John Gill Commentary Ecclesiastes 2

I said in mine heart
He communed with his heart, he thought and reasoned within himself, and came to this resolution in his own mind; that since he could not find happiness in natural wisdom and knowledge, he would seek for it elsewhere, even in pleasure; in which, he observed, some men placed their happiness; or, however, sought for it there: or, "I said to my heart", as the Syriac version; Go to now ;
or, "go, I pray you" ^F21 listen to what I am about to say, and pursue the track I shall now point out to you;

I will prove you with mirth ;
with those things which will cause mirth, joy, and pleasure; and try whether any happiness can be enjoyed this way, since it could not be had in wisdom and knowledge. Jarchi and Aben Ezra render it, "I will mingle", wine with water, or with spices; or, "I will pour out", wine in plenty to drink of, "with joy", and to promote mirth: but the Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, interpret it as we do, and which sense Aben Ezra makes mention of;

therefore enjoy pleasure ;
which man is naturally a lover of; he was so in his state of innocency, and this was the bait that was laid for him, and by which he was drawn into sin; and now he loves, lives in, and serves sinful pleasures; which are rather imaginary than real, and last but for a season, and end in bitterness: but such sordid lusts and pleasures are not here meant; Solomon was too wise and good a man to give into these, as the "summum bonum"; or ever to think there could be any happiness in them, or even to make a trial of them for that purpose: not criminal pleasures, or an impure, sottish, and epicurean life, are here intended; but manly, rational, and lawful pleasures, for no other are mentioned in the detail of particulars following; and, in the pursuit of the whole, he was guided and governed by his wisdom, and that remained in him, (Ecclesiastes 2:3Ecclesiastes 2:9) .

It may be rendered, "therefore see good" ^F23 ; look upon all the good, pleasant, and delectable things of life; and enjoy them in such a manner as, if possible, happiness may be attained in them; and, behold, this also [is] vanity ;
it will be found, by making the experiment, that there is no solid and substantial happiness in it, as it was by himself.

FOOTNOTES:

• F21: (an hkl) "age, quaeso", Tigurine version, Vatablus, Rambachius.
• F23: (bwjb harw) "et vide in bonum", Montanus; "et vide bonum", Vatablus, Mercerus, Cocceius, Gejerus; "fraere bono", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Amama, Rambachius.

I said of laughter, [it is] mad The risible faculty in man is given him for some usefulness; and when used in a moderate way, and kept within due bounds, is of service to him, and conduces to the health of his body, and the pleasure of his mind;

but when used on every trivial occasion, and at every foolish thing that is said or done, and indulged to excess, it is mere madness, and makes a man look more like a madman and a fool than a wise man; it lasts but for a while, and the end of it is heaviness, (Ecclesiastes 7:6) (Proverbs 14:13) .

Or, "I said to laughter, [you are] mad" ^F24 ; and therefore will have nothing to do with you in the excessive and criminal way, but shun you, as one would do a mad man: this therefore is not to be reckoned into the pleasure he bid his soul go to and enjoy;

and of mirth, what does it do ? what good does it do? of what profit and advantage is it to man? If the question is concerning innocent mirth, the answer may be given out of (Proverbs 15:13) (17:22) ; but if of carnal sinful mirth, there is no good arises from that to the body or mind; or any kind of happiness to be enjoyed that way, and therefore no trial is to be made of it.

What the wise man proposed to make trial of, and did, follows in the next verses.

FOOTNOTES:

• F24: (llwhm ytrma qwxvl) "risui dixi, insanis", Mercerus, Drusius, Amama; "vel insanus es", Piscator, Schmidt, Rambachius.

I sought in my heart to give myself to wine
Not in an immoderate way, so as to intoxicate himself with it, in which there can be no pleasure, nor any show of happiness; but in a moderate, yet liberal way, so as to be innocently cheerful and pleasant, and hereby try what good and happiness were to be possessed in this way.

By "wine" is meant, not that only, but everything eatable and drinkable that is good; it signifies what is called good living, good eating and drinking: Solomon always lived well; was brought up as a prince, and, when he came to the throne, lived like a king; but being increased in riches, and willing to make trial of the good that was in all the creatures of God, to see if any happiness was in them; determines to keep a better table still, and resolved to have everything to eat or drink that could be had, cost what it will; of Solomon's daily provision for his household, see (1 Kings 4:22 1 Kings 4:23) ; the Midrash interprets it, of the wine of the law.

It may be rendered, "I sought in my heart to draw out my flesh with wine", or "my body" ^F25 ; to extend it, and make it fat and plump; which might be reduced to skin and bones, to a mere skeleton, through severe studies after wisdom and knowledge.

The Targum is,

(yet acquainting my heart with wisdom) ;
or, "yet my heart led [me] in wisdom" ^F26 : he was guided and governed by wisdom in this research of happiness; he was upon his guard, that he did not go into any sinful extravagancies, or criminal excesses in eating and drinking;

and to lay hold on folly ;
that he might better know what folly was, and what was the folly of the sons of men to place their happiness in such things; or rather, he studiously sought to lay hold on folly, to restrain it, and himself from it, that it might not have the ascendant over him; so that he would not be able to form a right judgment whether there is any real happiness in this sort of pleasure, or not, he is, speaking of; for the epicure, the voluptuous person, is no judge of it;

till I might see what [was] that good for the sons of men, which they
should do under the heaven all the days of their life ;
where the "summum bonum", or chief happiness of man lies; and which he should endeavour to seek after and pursue, that he might enjoy it throughout the whole of his life, while in this world: and that he might still more fully know it, if possible, he did the following things.

FOOTNOTES:

• F25: (yrvb ta Nyyb Kwvml) "ut diducerem vino carnem meam", Piscator; "ut protraherem, et inde distenderem carnem meam", Rambachius.
• F26: (hmkxb ghn yblw) "et cor meam ducens in sapientia", Montanus; "interim cor meam ducens in sapientiam", Drusius.

I made me great works
He did not spend his time in trifling things, as Domitian ^F1, in catching and killing flies; but in devising, designing, directing, and superintending great works of art and skill, becoming the grandeur of his state, and the greatness of his mind: the Midrash restrains it to his great throne of ivory, overlaid with gold, (1 Kings 10:18), but it is a general expression, including all the great things he did, of which the following is a particular enumeration.

I built me houses; among which must not be reckoned the house of God, though that was built by him, and in the first place; yet this was built, not for his own pleasure and grandeur, but for the worship and glory of God: but his own house and palace is chiefly meant, which was thirteen years in building; and the house of the forest in Lebanon, which perhaps was his country seat; with all other houses and offices, for his stores, for his servants, his horsemen, and chariots; see (1 Kings 7:1 1 Kings 7:2) (1 Kings 9:1 1 Kings 9:19); and in fine spacious buildings men take a great deal of pleasure, and promise themselves much happiness in dwelling in them, and in perpetuating their names to posterity by them; see (Psalms 49:11) (Job 21:21). The Targum is, "I multiplied good works in Jerusalem; I built me houses; the house of the sanctuary, to make atonement for Israel; the king's house of refreshment, and the conclave and porch; and the house of judgment, of hewn stones, where the wise men sit and do judgment; I made a throne of ivory for the royal seat;"

I planted me vineyards; perhaps those at Engedi were of his planting; however, he had one at Baalhamon, and no doubt in other places, (Song of Solomon 1:14) (8:11); the Targum makes mention of one at Jabne, planted by him; these also add to the pleasure of human life; it is delightful to walk in them, to gather the fruit and drink of the wine of them; see (Song of Solomon 7:12).

FOOTNOTES:

• F1: Sueton. Vit. Domitian. c. 3. Aurel. Victor. De. Caesar. & Epitome.

I made me gardens and orchards
Of the king's garden, we read (Jeremiah 39:4) . Adrichomius ^F2 makes mention of a royal garden in the suburbs of Jerusalem, fenced with walls; and was a paradise of fruit trees, herbs, spices, and flowers; abounded with all kind of fruit, exceeding pleasant and delightful to the senses: and, as Solomon was so great a botanist, and knew the nature and use of all kinds of trees and herbs, (1 Kings 4:33) ; no doubt but he has a herbal garden, well stocked with everything of that kind, curious and useful; see (1 Kings 21:2) . Gardens are made for pleasure as well as profit; Adam, as soon as created, was put into a garden, to add to his natural pleasure and felicity, as well as for his employment, (Genesis 2:8) ; and the pleasure of walking in a garden, and partaking of the fruits of it, are alluded to by Solomon, (Song of Solomon 4:12Song of Solomon 4:13Song of Solomon 4:16) (5:1) (6:9) ;

and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits ;
which, as before observed, he had thorough knowledge of, and many of which were brought him from foreign parts; and all served to make his gardens, orchards, parks, forests, and enclosures, very pleasant and delectable. The Targum adds, ``some for food, others for drink, and others for medicine.''

FOOTNOTES:

• F2: Theatrum Terrae Sanctae, p. 170.