Ecclesiastes Chapter 10
10:1. Just as one would throw out an entire bottle of perfume because of a dead fly in it, so people often reject a
prominent man because of one mistake or character flaw.
10:5-7. Many unnatural reversals are the experience of life.
10:8, 9. Everyday activities may result in disasters that no one can predict.
10:12-15. The fool is characterized by much useless talk (vv. 12-14) and by incompetent behavior (v. 15).
10:20. Careless words have a way of being discovered by those in authority.
Ecclesiastes Chapters 11
11:1-6. These verses contain a series of sayings about the uncertainty of human industry, and are held together by
the fourfold occurrence of the expression thou knowest not. Although man cannot comprehend God's work, nor
predict success, he needs to be involved in life's activities and trust God for the results.
11:7-10. Once again the exhortation to enjoyment is put in the imperative mood. Here the appeal is particularly
addressed to the youth to admonish him to enjoy life before the onset of the feeble years described in 12:1-7. The
comparison with light (v. 7) speaks of the enjoyment of life (cf. Ps. 97:11). Verse 8 adds a cautionary note to
enjoyment that may be summarized in two ideas: (1) There will be many days of darkness, calamitous days. (2). All
that cometh is vanity: That is, joys will not come easily; they must be wrested from a puzzling and futile life. Verse 9
can hardly be taken in a hedonistic sense, because the controlling factor in the youth's enjoyment is said to be God's
judgment. Rather, it is a warning against a life misspent in self-indulgence.
Ecclesiastes Chapters 12
12:1-7. Though these verses describe old age, they are actually addressed to the youth
(v. 1). The gradual darkening of the heavenly bodies represents declining vitality and joy, and the approaching clouds
represent the storms of old age (v. 2). The keepers of the house are the arms; the strong men are the legs; the
grinders are the teeth; and those that look out of the windows are the eyes (v. 3). Growing old is further compared to
the decline of a great estate (v. 4). The almond tree is a reference to the white hair of old age; the crippled
grasshopper pictures the halting gait of the elderly; and desire that fails may be the loss of sexual desire (v. 5).
Finally, life itself in all its preciousness is cut off. Death is pictured as the irreversible shattering of the golden bowl
when cut from the end of a silver cord and the similar smashing of a pitcher or wheel (v. 6). After death the spirit
returns to God for judgment and the body returns to dust (cf. Gen. 3:19).
12:9-11. Solomon is described as a wise man who taught what is upright and true, not as a cynic, pessimist, skeptic,
and so on. From one shepherd, God, is the origin of the book's teaching.
12:12-14. God has not answered every problem of life, but He has commanded man to live joyfully, responsibility, and
wisely. Finally, the controlling factor of all life should be the fear of God, that is, submission to God and His revelation
(cf. Prov. 1:7) The certainty of divine judgment demands it.