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Ecclesiastes 9:11
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9 1Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; afor that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.  
10 aWhatever your hand finds to do, do it with your bmight; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.  
11 I returned aand saw under the sun that—
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and bchance happen to them all. 
12 For aman also does not know his time:
Like fish taken in a cruel net,
Like birds caught in a snare,
So the sons of men are bsnared in an evil time,
When it falls suddenly upon them.  

Wisdom Superior to Folly

13 This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
14 aThere was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great1 snares around it.  
Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
<< Ecclesiastes 9:10   Ecclesiastes 9:12 >>


Ecclesiastes 9:11

This verse qualifies the sentiment, Ecclesiastes 9:7-9. Earthly "enjoyments," however lawful in their place (Ecclesiastes 3:1), are to give way when any work to be done for God requires it. Reverting to the sentiment (Ecclesiastes 8:17), we ought, therefore, not only to work God's work "with might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10), but also with the feeling that the event is wholly "in God's hand" (Ecclesiastes 9:1).

race . . . not to the swift— (II Samuel 18:23); spiritually (Zephaniah 3:19; Romans 9:16).

nor . . . battle to . . . strong— (I Samuel 17:47; II Chronicles 14:9, II Chronicles 14:11, II Chronicles 14:15; Psalms 33:16).

bread—livelihood.

favour—of the great.

chance—seemingly, really Providence. But as man cannot "find it out" (Ecclesiastes 3:11), he needs "with all might" to use opportunities. Duties are ours; events, God's.


 
<< Ecclesiastes 9:10   Ecclesiastes 9:12 >>

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