List of Abbreviations
Aq – Aquila
BDB – Brown, Driver, and Briggs: English and Hebrew Lexicon of the Old Testament
DSS – Dead Sea Scrolls
ESV – English Standard Version
HB – Hebrew Bible
JPS – Jewish Publication Society translation of the TaNaK
LXX – Septuagint
MSS – Manuscripts
MT – Masoretic Text
NET – New English Translation
NETS – New English Translation of the Septuagint
NIV – New International Version
NRSV – New Revised Standard Version
S – Syriac
Sym – Symmachus
T – Targum
V – Vulgate
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17
Eccl 8:1 Who is like the wise man?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
Wisdom makes one’s face shine,
and the hardness of one’s countenance is changed.
Eccl 8:2 Keep the king’s command because of your sacred oath. 3 Do not be terrified; go from his presence, do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is powerful, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 Whoever obeys a command will meet no harm, and the wise mind will know the time and way. 6 For every matter has its time and way, although the troubles of mortals lie heavy upon them. 7 Indeed, they do not know what is to be, for who can tell them how it will be? 8 No one has power over the wind to restrain the wind, or power over the day of death; there is no discharge from the battle, nor does wickedness deliver those who practice it. 9 All this I observed, applying my mind to all that is done under the sun, while one person exercises authority over another to the other’s hurt.
Eccl 8:10 Then I saw the wicked buried; they used to go in and out of the holy place, and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11 Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil. 12 Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, 13 but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.
Eccl 8:14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked, and there are wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun.
Eccl 8:16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how one’s eyes see sleep neither day nor night, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find it out.
Introduction
Perhaps there is no text from the Hebrew Bible that better speaks to our world’s current situation more than that of Ecclesiastes. The passage considered in this exegesis (Ecclesiastes 8) dives directly into a critique of the political, the powerful, and the limits of knowledge. In this paper, we will look at authorship, setting, genre and structure for the whole of Ecclesiastes, and then move into a detailed analysis of the text-in-focus. Also, through conducting word/phrase study on וְעֹז פָּנָיו יְשֻׁנֶּא perhaps we will see more clearly what this smoky (הֶבֶל) biblical text has to say to us today. For pandemics, protests, misuse of power, and the exposing of frail systems once thought to be sound and secure, Qohelet, through his alternative wisdom, exposes the cracks in Divine causality and “this or that” thinking by offering a “third way” of seeing the world.
Authorship, Date, and Genre
The name of the book, Ecclesiastes, originates from the early rendering of the Hebrew word, קֹהֶלֶת (Qohelet) into the Greek, ἐκκλησιαστής (Ecclesiastes). For clarity throughout this paper, the work as a whole will be referred to at Ecclesiastes and the speaker as Qohelet. Though the author of Ecclesiastes is unknown, the text hints at who the writer would like for the reader to have in mind. Qohelet or “the Teacher” resembles a kingly, Solomonic character; wise and well experienced in travel, wealth, and a life-long pursuit of finding meaning and wisdom in the world (1:2-2:26). Yet this Teacher, or traditionally, “Preacher”,[1] presents a view of life that feels paradoxical when compared with the majority of the HB. Indeed, few articles, books, and commentaries begin without offering a statement about Ecclesiastes’ seemingly enigmatic, eccentric, and contradictory nature.[2]
Recent scholarship has developed around the intertextuality of Ecclesiastes.[3] This development includes the work of Hebrew scholar, Jennie Barbour, who argues Qohelet is a composite portrait of Israel and Judah’s kings. This composite is then given a Solomonic persona and offers “…the first note of a critical voice in the book which will protest at individual and national troubles, and at the follies of the kings who brought them about”.[4]
Though scholarship has moved away from viewing Solomon as the author, Hebrew linguist, C.L. Seow, states it was Hugo Grotius, the seventeenth-century Dutch scholar, who first recognized the late Hebrew present in Ecclesiastes, thus removing the possibility of Solomonic authorship.[5] Seow states the book belongs to the postexilic Persian period, no later than the mid-fourth to early fifth century BCE.[6] Fragments were also found with the DSS in the caves of Qumran, which suggests the scroll was well known and well-circulated by 150 BCE.[7]
With a commonly accepted dating of around 300 BCE, searches for direct correlations between Hellenistic philosophy and Ecclesiastes have been attempted but are not definitive. While acknowledging certain parallels such as the “…critical individuality of an acute and independent thinker”,[8] Ecclesiastes most likely simply reflects the early Hellenistic Zeitgeist or ‘spirit of the times’.[9]
Ecclesiastes is commonly considered in the category of “Wisdom Literature”.[10] Similar to other books in this genre, Qohelet addresses questions of work, suffering, knowing good and evil, and the fear of God. In doing so, however, he offers alternative wisdom that pushes against the idealistic, making room for life’s complexities. Qohelet’s perspective is not one that is contradictory, but one that paradoxically transcends and includes. William P. Brown states that both “…momentous and mundane are wedded under God’s providential work and given unreserved affirmation…”.[11]
Notes on the Text
The Hebrew text of Ecclesiastes has been well preserved. It can be dated through the Vulgate, DSS, and Greek translations. Still, there is much difficulty that arises in the text due to language and word usage.[12]
8:1a There is a discrepancy here on כהחכם between some ancient Greek texts (Aq, Sym, LXX) which have כה set apart from חכם rendering as “who is so wise?”, and the V, T, and S which follow the MT: כהחכם “who is like the wise?”.[13] The NRSV, NIV, JPS, ESV all translate “who is like the wise (man)?”. I agree with Fox in following the Greek MSS due to the theme of the passage.[14]
8:1b פשׁר “interpretation” is the sole occurrence (hapleg) in the HB. According to BDB, this word is on-loan from Aramaic.[15] Variants of this word have been found in the DSS.[16] NET renders פֵּשֶׁר דָּבָר “solution to a problem” where others have “interpretation” (NRSV, ESV) or “explanation” (NIV) of a thing?” JPS translates דָּבָר as “adage”, which refer to the following lines.
8:1c In the LXX the translation of ישׁנא is taken from the verb שָׂנֵא “hate”, but most English translations translate from the root שׁנה “to change”.[17]
8:2 A potential corruption of the MT leads to several interpretative traditions. The Leningrad Codex starts with אֲנִי where other Hebrew MSSs (as well as the LXX, V, T, Syriac) have the direct object marker, אֶת. The JPS translates the אֲנִי as “I do!” (thus, is understood as Qohelet answering the question in v.1) and most other translations start the verse with “Obey” or “follow”.[18]
8:5 עת ומשׁפט has typically been understood to mean “time of judgment”, but the LXX translates the phrase to mean a particular unfolding of time, or “right time of decision” (NETS).[19]
8:8 JPS makes the connection between רוּחַ “wind”, “spirit” and מָוֶת by translating as “lifebreath”. Most English translations render as “wind”, potentially missing the intended parallelism.
8:9 לו (לרע) has been translated as hurting someone else (NRSV, JPS, NET, NETS) or hurting themselves (NIV).[20]
8:10a There are many issues here in attempts to translate. Simply, questions surround the text says the wicked “were buried,” (MT), “brought to the tombs” (LXX), and scholars who emend the text by suggesting “to approach and draw near”, which has been used by some English translations.[21]
8:10b אשׁר כן עשׂו is also troublesome as is can be understood as either “who acted justly” and “because they acted thus”. The choice is dependent on whether יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ is translated as “forgotten” (JPS) or “praised” (NRSV, NIV, NETS). NET translates as “they boasted”.[22]
There remain other textual variants throughout the rest of the chapter which are not explored here as they do not bear much impact on the translation or meaning of the text.
Structure and Rhetorical Devices
Finding a cohesive literary structure to the book of Ecclesiastes remains an elusive endeavour, though not for a lack of effort.[23] While its place in the book’s overall structure is debated, Chapter 8 has an easily identifiable flow of themes:[24]
- 8:1-4: Responding wisely to royal authority
- 8:5-9 Responding wisely to Divine authority
- 8:10-14 Injustice and misused authority
- 8:15 Qohelet’s response to הֶבֶל
- 8:16-17 Qohelet’s acceptance of human limitation.
A major focus of Qohelet in Chapter 8 is humanity’s relationship with power and power structures. He employs multiple Hebrew words associated with power to drive this message home to his readers/hearers: עַז “strong, mighty, fierce”,[25] (v.1b), שִׁלְטוֹן “authority, powerful leader”,[26] (vv. 4, 8b), שַׁלִּיט “having power over”, “domineering”,[27] (v. 8a) שָׁלַט “to control, lord over”,[28] (v. 9) and יָכוֹל “have power”,[29] which he uses twice in v.17.
Qohelet uses the opening line, “Who is so wise and who understands the meaning of anything?!”[30] and the three closing statements “…then I saw all the work of God, that man is powerless to find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he is powerless to find it out”[31] to accentuate his message on the limits of power and knowledge.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS:
Responding Wisely to Royal Authority
v.1
The poem at the outset of Chapter 8 begins with the question, מי כּהח כם, “Who is so wise?” (see note above). Qohelet uses מִי (who?) fifteen times Ecclesiastes. In each occurrence, he employs it rhetorically, implying “no one”.[32] This interpretation of מי כּהח כם is key to understanding what the speaker is claiming in this passage: Human endeavours to achieve wisdom and knowledge are ultimately futile (though not meaningless, as some translators would suggest). The first question is then restated in the second, “and who knows the meaning of anything?”,[33] creating a parallelism between the two.
The second half of this four-line poem offers contrasting parallelism. Part B of this parallelism is often obscured through translation, as the following word/phrase study will explore.
Word/Phrase Study of וְעֹז פָּנָיו יְשֻׁנֶּא
The phrase וְעֹז פָּנָיו יְשֻׁנֶּא as a whole only appears once in the HB (Eccl. 8:1), but looking at how the phrase, עֹז פָּנָי is used, as well as the handful of occurrences of שָׁנָא sheds light on a more helpful translation and clearer understanding of the meaning of this verse.
“עֹז פָּנָי”
The words עֹז and פָּנָי appear together within the same verse ten times in the HB.[34] פָּנָי, most commonly “face”, has a rich semantic range of meanings and metaphors.[35] Of these ten verses, all but Ecclesiastes 8:1 translate פָּנָי synecdochically, referring to someone’s (mostly YHWH’s) presence rather than “face” in the literal sense.
Likewise, עֹז also has a very identifiable use in these passages. In each instance, except Ecclesiastes, עֹז is directly related to (often divine or royal) power and strength and is translated as such.[36] However, when coming to Ecclesiastes, translators change this fairly common word, to mean something akin to “stern”.[37] Considering the critique of power in this passage, I suggest the translation of עֹז פָּנָי is “powerful presence”.
“יְשֻׁנֶּא”
יְשֻׁנֶּא (שָׁנָא) only occurs three times in the HB, once in narrative (2 Kings 25:29) and twice in poetry (Eccl 8:1; Lam 4:1). The context of the narrative account is quite easily understood as “removed/changed” as Jehoiachin is discarding his clothes. The two occurrences in poetry, however, are not as obvious. In Lamentations 4:1, the paralleled lines are in a “this, much more that” parallelism. The first line speaks of gold being darkened (עָמַם), and the second line says, “how the pure gold has יִשְׁנֶא”, which the NRSV renders as “changed”. NIV/JPS agree with Kohlenberger/Mounce, translating, “become dull/dulled”.[38] In Ecclesiastes 8:1, יְשֻׁנֶּא is contrasted with תָּאִיר (hifil of אוֹר, “cause to shine”),[39] which makes “become dull” a better translation, both for meaning and as a parallel of the previous line.
In the context of the poem in v.1, the third- and fourth line contrast each other paralleling חָכְמַת “wisdom” with עֹז “strength/power” and תָּאִיר “cause to shine” with יְשֻׁנֶּא “become dull”. Thus, with Chapter 8’s context in mind, Qohelet makes the counter-intuitive claim that wisdom weakens (dulls) rather than assists man’s grasp for power. Perhaps then, a more helpful translation of these two paralleled lines is, “Wisdom causes a man’s/humanity’s face to shine, and his powerful presence to be made dull.”[40]
vv.2-4
Qohelet begins this passage of “alternative wisdom” at the royal level. Not unlike the Egyptian, Teaching of Ptah-Hotep and The Instruction of Ankhsheshonqy, Qohelet advises, on one level, how a courtier should behave in the presence of a king.[41] At the same time, he critiques and negatively stereotypes the king as quick-tempered, brash, and potentially dangerous. Whether v.2 claims that it’s the reader/hearer’s oath to God (NIV, JPS,), to the king (NRSV), or God’s oath to the king (ESV), Qohelet is clear that the wise response to a king’s order is to obey and obey quickly as his power is (seemingly) unchallengeable (v.4).
The Hebrew מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה, “what are you doing?” (v.4) is also used in Job 9:12 (and similarly in Isa 45:9) to ask the rhetorical question, “who can challenge YHWH’s authority?”. These textual links conflate the images of king and God, creating a reflection on royal power as well as divine power.[42] The combined imagery is also raised by Davis who notes the connection between “he does whatever he wants” (v.3) and the psalmist’s reflection on YHWH’s sovereignty in Ps 115:3; 135:6.[43]
Responding Wisely to Divine Authority
vv.5-7
What starts as Proverbs-style wisdom, “Whoever keeps a command, will know no evil thing…” (cf. Prov. 19:16) takes a Qohelet-style turn. Murphy and Fox recognise that through “textual hyperlinks”, Qohelet echoes and revises earlier texts (including his own), to shake up the conventions of traditional wisdom. שׁומר “keeps” (v.5) echoes שׁמור (v.2), and דָּבָר רָע “bad/evil thing” repeats from v.3.[44] These links provide a setting (the royal court) for the proverb.
The repetition of עֵת וּמִשְׁפָּט (vv.5b, 6a) however, marks a key turn from the subject matter of royal authority to Divine authority. The use of עֵת וּמִשְׁפָּט can be understood as “a proper time and procedure” (NIV), “time and judgment”- for tyrannical authorities (Murphy/Fox), or “time of doom”, meaning death – which is suffered by all of humanity (JPS). In v.7 Qohelet offers his caveat to the traditional wisdom of v.5-6a: While following orders (divine or royal) is wise and good, ultimately time and judgment (Divine judgment or death) seize everyone, even the king.[45] Divine judgment may be the best interpretation here because (as in 16-17) it is in response to the vastness of human evil at work in the royal power structures and social injustices throughout the world.
vv.8-9
Scholars debate whether Qohelet means wind or life-breath (רוּחַ),[46] and war or the grave (מִּלְחָמָה).[47] In either case, he uses four negative declarations and multiple power-related terminologies to continue his theme of humanity’s limitations with power:
אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט בָּרוּחַ לִכְלוֹא אֶת־הָרוּחַ וְאֵין שִׁלְטוֹן בְּיוֹם הַמָּוֶת וְאֵין מִשְׁלַחַת בַּמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא־יְמַלֵּט רֶשַׁע אֶת־בְּעָלָיו
The רשע “wickedness” spoken of possibly refers to the wealth “עשר” that comes from evil practices which oppress others.[48] In the end, the temporary securities that come from wrongdoing will not protect the wicked from death and divine judgment.
Injustice and Misused Authority
8:10-14
The summary statement in v.9: “All of this I observed…” continues in v.10. He concludes that all the injustice which he has seen is “הֶבֶל” (vv.10, 14). He knows the traditional wisdom, which he seemingly quotes (vv.12-13), but what he sees is the ungodly being given grand memorials while God-fearers are forgotten, and the good dying young while the evil live long lives.
His use of הֶבֶל could mean a “moral absurdity” because divine justice cannot be counted on to act in a timely and predictable way.[49] This would make his use of the proverb in vv.12-13 ironic rather than doctrine. Also, considering vv.8-9, Qohelet could be using הֶבֶל as a way of claiming that the rule of the wicked is “ephemeral” or short-lived because God’s justice (also death) eventually comes to everyone.[50] The question then is, with which version does Qohelet side? Or, is there a third way of seeing this passage?
Scholar Ellen Davis states the repetitions of “will be well” and “will not be well” (vv.12-13) can just as easily be translated, “is well” and “is not well”, making Qohelet’s point-of-focus about the here and now, rather than a focus on the eventuality of (or lack of) divine retribution.[51] This places a greater focus on “fearing God”. Fearing God is not a cosmic reward system. Instead, Qohelet makes the claim that the life of a God-fearer is better, as Davis states:
“…because it is better to be in touch with reality, however painful that may be, then to be lost in the delusions that inevitably beset those who fail to feel that fear…”
and life is worse for those:
“…who fear nothing but the failure of their own desire and puny powers, and that failure must inevitably come to everyone in this life.”[52]
8:15 Qohelet’s response to הֶבֶל
v.15
What then is Qohelet’s answer to the hypocritical religious piety, corrupt power structures, and the seemingly inequitable treatment given by God? It is not cynicism, as one might suspect, but joy! Three times before Qohelet has come to this surprising conclusion (2:24-25; 3:12-13; 5:17-19). The choice of finding joy in all that one does, despite the הֶבֶל and עָמָל “toil” in life, is possibly the only real control one gets in the end.
Qohelet’s acceptance of human limitation.
v.16-17
Here, to לָדַעַת חָכְמָה “know wisdom” (NIV, NRSV) should be thought of in terms of acquiring or possessing. The mention of not sleeping by night is understandable, but Murphy notes the addition of “day” emphasises the heightened anxiety in Qohelet’s struggle.[53]
What Qohelet says of himself in v.16 (as well as 7:23-24), he now universalises for all of humanity, “no one can discover its meaning”. Ultimately, even wisdom comes up empty when trying to unravel the mysterious work of God and all that is done here on the earth. This too is הֶבֶל.
A Brief Reception History
The book of Ecclesiastes is a treasure trove of biblical interpretation throughout the centuries.[54] In the post-Talmudic Jewish tradition (between 800-1000 CE), it was added to the “Festival or Megillot Scrolls” and is read in its entirety during the months of September-October as a part of “Sukkot” (Heb. “booths”) the autumn harvest festival. Hard work and joy after abundant harvests and the heartbreak of toil and scarce harvests would have easily connected early Jewish readers/hearers with the themes found in Ecclesiastes.[55]
There has been much discussion on Ecclesiastes from rabbis throughout the centuries. As early as R. Hillel and Shammai there were questions of its acceptability within the scriptures,[56] and its divine authority (due to its seeming contradictions with itself and Torah).[57]
The “contradictions” of Ecclesiastes have been a point of focus from the earliest rabbis to modern-day scholars. Several approaches have been attempted to resolve these “contradictions”: Elimination through harmonisation, viewing contradictory sections as later additions and reading difficult passages as Qohelet quoting from other sources. Verses from Eccl 8:10-15 have been used by each of these schools of thought to argue their point of view.[58]
Barry Webb, in his book, The Five Festival Garments, says of Ecclesiastes, “[it] has effectively scattered the academic field rather than drawing it together around any widely held conclusions”.[59] This is a wonderful irony and paradox particularly since “Qohelet” means, “one who gathers together”. The traditions surrounding Ecclesiastes are vast. Truly, of the making of many books on Qohelet there is no end, but too much study has wearied the flesh (and mind!) of this researcher.
CONCLUSION:
Beneath much of humanity’s quest for knowledge and power lays the desire for control – control over others, over live, over death, and even God. The same can be said for much religious piety. Qohelet enters into that world and deconstructs it brick by brick. His purpose is not to make you lose faith, or become cynical, but to make you truly wise; not a sage, but a simple, humble, fearer of God. True wisdom doesn’t gift you with the mysteries of the universe or gain you power. Rather, as the study on וְעֹז פָּנָיו יְשֻׁנֶּא suggests, it dulls our need for power and control. Wisdom offers a new set of eyes through which joy can be found and life experienced to its fullest. Not by denying the complexities but embracing and including them all. Most certainly, the message of Qohelet in Ecclesiastes 8 is as potent and challenging for the world today as it has been across the ages.
Bibliography
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———. “Reading Ecclesiastes Intertextually.” Edited by Katharine Dell and Will Kynes. Journal of theological studies (2015): flv059. https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flv059.
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Wolf, Herbert. “אוֹר.” In Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Accordance electronic ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1980.
[1] The tradition of “The Preacher” goes back at least to Jerome. Roland E. Murphy, The tree of life : an exploration of Biblical wisdom literature, Third edition. ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich. ;: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2002), 49.
[2] For instance see Ellen F. Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, 1st ed. ed. (Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000), 159.; Michael V. Fox, “Ecclesiastes,” in The JPS Bible Commentary, ed. Michael Fishbane (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2004), ix. Michael V. Fox, “Qohelet and his contradictions,” (1989): 9.; Roland E. Murphy, Ecclesiastes, Accordance electronic ed., vol. 23A, Word Biblical Commentary, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), xvii.; Barry G. Webb, Five Festal Garments, Accordance electronic ed., vol. 10, New Studies in Biblical Theology, (Leicester: Apollos, 2000), 83.
[3] For example, see Will Kynes, An obituary for “wisdom literature” : the birth, death, and intertextual reintegration of a Biblical corpus, First edition. ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018).; James L. Crenshaw, “Reading Ecclesiastes Intertextually.Edited by Katharine Dell and Will Kynes,” Journal of theological studies (2015), https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flv059.;
[4] Jennie Barbour, The Story of Israel in the Book of Qohelet: Ecclesiastes as Cultural Memory (Oxford Scholarship Online: Oxford University Press, 2012), 36, https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199657827.001.0001.
[5] C. L. Seow, “Linguistic Evidence and the Dating of Qohelet,” Journal of Biblical literature 115, no. 4 (1996): 643, https://doi.org/10.2307/3266347.
[6] Seow, “Linguistic Evidence and the Dating of Qohelet,” 665-66.
[7] James Muilenburg, “A Qoheleth Scroll from Qumran,” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 135, no. 135 (1954): 20-28, https://doi.org/10.2307/1355543.
[8] Martin Hengel, “Judaism and Hellenism : studies in their encounter in Palestine during the early Hellenistic period,” (1974): 107; quoted in Murphy, The tree of life : an exploration of Biblical wisdom literature, 171-73.
[9] Hengel, “Judaism and Hellenism : studies in their encounter in Palestine during the early Hellenistic period.” Murphy, The tree of life : an exploration of Biblical wisdom literature.
[10] The category of “Wisdom Literature” has recently come under scholarly critique. See especially Will Kynes, “The ‘Wisdom Literature’ Category: An Obituary,” The Journal of Theological Studies 69, no. 1 (2018), https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flx214.
[11] William P. Brown, Wisdom’s wonder : character, creation, and crisis in the Bible’s wisdom literature (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014), 169.
[12] Murphy, WBC-Eccles, xxiv.
[13] Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 80; see also W. Hall Harris, ed., The NET Bible Notes, 1st, Accordance electronic ed. (Richardson: Biblical Studies Press, 2005), Accordance paragraph 46400.
[14] Fox, “Qohelet and his contradictions,” 244.
[15] “פֵּשֶׁר”, in A Hebrew and English lexicon of the Old Testament: with an appendix containing the Biblical Aramaic, based on the lexicon of William Gesenius as translated by Edward Robinson, ed. Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs (Accordance Electronic, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906), 833.
[16] “פשׁר”, in The Concise Dictionary of Classical Hebrew, ed. David J. A. Clines (Accordance electronic, Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2009), 370; also Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 80.
[17] Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 80.
[18] Harris, ed., NET Notes, paragraph 46408; also Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 80.
[19] Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 80.
[20] Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 80.
[21] For a lengthy discussion see both Harris, ed., NET Notes, paragraph 46448. and Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 81.
[22] Again, this is discussed at length in Harris, ed., NET Notes, paragraph 46451.
[23] For an overview of many suggested structures see David A. Dorsey, “The literary structure of the Old Testament : a commentary on Genesis-Malachi,” (2004): 192-98; also see James L. Crenshaw, “Ecclesiastes, Book of,” in The Anchor Bible dictionary, ed. David Noel Freedman (1st ed., New York: Doubleday, 1992), 273-74.
[24] While I have seperated out v.15, a similar structure can be found in Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 81-82; Fox also finds similar themes of Power, Authority, Injustice, Ignorance but breaks them up a bit differently Fox, “JPS 4 Megillot,” 54-61.
[25] “עַז” in “BDB Complete,” 738 or Accordance paragraph 18766.
[26] “שִׁלְטוֹן” in “Concise DCH,” 464 or Accordance paragraph 14987.
[27] “שַׁלִּיט” in “Concise DCH,” 464 or Accordance paragraph 14991.
[28] “שָׁלַט” in Kohlenberger/Mounce Concise Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament, ed. John R. Kohlenberger Iii and William D. Mounce (Accordance electronic, Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2012), Accordance paragraph 17934.
[29] “יָכוֹל” in “BDB Complete,” 407 or paragraph 11112.
[30] I agree here with Fox’s arguement for Qohelet’s usage of this rhetorical question as a part of 7:25-29. Fox, “JPS 4 Megillot,” 53.
[31]The NRSV translates לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל as “cannot” but considering the theme of power and the multiple uses of “power terminology” throughout the chapter, I think the best translation of לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל is “powerless”, which is how I have translated here. “BDB Complete,” 407 or Accordance paragraph 11112.
[32] Fox, “Qohelet and his contradictions,” 244.
[33] Again, I agree with Fox that Qohelet’s rhetorical use of the question is a negative (or skeptical) view on the pursuit of wisdom. See Fox, “JPS 4 Megillot,” 53; Murphy seems to come to this same conclusion, though not with the same certitude as Fox. See Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 82.
[34] The information and figures for these word studies were researched using search analytics from Accordance Bible Software Ver. 12.3.6, Oaktree Software, Altamonte Springs, Florida.
[35] See the extensive study of “פָּנָי” in “BDB Complete,” 819-21 or Accordance paragraphs 20964-1044.
[36] “עֹז” in Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, Accordance electronic ed., The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament, (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2003), 818 or Accordance paragraph 8433.
[37] Carl Shultz, “עֹז,” in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Jr. Archer, Gleason L., and Bruce K. Waltke (Accordance electronic, Chicago: Moody Press, 1980), 659 or Accordance paragraph 12875.
[38] “שָׁנָא” in “KM Hebrew Dictionary,” paragraph 18226.
[39] Herbert Wolf, “אוֹר,” in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Jr. Archer, Gleason L., and Bruce K. Waltke (Accordance electronic, Chicago: Moody Press, 1980), 25 or Accordance paragraph 803.
[40] I have not seen anyone else arguing for this meaning or translation, so I simply and humbly suggest it as a possibility.
[41] John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 573 or Accordance paragraph 6333.
[42] See Fox’s summary of some traditional midrash from Koheleth Rabbah in Fox, “JPS 4 Megillot,” 54 or Accordance paragraph 4063; Fox, however, disagrees with this interpretive layer in Fox, “Qohelet and his contradictions,” 247; Alter is also unconvinced of the “Divine command” reading. See footnote 5 in “The Hebrew Bible : a translation with commentary. Volume 3, The writings: Ketuvim,” Writings: Ketuvim (2019): 697.
[43] Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, 207.
[44] See Murphy’s discussion of several scholar’s reading of this passage Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 83 or Accordance paragraphs 1857-60; see also Fox’s discussion in Fox, “Qohelet and his contradictions,” 247-48.
[45] For discussion on the rhetoric of retribution used in 5b-8 see Jones Scott C, “Qohelet’s Courtly Wisdom: Ecclesiastes 8:1-9,” The Catholic Biblical quarterly 68, no. 2 (2006): 223-27.
[46] Alter translates “רוּחַ” here as “wind” Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible : a translation with commentary. Volume 3, The writings: Ketuvim, First edition. ed., Writings: Ketuvim, (New York ;: W. W. Norton & Company, 2019), 697; whereas Murphy argues for “life-breath”Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 84 or Accordance paragraph 1862.
[47] Fox argues here for “grave” over “war” or “battle”. See Fox, “Qohelet and his contradictions,” 248-49.
[48] See Fox’s comment on this interpretation by Ibn Ezra in Fox, “JPS 4 Megillot,” 57 or Accordance paragraph 4097; However, Murphy argues this reading has no textual grounds. See Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 84 or Accordance paragraph 1863.
[49] For Qohelet’s usage of “הֶבֶל” in his reflections on Divine judgement, see Michael V. Fox, “The Meaning of Hebel for Qohelet,” Journal of Biblical Literature 105, no. 3 (1986): 421-23, https://doi.org/10.2307/3260510.
[50] Fox, “The Meaning of Hebel for Qohelet,” 412-14.
[51] Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, 208-11.
[52] Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, 209-10.
[53] Murphy, WBC-Eccles, 86 or Accordance paragraph 1875.
[54] Murphy offers an excellent overview of interpretation through the Jewish and Christian traditions in Roland E. Murphy, “Qohelet Interpreted: The Bearing of the Past on the Present,” Vetus Testamentum 32, no. 3 (1982): 331-37, https://doi.org/10.2307/1517921; Dell also examines the earliest interpreters, their impact on modern scholarship and interpretation of genre and message of Ecclesiastes in Katharine J. Dell, “Ecclesiastes as Wisdom: Consulting Early Interpreters,” Vetus Testamentum 44, no. 3 (1994): 301-29, https://doi.org/10.2307/1535209.
[55] Peter Machinist, “Ecclesiastes: Introduction,” in The Jewish study Bible, ed. Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), 1600-01.
[56] “Babylonian Talmud Megillah 7a,” The Safaria Library, accessed 28, August, 2020, https://www.sefaria.org/Megillah.7a?lang=bi.
[57] “Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 30b,” The Safaria Library, accessed 27 August, 2020, https://www.sefaria.org/Shabbat.30b.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=bi.
[58] See Fox’s discussion of these attempts in Fox, “Qohelet and his contradictions,” 19-28.
[59] Webb, NSBT-Festal Garments, 83.
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