Verse 2

(2) Riches, wealth, and honour.—The three words are used together regarding Solomon (2 Chronicles 1:11).

Verse 3

(3) That a man should be so occupied in the pursuit of riches as never to take any enjoyment from them is a common experience enough; but that the same man should have no sepulchre to preserve his name after him need not necessarily happen, so that one is tempted to think that the Preacher has some actual occurrence in his mind.

Untimely birth.—See references. We have just had another reminiscence of the Book of Job. (See Ecclesiastes 5:15.)

Verse 4

(4) He.—Rather, it—viz., the untimely birth.

Verse 6

(6) Though.—The conjunction here used is only found again in Esther 7:4.

Verse 8

(8) That knoweth to walk.—Understands how to conduct himself. But why this should be limited to the poor is not obvious.

Verse 10

(10) Of this difficult verse I prefer the translation, “What he is his name has been called long ago, and it is known that it is man; neither may he strive,” &c—i.e., the name given long ago to man (Genesis 2:7) indicates his weakness; neither can he contend with the Almighty. There may be a reference to Genesis 6:3, where a kindred word is used.

Mightier.—The word here used is found only in the Chaldee books of the Bible and in later Hebrew.

Verse 11

(11) Things.—We might also translate “words.”

Verse 12

(12) As a shadow.—Ecclesiastes 8:13; Job 14:2.