The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Wisdom” it comes from the Hebrew Word “chokmah” which means “wisdom.”
The Preacher pursues pleasure, achievement, and wisdom, testing whether any brings lasting satisfaction. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is Ecclesiastes 2.
The Preacher says in his heart, “Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure,” but behold, this also was vanity, describing how he sought in his heart to give himself unto wine, yet acquainting his heart with wisdom, and to lay hold on folly, till he might see what was good for the sons of men.
The Preacher describes his extensive achievements, making great works, building houses, planting vineyards, making gardens and orchards, planting trees, making pools of water, getting servants and maidens, having great possessions of great and small cattle above all who were before him in Jerusalem, gathering silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings, getting men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, becoming great, and increasing more than all who were before him, his “wisdom,” “chokmah” in Hebrew, also remaining with him.
The Preacher describes withholding not his heart from any joy, yet when he looked on all the works his hands had wrought, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun, turning to consider wisdom, madness, and folly, seeing that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness, yet perceiving one event happens to them all, the wise man dying just like the fool, so he hated life, since the work done under the sun was grievous to him, closing with the observation that there is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor, since this too is from the hand of God.
The Preacher’s exhaustive experiment, testing pleasure, achievement, wealth, and wisdom in turn, models genuine, thorough investigation rather than dismissing worldly pursuits without first honestly examining them. His sobering observation that both the wise man and the fool ultimately share the same fate confronts readers with mortality’s genuine equalizing power, a reality no amount of achievement or wisdom alone can ultimately escape or overcome.
Visit Us At: www.youtube.com/@BibleLifeBasics
Support Us On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BibleLifeBasics