Albert Barnes Commentary Ecclesiastes 9:7-12

"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let not thy head lack oil. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity: for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them." — Ecclesiastes 9:7-12 (ASV)

Read these six verses together to understand the writer's meaning, and compare (Ecclesiastes 2:1–12).

After the description (Ecclesiastes 9:5–6) of the portionless condition of the dead, the next thought that occurs is that the man who is prosperous and active should simply enjoy his portion throughout this life (Ecclesiastes 9:7–10). Then (Ecclesiastes 9:11–12) follows the correcting thought (see note on Ecclesiastes 3:1-15), introduced as usual (Ecclesiastes 2:12; Ecclesiastes 4:1; Ecclesiastes 4:7) by I returned, namely, that the course of events is arranged and regulated by a will other than man's.

The person addressed is one whose life of labor is already pleasing to God, and who bears visible signs of God’s favor.

(Ecclesiastes 9:7)

Now accepts - Rather: “already has pleasure in.” Joy (the marginal reference note) is regarded as a sign of the approval and favor of God.

(Ecclesiastes 9:8)

White garments and perfume are simply an expressive sign of joy.

(Ecclesiastes 9:10)

The works which we carry on here with the combined energies of body and soul come to an end in the hour of death, when the soul enters a new sphere of existence, and body and soul cease to act together. .

Device - See note on Ecclesiastes 7:25.

(Ecclesiastes 9:11)

Chance - Or, “incident,” that which comes to us from without, one of the external events described in Ecclesiastes 3. (Compare to note on Ecclesiastes 2:14).

(Ecclesiastes 9:12)

Time - See Ecclesiastes 3:1 and following.