Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

And had servants born in mine house] Sons of mine house; the children of an handmaid born in her masters house, were born servants unto the master of the house, Gen. 14.14. & 15.3. & 17.12. Jer. 2.14. hereunto David alludeth, when he saith, I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid, Psal. 116.16. The servants of Solomon, which were certain public officers, appointed by Solomon, we read of long after, Ezra 2.58. Neh. 7.60. who may seem to be those of the Canaanites, whom Solomon made bond-slaves, 1 Reg. 9.21. Some, by sons of the house, understand those officers whom Solomon did set over his house, to order the Affairs thereof, 1 Reg. 4.27.

And had servants born in mine house] Sons of mine house; the children of an handmaid born in her masters house, were born servants unto the master of the house, Gen. 14.14. & 15.3. & 17.12. Jer. 2.14. hereunto David alludeth, when he saith, I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid, Psal. 116.16. The servants of Solomon, which were certain publick officers, appointed by Solomon, we read of long after, Ezra 2.58. Neh. 7.60. who may seem to be those of the Canaanites, whom Solomon made bond-slaves, 1 Reg. 9.21. Some, by sons of the house, understand those officers whom Solomon did set over his house, to order the Affairs thereof, 1 Reg. 4.27.

possessions of great and small cattle] Or, I had cattle both great and small, or herds and flocks. The first word is general to all cattle, great or small; the two next, the species of that general, Gen. 34.23. 1 Reg. 4.22, 23, 26.

possessions of great and small cattel] Or, I had cattel both great and small, or herds and flocks. The first word is general to all cattel, great or small; the two next, the species of that general, Gen. 34.23. 1 Reg. 4.22, 23, 26.

above all that were before me in Jerusalem] ⟨p. 59⟩As more wisdom, Chap. 1.16. so more wealth, and provisions for that wisdom to work upon, 1 Reg. 3.13. & 10.23.

above all that were before me in Ierusalem] ⟨p. 59⟩As more wisdom, Chap. 1.16. so more wealth, and provisions for that wisdom to work upon, 1 Reg. 3.13. & 10.23.

and the peculiar treasure of Kings and of Provinces] Precious rarities, or most choice & desirable things, which men use to lay up in their treasures; the chief rarities of several Countries, 1 Chron. 29.3. Hence whatsoever is intimately dear and honourable, is metaphorically called segullah, Exod. 19.5. Psal. 135.4. Mal. 3.17. The Apostle rendereth it [Greek or Hebrew], Tit. 2.14. others, [Greek or Hebrew], that which is of principal worth and esteem, Isai. 39.2. The preciousest and most desirable things, which Kingdoms and Provinces could afford, or wherewith Princes and Provinces did use to present him, 1 Reg. 4.21. & 9.11. & 10.2, 10. 2 Chron. 9.9. & 10.24.

and the peculiar treasure of Kings and of Provinces] Precious rarities, or most choice & desirable things, which men use to lay up in their treasures; the chief rarities of several Countries, 1 Chron. 29.3. Hence whatsoever is intimately dear and honourable, is metaphorically called segullah, Exod. 19.5. Psal. 135.4. Mal. 3.17. The Apostle rendreth it 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Tit. 2.14. others, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, that which is of principal worth and esteem,

I gat me men singers and women singers] These as well as those, because naturally their voices are sweeter then mens: So we find ⟨p. 60⟩them joined, 2 Sam. 19.35. 2 Chron. 35.25. So we read, that not only Moses and the men, but Miriam and the women did sing at the overthrow of Pharaoh, Exod. 15.1. & 20.21. 1 Sam. 8.6, 7.

I gat me men singers and women singers] These as well as those, because naturally their voices are sweeter then mens: So we finde ⟨p. 60⟩them joyned, 2 Sam. 19.35. 2 Chron. 35.25. So we read, that not onely Moses and the men, but Miriam and the women did sing at the overthrow of Pharaoh, Exod. 15.1. & 20.21. 1 Sam. 8.6, 7.

and the delights of the sons of men, viz. musical instruments, &c.] The word translated musical instruments, is no where else used in the Scripture, and hath various interpretations put upon it. Some understanding by it, beautiful daughters, denominated from their breasts, as elsewhere from their womb, Judg. 5.30. Others, for choice and delicate women, taken as a prey in war, as we find there the manner was: and others for divers other things, as we find in Hierom, Drusius, Mercer, and others. But the most received sense, and most agreeable with the former delight of singers, is musical instruments.

and the delights of the sons of men, viz. musical instruments, &c.] The word translated musical instruments, is no where else used in the Scripture, and hath various interpretations put upon it. Some understanding by it, beautiful daughters, denominated from their brests, as elsewhere from their womb, Judg. 5.30. Others, for choice and delicate women, taken as a prey in war, as we finde there the manner was: and others for divers other things, as we find in Hierom, Drusius, Mercer, and others. But the most received sense, and most agreeable with the former delight of singers, is musical instruments.

V. 9. So I was great, and increased] Or, added to my greatness; as Chap. 1.16. 1 Reg. 10.23.

also my wisdom remained with me] This he addeth, 1. as a rare and unusual thing, that pleasures should not at all smother and suppress wisdom; 2. As an Argument towards the main conclusion, that in the midst of all these delights, he did intend the business for the which he used them, namely, ⟨p. 61⟩by wisdom to observe, what real good and satisfaction they did bring to the heart of man.

also my wisdome remained with me] This he addeth, 1. as a rare and unusual thing, that pleasures should not at all smother and suppress wisdom; 2. As an Argument towards the main conclusion, that in the midst of all these delights, he did intend the business for the which he used them, namely, ⟨p. 61⟩by wisdome to observe, what real good and satisfaction they did bring to the heart of man.

V. 10. And whatsoever mine eyes desired, &c.] It might be objected, That his wisdom haply and his fear of God, restrained both his eye and his heart from so full a fruition of these delights, as were requisite to extract all the comfort of them; so Job restrained his eye, Job 31.1. and Solomon adviseth a glutton to restrain his appetite, Prov. 23.2. Numb. 15.39. To this he answereth, That whatsoever his eyes desired, (as the eye is one of the principal seats of desire or lusting, 1 Joh, 2.16. Josh. 7.21.) he did not reserve any thing of it from them, which withheld his heart from any joy: Neither did any accidental hinderance intercede, as war, or sickness, or sorrow, or any notable affliction; which might debar him from a liberal and cheerful use of all this his greatness. The eye is here taken synecdochically for all the senses, (for in this ample preparation there was provision for them all.) Much labour and care he had taken to make those provisions for the flesh; (as the Apostles phrase in another sense is, Rom. 13.14.) and there was no other fruit of all that labour, but having gotten them, to enjoy them.

V. 10. And whatsoever mine eyes desired, &c.] It might be objected, That his wisdom haply and his fear of God, restrained both his eye and his heart from so full a fruition of these delights, as were requisite to extract all the comfort of them; so Job restrained his eye, Job 31.1. and Solomon adviseth a glutton to restrain his appetite, Prov. 23.2. Numb. 15.39. To this he answereth, That whatsoever his eyes desired, (as the eye is one of the principal seats of desire or lusting, 1 Joh, 2.16. Josh. 7.21.) he did not reserve any thing of it from them, which withheld his heart from any joy: Neither did any accidental hinderance intercede, as war, or sickness, or sorrow, or any notable affliction; which might debar him from a liberal and cheerful use of all this his greatnesse. The eye is here taken synecdochically for all the senses, (for in this ample preparation there was provision for them all.) Much labour and care he had taken to make those provisions for the flesh; (as the Apostles phrase in another sense is,

my heart rejoiced] That is, I my self did intimately rejoice and please my self in the fruit of my labours.

my heart rejoyced] That is, I my self did intimately rejoyce and please my self in the fruit of my labours.

this was my portion of all my labour] This was all the fruit, benefit, and as it were, inheritance, which my labours in this kind did purchase for me. A metaphor from the manner of dividing inheritances, Numb. 18.20. or spoils, 1 Sam. 30.24.

V. 11. Then I looked on all, &c.] After all this, I turned and looked back, or took an impartial survey of all my works, which with such painful labours and trouble I had wrought: and found, that the fruit was not answerable to the toil which was sustained for the reaping of it: but that this also was vanity, a perishing, withering, and dying comfort, a feeding upon wind, and that it left no abiding benefit behind it, Ch. 1.3.

V. 11. Then I looked on all, &c.] After all this, I turned and looked back, or took an impartial survey of all my works, which with such painful labours and trouble I had wrought: and found, that the fruit was not answerable to the toyl which was sustained for the reaping of it: but that this also was vanity, a perishing, withering, and dying comfort, a feeding upon wind, and that it left no abiding benefit behind it, Ch. 1.3.

V. 12. And I turned my self, &c.] Here Solomon doth once more seriously apply himself, as he did before, Chap. 1.17. to take a view of wisdom and folly. Because it might haply be objected, That at the first consideration of them, he might let many things slip, which were of weight and moment in his present inquiry. Because, second thoughts, and solemn review of former studies, may haply beget some retractation, and discover ⟨p. 63⟩some error: The later day being usually the disciple of the former; and we use to say, that the second thoughts are the wisest: therefore when the Scripture will put a thing beyond question, it says it over again, Gal. 8.9.

V. 12. And I turned my self, &c.] Here Solomon doth once more seriously apply himself, as he did before, Chap. 1.17. to take a view of wisdom and folly. Because it might haply be objected, That at the first consideration of them, he might let many things slip, which were of weight and moment in his present inquiry. Because, second thoughts, and solemn review of former studies, may haply beget some retractation, and discover ⟨p. 63⟩some error: The later day being usually the disciple of the former; and we use to say, that the second thoughts are the wisest: therefore when the Scripture will put a thing beyond question, it sayes it over again, Gal. 8.9.

I turned my self] This notes reconsideration and special heedfulness, to inquire a new into a business, and likewise a weariness of those pleasures which had disappointed him, Joh. 20.14.

to behold wisdom, and madness and folly] To compare the one with the other, that I might the better understand them, as contraries serve to set forth one the other. There is nothing more usual in Solomons Proverbs then this kind of Antithesis, to put contraries together for natural illustration.