Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ecclesiastes 11

Introduction

1  Directions for charity.
7  Death in life,
9  and the day ofjudgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on.

Verse 1

Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
Cast
That is, says Bp. Lowth, "Sow thy seed or corn on the face of the waters;" in plain terms, sow without any hope of a harvest: do good even to them on whom your benefactions seem thrown away. Dr. Jebb has well illustrated it by the following passages:
thy bread
Deuteronomy 15:7-11, Proverbs 11:24,25, 22:9, Isaiah 32:8
waters
Heb. face of the waters.
Isaiah 32:20
for
6, Deuteronomy 15:10, Psalms 41:1,2, 126:5,6, Proverbs 11:18, 19:17, Matthew 10:13,42, 25:40, Luke 14:14, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Galatians 6:8-10, Hebrews 6:10

Verse 2

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
a portion
Nehemiah 8:10, Esther 9:19,22, Psalms 112:9, Luke 6:30-35, 1 Timothy 6:18,19
seven
Job 5:19, Proverbs 6:16, Micah 5:5, Matthew 18:22, Luke 17:4
for
Daniel 4:27, Acts 11:28-30, Galatians 6:1, Ephesians 5:16, Hebrews 13:3

Verse 3

If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
the clouds
1 Kings 18:45, Psalms 65:9-13, Isaiah 55:10,11, 1 John 3:17
if the tree
Matthew 3:10, Luke 13:7, 16:22-26

Verse 4

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
Proverbs 3:27, 20:4, 22:13

Verse 5

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
thou knowest not what
John 3:8
nor
Psalms 139:14,15
even
7:24, 8:17, Job 5:9, 26:5-14, 36:24-33, 37:23, 38:4-41, 39:1-41, Psalms 40:5, 92:5, 104:24, Isaiah 40:28, Romans 11:33

Verse 6

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
sow
9:10, Isaiah 55:10, Hosea 10:12, Mark 4:26-29, John 4:36-38, 2 Corinthians 9:6, 2 Timothy 4:2
thou knowest
9:1, Haggai 1:6-11, 2:17-19, Zechariah 8:11,12, Acts 11:20,21, 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, 2 Corinthians 9:10,11
prosper
Heb. be right.

Verse 7

Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
the light
Job 33:28,30, Psalms 56:13, Proverbs 15:30, 29:13
a pleasant
7:11, Psalms 84:11, Matthew 5:45

Verse 8

But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
if a man
6:6, 8:12
rejoice
3:12,13, 5:18-20, 8:15
yet
7:14, 12:1-5, Deuteronomy 32:29, Job 10:22, 14:10, 15:23, 18:18, Jeremiah 13:16, Joel 2:2, Matthew 22:13, John 12:35, Jude 1:18
All that
2:1-11,15,17,19,21-23,26, 4:8,16, 5:15,16, 6:11

Verse 9

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Rejoice
1 Kings 18:27, 22:15, Luke 15:12,13
in thy youth
12:1, 1 Kings 18:12, Lamentations 3:27
walk
Numbers 15:30, 22:32, Deuteronomy 29:19, Job 31:7, Psalms 81:12, Jeremiah 7:24, 23:17, Jeremiah 44:16,17, Acts 14:16, Ephesians 2:2,3, 1 Peter 4:3,4
in the sight
2:10, Genesis 3:6, 6:2, Joshua 7:21, 2 Samuel 11:2-4, Matthew 5:28, 1 John 2:15,16
know
3:17, 12:14, Psalms 50:4-6, Acts 17:30,31, 24:25, Romans 2:5-11, 14:10, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Peter 3:7, Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:12-15

Verse 10

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
remove
12:1, Job 13:26, Psalms 25:7, 2 Peter 3:11-14
sorrow
or, anger.
Psalms 90:7-11
and put
Job 20:11, 2 Corinthians 7:1, 2 Timothy 2:22
for
1:2,14, Psalms 39:5, Proverbs 22:15

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