John Gill Commentary Ecclesiastes 8:7

"for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?" — Ecclesiastes 8:7 (ASV)

For he knows not that which shall be
Or that "it shall be" ^F2 ; that he ever shall have the opportunity again he has lost, nor what is to come hereafter; what shall be on the morrow, or what shall befall him in the remaining part of his days; what troubles and sorrows he shall meet with, or what will be the case and circumstances of his family after his death; for who can tell him when it shall be ?
or "how it shall be" ^F3 ? how it will be with him or his; no one that pretends to judicial astrology, or to the art of divination, or any such devices, can tell him what is to come;

future things are only certainly known by God; none but he can tell what will certainly come to pass; see (Ecclesiastes 3:22) (6:12) ; Jarchi interprets it of a man's not considering for what God will bring him to judgment, and that no man can tell him the vengeance and punishment that will be inflicted.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F2: (hyhyv hm) "quod futurum est", Pagninus, Montanus.
• F3: (hyhy rvak) "quo modo", Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus, Rambachius, so Broughton.