Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Ecclesiastes 9

Ecc 9:2 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: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

All things come alike to all

Job 21:7; Psa 73:3, 12, 13; Mal 3:15.

Ecc 9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

eat thy bread with joy

Ecc 8:15.

Ecc 9:9 Live joyfully 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 this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

Live joyfully

Heb. see [life] or, enjoy life.

that is thy portion

Ecc 2:10, 24; 3:13, 22; 5:18.

Ecc 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

there is no work

Verse 10 is no more a divine revelation concerning the state of the dead than any other conclusion of "the Preacher" (Ecc 1:1) is such a revelation. Reasoning from the standpoint of man "under the sun," the natural man can see no difference between a dead man and a dead lion. (Ecc 9:4). A living dog is better than either. No one would quote verse 2 as a divine revelation. These reasonings of man apart from divine revelation are set down by inspiration just as the words of Satan (Gen 3:4; Job 2:4, 5, etc.) are so set down. But that life and consciousness continue between death and resurrection is directly affirmed in Scripture (Isa 14:9-11; Mat 22:32; Mar 9:43-48; Luk 16:19-31; Jhn 11:26; 2Co 5:6-8; Phl 1:21-23; Rev 6:9-11).

grave

Hebrew sheol. See Scofield Habakkuk 2:5, note.

Ecc 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that 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; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

the race is not to the swift

Jer 9:23; Amo 2:14, 15.

Ecc 9:12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

snared in an evil time

Pro 29:6; Luk 12:20, 39; 17:26; 1Th 5:3.

Ecc 9:14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

a little city

See 2Sa 20:16, 22.

Ecc 9:16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

the poor man's wisdom is despised

Mar 6:2, 3.

Ecc 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

one sinner destroyeth much good

Jos 7:1, 11, 12.