2:7 I purchased male and female slaves,
and I owned slaves who were born in my house; 1
I also possessed more livestock – both herds and flocks –
than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. 2
2:12 Next, I decided to consider 3 wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. 4
For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king 5 has already done?
4:4 Then I considered 6 all the skillful work 7 that is done:
Surely it is nothing more than 8 competition 9 between one person and another. 10
This also is profitless – like 11 chasing the wind.
6:9 It is better to be content with 12 what the eyes can see 13
than for one’s heart always to crave more. 14
This continual longing 15 is futile – like 16 chasing the wind.
6:10 Whatever has happened was foreordained, 17
and what happens to a person 18 was also foreknown.
It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate
because God is more powerful than he is. 19
1 tn The phrase “sons of a house” (בְנֵי בַיִת, vÿne vayit) appears to be parallel to “a son of my house” (בֶן־בֵּיתִי, ven-beti) which refers to a person born into slavery from male and female servants in the master’s possession, e.g., Eleazar of Damascus (Gen 15:3). The phrase appears to denote children born from male and female slaves already in his possession, that is, “homeborn slaves” (NASB) or “other slaves who were born in my house” (NIV). Apparently confusing the sense of the phrase with the referent of the phrase in Gen 15:3, NJPS erroneously suggests “stewards” in Eccl 2:7.
2 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
3 tn Heb “and I turned to see.”
4 sn See 1:17 for the same expression. Throughout 2:1-11, Qoheleth evaluated the merits of merrymaking (2:1-3), accomplishing grand things (2:4-6), amassing great wealth (2:7-8), and secular acquisitions and accomplishments (2:9-10). Now, he reflects on the benefit in life in living wisely and not giving oneself over to frivolous self-indulgence.
5 tc The Hebrew text reads עָשׂוּהוּ (’asuhu, “they have done it”; Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural from עָשַׂה [’asah] + 3rd person masculine singular suffix). However, many medieval Hebrew
6 tn Heb “saw.”
7 tn Heb “all the toil and all the skill.” This Hebrew clause (אֶת־כָּל־עָמָל וְאֵת כָּל־כִּשְׁרוֹן, ’et-kol-’amal vÿ’et kol-kishron) is a nominal hendiadys (a figurative expression in which two independent phrases are used to connote the same thing). The second functions adverbially, modifying the first, which retains its full nominal function: “all the skillful work.”
8 tn The phrase “nothing more than” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
9 tn The noun קִנְאַה (qin’ah, “competition”) has a wide range of meanings: “zeal; jealousy; envy; rivalry; competition; suffering; animosity; anger; wrath” (HALOT 1110 s.v.; BDB 888 s.v.). Here, as in 9:6, it denotes “rivalry” (BDB 888 s.v. 1) or “competitive spirit” (HALOT 1110 s.v. 1.b). The LXX rendered it ζῆλος (zhlos, “envy; jealousy”). The English versions reflect this broad range: “rivalry” (NEB, NAB, NASB), “envy” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV, MLB, NIV, NJPS), and “jealousy” (Moffatt).
10 tn Heb “a man and his neighbor.”
11 tn The word “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
12 tn The phrase “to be content with” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
13 tn The expression מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם (mar’eh ’enayim, “the seeing of the eyes”) is a metonymy of cause (i.e., seeing an object) for effect (i.e., being content with what the eyes can see); see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 552-54.
14 tn Heb “the roaming of the soul.” The expression מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ (mehalakh-nafesh, “the roaming of the soul”) is a metonymy for unfulfilled desires. The term “soul” (נֶפֶשׁ, nefesh) is used as a metonymy of association for man’s desires and appetites (BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 5.c; 6.a). This also involves the personification of the roving appetite as “roving” (מֵהֲלָךְ); see BDB 235 s.v. הָלַךְ II.3.f; 232 I.3.
15 tn The phrase “continual longing” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
16 tn The term “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.
17 tn Heb “already its name was called.”
18 tn Or “and what a person (Heb “man”) is was foreknown.”
19 tn Heb “he cannot contend with the one who is more powerful than him.” The referent of the “the one who is more powerful than he is” (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “with God about his fate” have been added for clarity as well.