Month: January 2026

A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. Ecclesiastes 6:2 (KJV)

‘… a man to whom God giveth,’ translates to ‘a man, that God should give to him.’ (Seow, 210) The formulation seems to be from a human perspective. Seow notes that the subject is ‘anticipatory.’ So, perhaps it is stating that according to our perspective that God should give wealth wherein the man and his offspring could enjoy it. But there seems to be a divergence of expectation as Qoheleth states, that is, the man could not enjoy it. Seow notes that the statement is universally true – God gives wealth. But the reference here is not about a particular person, but a certain person – as in, anyone. Qoheleth seems to refer to ‘situation,’ i.e., this is true for anyone in this specific situation. The assertion perhaps is this that there is no necessary relation between wealth and the enjoyment of it, as we humans most confidently seem to perceive. Wealth in itself is not necessarily a sign of God’s blessing, God’s authority rests on who enjoys it.

Reference:

Seow, C.L. (1997). Ecclesiastes, Yale University Press

For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. Ecclesiastes 5:20 (KJV)

The ISV reads “For he will not brood much over the days of his life, since God will keep him occupied with the joys of his heart.” Bartholmew directly quotes Lohfink here, “(this) implies that the ecstasy of the good is given within the psychic phenomenon of joy itself insofar as this is also a divine answer, something like revelation. In joy, then, the conclusion of right thinking namely the perfection and the eternity of divine action within all events is directly communicated as revelation.” (194) This is such a wholesome conclusion to the pursuit of labour and freedom, and it is such a fitting reward for the godly – to find joy in God. Adding to this, Seow notes – that the joy intended in these words are not future tense, but it is in the present tense. He writes, “the emphasis is not on the future, but on the possibility of enjoyment in the present.” (231)

References:

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

Seow, C.L. (1997). Ecclesiastes, Yale University Press