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Ecclesiastes 7:4 | Word Study

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. Ecclesiastes 7:4 (KJV)

The ‘heart’ refers to the centre of anything… it may also refer to consent, will, intellect, et cetera. (H3824)[1] It seems the ‘heart’ refers to, where the focus of a person is located. Henry notes that for the wise, the focus remains on the natural state of our existence: sin, suffering, and death. Perhaps, this is why Qoheleth prefers this over empty indulgence of joy. Henry writes, “Sorrow is better than laughter, more agreeable to our present state, where we are daily sinning and suffering ourselves, more or less, and daily seeing the sins and sufferings of others.” This is why, the wise man centres himself to such state. Bartholomew writes, “The heart is the center of the person, and for Qohelet the ‘wise’ person’s center dwells in the house of mourning. Qohelet’s logic leads him to the view that the wise person is consumed with death and the fool with celebration and joy.” (212)

References:

Bartholomew, C. (2009). Ecclesiastes, Baker Academic

Henry, M. (1706). Commentary on the Whole Bible, Complete, Eccl. 7:1-6

[1] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3824/kjv/wlc/0-1/

Ecclesiastes 7:3 | Word Study

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. Ecclesiastes 7:3 (KJV)

The word for ‘sorrow’ is derived from ka‛as כַּעַס, and it means ‘vexation, or anger.’ (H3708)[1] Here, anger is positioned in the context of our sinful existence, and God’s divine disapproval of it. (Provan, 161) In such a case, vexation of spirit is better. It reflects the sort of wisdom that invokes the understanding of the desperate state of the spiritual life. Laughter only deepens the vanity of life; it contributes to the enigma that humans are already entrenched in.

Reference:

Provan, I. (2001). Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs: The New Application Commentary, Zondervan

[1] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3708/kjv/wlc/0-1/

Ecclesiastes 7:2 | Word Study

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Ecclesiastes 7:2 (KJV)

The preference of mourning over feasting might imply a suggest an anti-joy thesis. But that is not the case. Qoheleth’s suggestion to take joy as God’s gift still stands. The distinction rather is of pursuit; we have two distinctive senses of joy here. One, to be joyous, eating and drinking and being content within the scope of God’s providence. And two, pursuing such joy; which is typically a copy of a genuine gift from God. This latter sense of joy is what Qoheleth seems to be dismissing in this verse. Provan writes, “It is, rather, the pursuit of them as part of a frivolous and trivializing way of life that is under consideration. There is a way of living that is centered on feasting, on the pursuit of joy, on empty laughter and singing. This is life lived in denial of the true nature of things, hoping to push reality to the margins by flooding the senses with sensation and drowning out quiet contemplation with noise.” (160)

Reference:

Provan, I. (2001). Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs: The New Application Commentary, Zondervan