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ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 7
A good name desirable; and the house of mourning and rebuke better than songs and laughter, Ecc_7:1-6. Exhortations to patience and perseverance, Ecc_7:7-10. Wisdom and money a defence, Ecc_7:11,12. God’s providence should render its contented: our duty both in prosperity and adversity, Ecc_7:13,14. Prudence and the fear of God necessary in this world, Ecc_7:15-18. The praise of wisdom, Ecc_7:19. All men are sinners, Ecc_7:20. Other men’s opinions of thee not too much to be minded: the motive thereto, Ecc_7:21,22. The Preacher’s experience thereof, Ecc_7:23-25. An evil woman more bitter than death, Ecc_7:26-28. God created man good, Ecc_7:29.
Having largely discoursed of the vanity of all worldly things, and now said in the foregoing verse that no man knew what was best for him, he now proceeds to prescribe some remedies against these vanities, and to direct men to the right method of obtaining that felicity which is not to be expected or found in this world.
A good name; a good and well-grounded report from wise and worthy persons. Heb. a name, which is put for a good name by a synecdoche, that only being worthy to be called a name, because evil and worthless men quickly lose their name and memory. Thus a wife is put for a good wife, Pro_18:22, and a day for a good day, Luk_19:42,44.
Precious ointment; which was very fragrant, and acceptable, and useful, and of great price, especially in those countries. See Deu_33:24 Psa_92:10 133:2 Isa_39:2.
The day of death, to wit, of a good man, or one who hath left a good name behind him, which is easily understood both from the former clause, and from the nature of the thing; for to a wicked man this day is far worse, and most terrible. Yet if this passage be delivered with respect only to this life, and abstracting from the future life, as many other passages in this book are to be understood, then this may be true in general of all men, and is the consequent of all the former discourse. Seeing this life is so full of vanity, and vexation, and misery, it is a more desirable thing for a man to go out of it, than to come into it; which is the more considerable note, because it is contrary to the opinion and practice of almost all mankind, to celebrate their own or children’s birth-days with solemn feasts and rejoicings, and their deaths with all expressions of sorrow.