Ecclesiastes 11
Verse 1
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
Cast
That is, says Bp. Lowth, "Sow thy seed or corn on the face of the waters;" in plain terms, sow without any hope of a harvest: do good even to them on whom your benefactions seem thrown away. Dr. Jebb has well illustrated it by the following passages:
thy bread
Deuteronomy 15.7-11 Proverbs 11.24,25 22.9 Isaiah 32.8
waters
Heb. face of the waters.
for
6 Deuteronomy 15.10 Psalms 41.1,2 126.5,6 Proverbs 11.18 19.17 Matthew 10.13,42 25.40 Luke 14.14 2 Corinthians 9.6 Galatians 6.8-10 Hebrews 6.10
Verse 2
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
a portion
Nehemiah 8.10 Esther 9.19,22 Psalms 112.9 Luke 6.30-35 1 Timothy 6.18,19
seven
Job 5.19 Proverbs 6.16 Micah 5.5 Matthew 18.22 Luke 17.4
for
Daniel 4.27 Acts 11.28-30 Galatians 6.1 Ephesians 5.16 Hebrews 13.3
Verse 3
If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
the clouds
1 Kings 18.45 Psalms 65.9-13 Isaiah 55.10,11 1 John 3.17
if the tree
Matthew 3.10 Luke 13.7 16.22-26
Verse 4
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
Verse 5
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
thou knowest not what
nor
even
7.24 8.17 Job 5.9 26.5-14 36.24-33 37.23 38.4-41 39.1-41 Psalms 40.5 92.5 104.24 Isaiah 40.28 Romans 11.33
Verse 6
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
sow
9.10 Isaiah 55.10 Hosea 10.12 Mark 4.26-29 John 4.36-38 2 Corinthians 9.6 2 Timothy 4.2
thou knowest
9.1 Haggai 1.6-11 2.17-19 Zechariah 8.11,12 Acts 11.20,21 1 Corinthians 3.5-7 2 Corinthians 9.10,11
prosper
Heb. be right.
Verse 7
Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
the light
Job 33.28,30 Psalms 56.13 Proverbs 15.30 29.13
a pleasant
7.11 Psalms 84.11 Matthew 5.45
Verse 8
But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
if a man
rejoice
yet
7.14 12.1-5 Deuteronomy 32.29 Job 10.22 14.10 15.23 18.18 Jeremiah 13.16 Joel 2.2 Matthew 22.13 John 12.35 Jude 1.18
All that
2.1-11,15,17,19,21-23,26 4.8,16 5.15,16 6.11
Verse 9
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Rejoice
1 Kings 18.27 22.15 Luke 15.12,13
in thy youth
12.1 1 Kings 18.12 Lamentations 3.27
walk
Numbers 15.30 22.32 Deuteronomy 29.19 Job 31.7 Psalms 81.12 Jeremiah 7.24 23.17 Jeremiah 44.16,17 Acts 14.16 Ephesians 2.2,3 1 Peter 4.3,4
in the sight
2.10 Genesis 3.6 6.2 Joshua 7.21 2 Samuel 11.2-4 Matthew 5.28 1 John 2.15,16
know
3.17 12.14 Psalms 50.4-6 Acts 17.30,31 24.25 Romans 2.5-11 14.10 1 Corinthians 4.5 2 Corinthians 5.10 2 Peter 3.7 Hebrews 9.27 Revelation 20.12-15
Verse 10
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
remove
12.1 Job 13.26 Psalms 25.7 2 Peter 3.11-14
sorrow
or, anger.
and put
Job 20.11 2 Corinthians 7.1 2 Timothy 2.22