness of mind, cannot, by indulgence in his copious stores. 6. v. 69, &c. 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