Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
over much wicked—so worded, to answer to "righteous over much." For if not taken thus, it would seem to imply that we may be wicked a little. "Wicked" refers to "wicked man" (Ecclesiastes 7:15); "die before thy time," to "prolongeth his life," antithetically. There may be a wicked man spared to "live long," owing to his avoiding gross excesses (Ecclesiastes 7:15). Solomon says, therefore, Be not so foolish (answering antithetically to "over wise," Ecclesiastes 7:16), as to run to such excess of riot, that God will be provoked to cut off prematurely thy day of grace (Romans 2:5). The precept is addressed to a sinner. Beware of aggravating thy sin, so as to make thy case desperate. It refers to the days of Solomon's "vanity" (apostasy, Ecclesiastes 7:15), when only such a precept would be applicable. By litotes it includes, "Be not wicked at all."
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ecclesiastes 7:17:
Job 22:16
Ecclesiastes 7:16
Ecclesiastes 7:18
Ecclesiastes 7:23
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