Eclesiastes 5
Ray Stedman · Citado em PreceptAustin
Eclesiastes 5
Stedman - Learn to let God be God; that is the first thing he declares to us. The lessons of life will fall into place when you learn that. God is in charge of life, let him be in charge; take these lessons from his hands. The place to learn that is in the house of God. When you go there, guard your steps, i.e., enter thoughtfully, expect to be taught something. In ancient Israel, of course, the house of God was the Temple in Jerusalem. There sacrifices were offered, and explanation was made to the people as to what they meant. There the law was read, and the wisdom of God about life was given to people; this marvelous Old Testament was unfolded, with its tremendous insights into the truth about life, about what humanity basically and fundamentally is. The Temple was the only place in the land where people could learn these things. In our day the house of God is no longer a building. We must be clear about that. You, the people, are the house of God. What the Searcher is saying is that when you gather together as the people of God, be expectant; there is something to be learned. Secondly, he says, listen carefully: ...to draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil. (Ecclesiastes 5:1b RSV) A fool is somebody who glibly utters naive, ingenuous and usually false things. What the Searcher clearly has in mind here is our tendency to complain and murmur about what has been handed us in life. When we gripe and grouse about our circumstances we are really complaining against God. We are complaining about the choice God has made in his wonderful plan for our life. We will never learn to enjoy anything that way, not even our pleasures, let alone our pain. So he says, listen carefully, for among the people of God the truth of God is being declared; the wisdom of God is being set forth. Just this morning a man said to me, "I have been going through a painful experience this past week. I learned to see myself and it horrified me. I saw things in myself which I despise in others." That is encouraging. There is a man who is learning truth about himself. Bob Utley sets the context Chapters 4-5 form a literary unit. Remember, literary units are the original author(s)' way to explain and illustrate the main points of the whole book by means of literary structure. Chapter 5 begins with a number of commands (warnings) about worship: "Guard your steps," Eccl. 5:1, BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal IMPERATIVE "Do not be hasty in word," Eccl. 5:2, BDB 96, KB 111, Piel IMPERFECT, but used in a JUSSIVE sense (like a command) "Impulsive in thought," Eccl. 5:2, BB 554, KB 553, Piel IMPERFECT, but used in a JUSSIVE sense "Let your words be few," Eccl. 5:2, BDB 224, KB 243, Qal IMPERFECT, but used in a JUSSIVE sense "Do not be late" (in paying a vow), Eccl. 5:4, BDB 29, KB 34, Piel IMPERFECT, but used in a JUSSIVE sense "Pay what you vow," Eccl. 5:4, BDB 1022, KB 1532, Piel IMPERATIVE "Do not say. . .," Eccl. 5:6, BDB 56, KB 65, Qal IMPERFECT, but used in a JUSSIVE sense "Fear God," Eccl. 5:7, BDB 431, KB 432, Qal IMPERATIVE The paragraph, Eccl. 5:1-7, deals with proper worship attitudes and procedures. The summary command is in Eccl. 5:7 (i.e., #8). The recurrent conclusions of Qoheleth are Enjoy each day and the simple God-given pleasures of life as they come (Eccl. 2:24-26; 3:12,13,22; 5:18; 8:15; 9:7-9). Fear God (Eccl. 1:7; 3:14; 5:7; 7:18; 8:12; 12:13) and keep His commandments (i.e., The Two Ways, cf. Eccl. 12:13)! NET NOTE - Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Beginning with Ec 5:1, the verse numbers through Ec 5:20 in the English Bible differ by one from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with Ec 5:1 ET = 4:17 HT, Ec 5:2 ET = 5:1 HT, etc., through Ec 5:20 ET = Ec 5:19 HT. Beginning with Ec 6:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same. GUARD YOUR STEPS Heb “Guard your feet.” The Kethib is the plural רַגְלֶיךָ (raglekha, “your feet”), while the Qere is the singular רַגְלְךָ (raglékha, “your foot”), which is preserved in several medieval Hebrew MSS and is reflected in the versions (LXX, Aramaic Targum, Vulgate, Syriac Peshitta). For example, the LXX reads πόδα σου (poda sou, “your foot”) which reflects רַגְלְךָ. The exhortation, “Guard your feet” is an idiom for “Watch your steps,” i.e., “Be careful what you do.” This is a compound figure: “foot” is a metonymy for “step,” and “step” is a metonymy for “action” (e.g., Job 12:5; 23:11; 31:5; Pss 119:59, 101, 105; Prov 1:16; 3:23; 4:26–27; 6:18; 19:2; Isa 58:13; 59:7; Jer 14:10). For example, “I have refrained my feet from every evil way” (Ps 119:101); see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 648. HOUSE OF GOD - Heb “the house of God.” The term “house” (בַּיִת, bayit) is a synecdoche of general (i.e., house) for specific (i.e., temple), e.g., 1 Kgs 6:3; 7:12; 1 Chr 9:11; 2 Chr 3:8; 28:11. See E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 620. The section warns against rash vows therefore, the nuance “to listen” is more appropriate: the wise man will be slow to speak and quick to listen in the presence of God; however, the fool is unrestrained and speaks rashly. DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN - Alternately, “to obey.” The term לִשְׁמֹעַ (lishmoa’, preposition + Qal infinitive construct from שָׁמַע, shama’, “to hear”) may be taken in one of two ways: (1) literal: “to listen” in contrast to speak or (2) figurative (metonymy of cause for effect) “to obey” in contrast to sacrifice (HALOT 1572 s.v. שׁמע 4; BDB 1033–34 s.v. שָׁמַע). The LXX took the term in the literal sense: τοῦ ἀκούειν (tou akouein, “to listen”). The English versions reflect both literal and figurative options: “obedience” (NJPS, Douay, NAB, NEB) versus “to hear [or listen]” (KJV, ASV, YLT, MLB, RSV, NASB, NIV, NRSV). The section warns against rash vows therefore, the nuance “to listen” is more appropriate: the wise man will be slow to speak and quick to listen in the presence of God; however, the fool is unrestrained and speaks rashly. SACRIFICE - The term “sacrifice” (זֶבַח, zevakh) is the general term that refers to the thank offering and free will offering (Lev 7:12, 16). This section focuses on making vows in prayer and fulfilling them, such as the vow offering. The term “sacrifice” functions as a synecdoche of general (i.e., sacrifice) for specific (i.e., vow offering). OF FOOLS - Heb “the fools, a sacrifice.” The term “fools” (הַכְּסִילִים, hakkésilim) is an adverbial accusative of comparison (e.g., GKC 375 §118.r): “rather than giving a sacrifice like fools” (מִתֵּת הַכְּסִילִים זָבַח, mittet hakkésilim zavakh). Contextually, the “sacrifice” is a rash vow made to God that is not fulfilled. The rash vow is referred to in 5:2 as the “voice of a fool.” Qoheleth admonishes the fool against making a rash vow that is not paid: “When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it; for God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow! It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it” (vv. 4–5 [3–4 HT]). Draw near (offer, bring near) (07126) qarab/qarav means to come near or approach. It is a verb which basically indicates coming physically closer. In general qarab signifies “approach or coming near someone or something” apart from any sense of intimacy. To come near (1Sa 17:41, Jonah 1:6, et al). To come near or approach ("When they saw him [Joseph] from a distance and before he came close to them." Ge 37:18) Speaks of arrival at a country ("came near to Egypt" Ge 12:11) Of the nearness of a time such as the end of mourning (“The days of mourning for my father are near" Ge 27:41) or time of death ("When the time for Israel to die drew near." Ge 47:29) Of sexual intimacy ("Abimelech had not come near her" Ge 20:4) Judah refused to draw near though invited, even while Moses was told (first use in OT) "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." (Ex 3:5). Thus it was is used of approaching God (Ex. 3:5; Dt. 4:11; 5:23, 27; Isa. 48:16; 1Sa. 14:36). Another prohibition to draw near involved the adulteress ("do not go near the door of her house" Pr 5:8) Foreigners invited to celebrate Passover ("let him come near to celebrate it" Ex 12:48) Israel invited to draw near even in their sin! ("Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumblings.”) A prayer for God to draw near ("Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it" Ps 69:18, cp Ps 119:169). Of bringing or presenting an offering ("bringing near one's sacrifice") to the LORD and thus often translated "offer" (Lev 2:1, 4, 8, Nu 26:61, 31:50, et al). Since Israel would not draw near for worship, God says "I will draw near to you for judgment." (Mal 3:5) Figuratively of plague not coming near (Ps 91:10). Fools (03684) kesil is a stupid fellow, a morally insensitive dullard, whether it be in spiritual, intellectual, or moral matters. These are stupid people who are totally confident in own wisdom, thinking they have it all figured out without God's assistance. Swanson adds that kesil refers to (1) foolishness, stupidity, insolence, i.e., the state of being in complete lack of understanding, implying rebellion (Pr 10:1); (2) fool, insolent person, i.e., one completely lacking understanding, implying to be a rebel against standard or person (Pr 10:18). Vine - The kesil is “insolent” in religion and “stupid or dull” in wise living (living out a religion he professes)....They have knowledge of God but do not properly evaluate or understand what they know...(In Proverbs the fool) rejects the claims and teachings of wisdom. However, in the Bible wisdom is the practical outworking of one’s religion. Therefore, even in these contexts there is a clear connotation of insolence in religion. (Vine's Expository Dictionary) KESIL - 69V - fool(35), fool's(2), foolish(6), foolish man's(1), fools(23), stupid(1), stupid man(1), stupid ones(1). Ps. 49:10; Ps. 92:6; Ps. 94:8; Prov. 1:22; Prov. 1:32; Prov. 3:35; Prov. 8:5; Prov. 10:1; Prov. 10:18; Prov. 10:23; Prov. 12:23; Prov. 13:16; Prov. 13:19; Prov. 13:20; Prov. 14:7; Prov. 14:8; Prov. 14:16; Prov. 14:24; Prov. 14:33; Prov. 15:2; Prov. 15:7; Prov. 15:14; Prov. 15:20; Prov. 17:10; Prov. 17:12; Prov. 17:16; Prov. 17:21; Prov. 17:24; Prov. 17:25; Prov. 18:2; Prov. 18:6; Prov. 18:7; Prov. 19:1; Prov. 19:10; Prov. 19:13; Prov. 19:29; Prov. 21:20; Prov. 23:9; Prov. 26:1; Prov. 26:3; Prov. 26:4; Prov. 26:5; Prov. 26:6; Prov. 26:7; Prov. 26:8; Prov. 26:9; Prov. 26:10; Prov. 26:11; Prov. 26:12; Prov. 28:26; Prov. 29:11; Prov. 29:20; Eccl. 2:14; Eccl. 2:15; Eccl. 2:16; Eccl. 4:5; Eccl. 4:13; Eccl. 5:1; Eccl. 5:3; Eccl. 5:4; Eccl. 6:8; Eccl. 7:4; Eccl. 7:5; Eccl. 7:6; Eccl. 7:9; Eccl. 9:17; Eccl. 10:2; Eccl. 10:12; Eccl. 10:15 Read through the uses of kesil in Proverbs for a more complete Biblical understanding of a fool - e.g., they are complacent, they will be destroyed, etc (Pr 1:32). Then read Torrey's description of Fools F B
Eclesiastes 5
Stedman - Notice how the chapter closes: For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. (Ecclesiastes 5:20RSV) Have you ever met people like that? They have lived a full life, but they never talk about the past. Some people live in the past. William Randolph Hearst, who amassed one of the great fortunes of our time, ended his days amidst all the opulence and splendor of the castle which he built in Southern California, sitting in a basement, playing over and over again the movies of his paramour from Hollywood, in an effort to eke out a degree of enjoyment from the past. When people discover the richness of life which God has provided they do not think of the past, or even talk about it (ED: I WOULD ARGUE THIS POINT SLIGHTLY. I THINK ABOUT THE PAST BUT ONLY TO BE REMINDED OF HOW FAR GOD HAS BROUGHT ME IN THE PRESENT!). They do not talk about the future either because they are so richly involved with the savor of life right now. (ED: I DISAGREE WITH THIS FOR SURE - I SPEAK OF THE FUTURE ALL THE TIME FOR THAT IS OUR BLESSED HOPE!) How good it is to know the Living God, to know that he controls what comes into your life. He expects you to make choices; Scripture always encourages that. But rejoice in the wisdom of a Father's heart, and richly enjoy what is handed you day-by-day; that is the secret of life. Such a one "will not much remember the days of his life" because God will keep him occupied "with joy in his heart." 🙏 THOUGHT - Ecclesiastes 5:20 paints a beautiful picture of a life so full of God-given joy that it’s unburdened by constant reflection, regret, or fear of time slipping away. This is not a call to ignore mortality—it’s a call to live fully in light of God’s goodness. When we receive our days as gifts, and see even our labor as blessed, we become too joyfully busy with the present to mourn the past or dread the future. Paul expresses this idea similarly in Philippians 4:11–13+, where contentment was something Paul learned and which led to peace in all circumstances. Is my life marked more by regret over the past or joy in the present? Am I preoccupied with aging, deadlines, or legacy—or with the gladness of heart that only God can give? Oswald Chambers - If we try to find lasting joy in any human relationship (ED: OR WEALTH) it will end in vanity, something that passes like a morning cloud. The true joy of a man’s life is in his relationship to God, and the great point of the Hebrew confidence in God is that it does not unfit a man for his actual life. That is always the test of a false religion. (The Shade of His Hand)