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©2022, David E. Robinson: At the Gates of Yerushalayim Ministries
Lessons from the Wilderness, Volume 54
…This
is a thought experiment, part 1…
Revelation: A Search for Truth at
the End of the Age Part Thirteen [i] [ii] [iii] [iv] [v]
Ecclesiastes 3:1–22 (NET)
A Time for All Events in Life
3:1 For
everything1
there is an appointed time,2 and an appropriate time3
for every activity4 on earth:5
3:2 A time to
be born,6
and a time to die;7 a time to plant, and a time to
uproot what was planted.
3:3 A time to
kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
3:4 A time to
weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
3:5 A time to
throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time
to refrain from embracing.
3:6 A time to
search, and a time to give something up as lost;8 a time to keep, and a
time to throw away;
3:7 A time to
rip, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.
3:8 A time to
love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
3:9 What benefit can a worker9 gain from his toil?10
3:10 I have
observed the burden that God has given to people11 to keep them
occupied.
3:11 God has
made everything fit beautifully12 in its appropriate time, but13
he has also placed ignorance14 in the human heart15
so that16
people17
cannot discover what God has ordained,18
from the beginning to the end19 of their lives.20
3:12 I have
concluded21 that there is nothing better for people22
than23
to be happy and to enjoy
themselves24 as long as they live, 3:13 and
also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for
these things25 are a gift from God.
3:15 Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever
will be, has already been; for God will seek to do again26 what has occurred27
in the past.28
3:17 I thought
to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an
appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment31
for every deed.
3:18 I also
thought to myself, “It is32 for the sake of people,33
so God can clearly34 show35 them that they are
like animals.
3:19 For the
fate of humans36 and the fate of animals are the same: As one dies,
so dies the other; both have the same breath. There is no advantage for humans
over animals, for both are fleeting.
3:20 Both go to
the same place, both come from the dust, and to dust both return.
3:21 Who really
knows if the human spirit37 ascends upward, and the animal’s
spirit descends into the earth?
because that is their40 reward; for who can show them what
the future holds?41 [vi]
We are returning now to the Book of Revelation. Yes, it has been quite a while since I posted, but we are here now. In May of 2021, I finished the first twelve parts of our study in Revelation. Why has it taken so long to get back to it you may wonder. In my last set of posts, I was dealing with the loss of loved ones, then life had a way of taking hold of the direction of things, but here we are. I know I had gone through several verses in those twelve parts but, truthfully? What has transpired in the past year or so has been a transformation of my studies - or should I say how I study – and that has led to my opening of my eyes and ears to hear first - what the Spirit has to say, and second – to take my studies outside my normal lanes of traffic, and sometimes into the weeds, to look, to search, to see what I have missed, or what I lacked understanding in. The doors have opened wide on this subject, from many sources and much research. I tell you, I do not wish to handle God’s word carelessly, and come up with my own interpretations; I wish to follow exegesis and not eisegesis; I want my hermeneutics to follow a path of principles that fit the Scriptures and the doctrines contained within, not based upon what the “church” or the “Church fathers” have declared should be the way.
Maybe, just maybe, I am wrong. But the world is upside down right now; good is evil, right is wrong, and it is getting so not even the saints can tell the sacred from the profane anymore. Our children and grand-children are being sacrificed on the altar of political correctness and “Woke-ism”; has the enemy of our souls opened the gates of hell and released his army of blackness and shadows? Truthfully? The answer to that is “Yes” and “No”. Some things are influenced by the darkness as Paul warns us in Ephesians 6:
10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and
in the strength of his power. 11 Clothe
yourselves with the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand against
the schemes21 of the devil.
12 For our struggle22
is not against flesh and blood,23 but against the rulers,
against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness,24
against the
spiritual forces25 of evil
in the heavens.26 ([vii])
Yes, there are forces at work in the Unseen Realm[viii] - forces that are at odds with Elohim and His Messiah. There are also forces at work in the earthly realm of man – men and women who have given themselves over to championing a culture of death, hate, and misdirection, all with an eye for the lust of fame and power. You see it. In two short years, this culture has turned America (and the world) into a shadow of itself. But let us be honest. It has not been just the last two years, but decades of moving the boundary stones of God, of encroachment of the sancta[ix], and a tearing down of morality and decorum. We are now living in boiling water; for years like a frog, the heat has slowly been turned up under our pan of water, and now it is in a full rolling boil, and we are being cooked alive in the folly of our own making – the fault rests with us. YHVH has always had a line drawn in the sand, saying “This far and no more”, but we have rushed in and erased that line, and let it be pushed back farther and farther till we now stand on the edge of the cliff with no place to go – except down.
Has it gone too far? Is it possible to push the line back? Yes and no. Yes, we can but only if we are willing to fight. No because there aren’t enough who are willing to go to the extreme. By extreme, I am not talking about violence, or returning hate for hate. If we go that route, we are as the writer of Ecclesiastes says that we are truly no better than animals. Love can win the battle, but we must push the line back to its original boundary and defend it at all costs.
There are times in my blog spots that I have used music lyrics to highlight trends I have seen. The trend is obvious, yet hidden by twisted words, by repeated lies. When words are redefined, when what is right is declared wrong – what truth can stand in the cacophony of strident voices where nothing is what it was? How can up be down, in be out? How is it the differences between us are accentuated by the mob, cast down and re-defined? “Doublethink”, “cults of personality”, dystopian views leading to “thoughtcrimes”[x]… The strong take the weak…
The sparks
of the tempest rage a hundred years on
The voice of the dreamer screams, the cause of the pawn
The King and the Queen are gone, each piece is the same
The difference between us is a part of the game
Darkness
is spreading like a spot on the sun
The dead are the living in age of the gun
While everyone clamors for the justice they seek,
The world is corrupted and the strong take the weak
They
mold you and shape you, they watch what you do
The sparks of the tempest are burnin' you through
Spreading like wildfire, fallin' like rain
Though they may promise, they only bring pain
The
future is managed, and your freedom's a joke
You don't know the difference as you put on the yoke
The less that you know, more you fall into place
A cog in the wheel, there is no soul in your face
Run for
the cover, Millennium's here
Bearing the standard of confusion and fear
Spreading like wildfire, fallin' like rain
Though they may promise, they only bring pain
Blood
in the sand, cry in the street
Now the cycle is nearly complete
Ten thousand years, nothing was learned
No turning back, now the wheel has turned
Big
brother is watching, and he likes what he sees
A world for the taking, when he's ready to squeeze
King and the Queen are gone, each piece is the same
The difference between us is a part of the game
Soothsayer
saying now tell me no lies
What is the madness that is filling the skies
Spreading like wildfire, fallin' like rain
Though they may promise, they only bring pain
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Steve Walsh / Kerry Livgren
Sparks
of the Tempest lyrics © Emi Blackwood Music Inc., Don Kirshner Music
Sometimes music mirrors what we see.
Sometimes the prophet has written in songs of our youth, truth is spoken through
the airwaves from the past, the books that were written, the poetry of bards,
and the pages of Scripture which few wish to read today. Truth and facts are
immaterial today, lies are manipulated and repeated by complacent media – all for
the suppression of discourse and dissent. Freedom of speech is outlawed or
curtailed, mass surveillance is encouraged, totalitarianism and repression are touted
as the only cure for a “systemic racist society”. Open borders, lawless
governments. No law. No order. All that was exploited in the pursuit of naked
power and unsustainable greed has become the bellwether of the present age.
“15 Whatever exists
now has already been, and whatever will be, has already been; for God will seek
to do again what has occurred in the past.”
Paul said we do not war against flesh and blood. We find ourselves at times doubting these words, because we only have eyes that see in part – we do not see or even perceive of the darkness behind those who rage in the streets. To be sure, not all who take to the streets are driven by dark forces – the youth of Tehran a driven by the desire to unshackle themselves from the tyrannical rule of the Republican Guard and the mullahs that seek to control their lives. There are those who fight for the rights of children in the womb – innocents who have no voice save our own. There are causes that are righteous, and those that take on the mantle of “righteousness and justice” but are driven by the underlying culture of death that permeates society today. It is in this context that our thought experiment proceeds.
12 For our battle is not against flesh n and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, o against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil p in the heavens. q[xi]
A Supernatural Worldview.
Shall we begin?
Till next time
May YHVH bless you and keep you all, my beloved.
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for instructional purposes only and/or to aid in the readers understanding of
the subjects discussed.
[iv] Author’s note:
Throughout this study I will be using the NET Bible® and the NET Notes®: within
the notes you will see symbols like this: ( א B Ψ 892* 2427 sys). These are
abbreviations used by the NET Bible® for identifying the principal manuscript
evidence that they (authors and translators of the NET Bible®) used in
translating the New Testament. Please go to https://bible.org/netbible/ and see
their section labeled “NET Bible Principals of Translation” for a more complete
explanation on these symbols and other items pertinent to the way the NET Bible
uses them.
[v] Author’s Note:
In these studies, I have used the notes that come along with the passages I
cite from the sources that I cite: these need a bit of a disclaimer though. As
in all things, not everything that is footnoted is something that I necessarily
agree with, especially if it contradicts what I believe pertains to any matters
of the Torah or the commandments of God. I give you the notes as they are
written by the authors of the material I cite from, so that you can see the
information contained within them. It truly is not my place to edit them; if
they state anything that is in opposition to what I teach, then so be it. I
will address these issues if requested. That is not to say I should not
challenge something I believe, in my humble opinion, might contradict the truth
of God’s word; that I will do in the main body of my epistles for that is where
my gentle dissent belongs. Most (but not all) of the differences will come when
I quote from a source that displays a decidedly Western/Greek mindset, as
opposed to a Hebraic perspective. I must be intellectually honest – I am biased
toward the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and His son, Yeshua the Messiah. I
pray then we all can find common ground as we study the Scriptures. Also, some
may be put off by the length or depth of the notes; not everyone has access to
the references I do, therefore I try to include the notes that come with the
material I use, so each can see for themselves the information the originator
has pointedly gleaned. I hope you avail yourselves to these inclusions – they help
us to understand how the material in scripture is laid out – the thought
process of the original writer.
1 tn Verse 1 is arranged in an ABB′A′ chiasm (לַכֹּל זְמָן וְעֵת לְכָל־חֵפֶץ, lakkol zéman vé’et lékhol-khefets): (A) “for everything”; (B) “a season”; (B′) “a time”; (A′) “for every matter.” The terms “season” (זְמָן, zéman) and “time” (עֵת, ’et) are parallel. In the light of its parallelism with “every matter” (כָל־חֵפֶץ, khol-khefets), the term “everything” (כָל, khol) must refer to events and situations in life.
2 tn
The noun זְמָן (zéman) denotes “appointed time” or “appointed hour” (HALOT
273 s.v. זְמָן; BDB 273 s.v. זְמָן; see Eccl
3:1; Esth 9:27, 31; Neh 2:6; Sir 43:7), e.g., the appointed or designated time for
the Jewish feasts (Esth 9:27, 31), the length of time that Nehemiah set for his
absence from Susa (Neh 2:6), and the appointed times in the Jewish law for the
months to begin (Sir 43:7). It is used in parallelism with מועד (“appointed time”), i.e., מועד ירח (“the appointed time of the moon”) parallels זמני חק (“the appointed times of the law”; Sir 43:7). The related verb,
a Pual of זָמַן (zaman), means “to be appointed” (HALOT
273 s.v. זְמָן); e.g. Ezra 10:14; Neh 10:35; 13:31. These terms may be related
to the noun I זִמָּה (zimmah, “plan; intention”; Job
17:11; HALOT 272 s.v. I זִמָּה) and מְזִמָּה (mézimmah, “purpose; plan; project”), e.g., the
purposes of God (Job 42:2; Jer 23:20; 30:24; 51:11) and man’s plan (Isa 5:12);
see HALOT 566 s.v. מְזִמָּה; BDB 273
s.v. מְזִמָּה.sn Verses 1–8 refer to God’s appointed time-table for
human activities or actions whose most appropriate time is determined by men.
Verses 9–15 state that God is ultimately responsible for the time in which
events in human history occur. This seems to provide a striking balance between
the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. Man does what God has
willed, but man also does what he “pleases” (see note on the word “matter” in
3:1).
3 tn
The noun עֵת (’et, “point in time”) has a basic two-fold range of
meanings: (1) “time of an event” and (2) “time for an event” (BDB 773 s.v. עֵת). The latter has subcategories: (a) “usual time,” (b) “the
proper, suitable or appropriate time,” (c) “the appointed time,” and (d)
“uncertain time” (Eccl 9:11). Here it connotes “a proper, suitable time for an
event” (HALOT 900 s.v. עֵת 6; BDB
s.v. עֵת 2.b). Examples: “the time for rain” (Ezra 10:13), “a time of
judgment for the nations” (Ezek 30:3), “an appropriate time for every occasion”
(Eccl 3:1), “the time when mountain goats are born” (Job 39:1), “the rain in
its season” (Deut 11:14; Jer 5:24), “the time for the harvest” (Hos 2:11; Ps
1:3), “food in its season” (Ps 104:27), “no one knows his hour of destiny”
(Eccl 9:12), “the right moment” (Eccl 8:5); cf. HALOT 900 s.v. עֵת 6.
4 tn
The noun חֵפֶץ (khefets, here “matter, business”) has a broad range of
meanings: (1) “delight; joy,” (2) “desire; wish; longing,” (3) “the good
pleasure; will; purpose,” (4) “precious stones” (i.e., jewelry), i.e., what
someone takes delight in, and (5) “matter; business,” as a metonymy of adjunct
to what someone takes delight in (Eccl 3:1, 17; 5:7; 8:6; Isa 53:10; 58:3, 13;
Pss 16:3; 111:2; Prov 31:13); see HALOT 340 s.v. חֵפֶץ 4; BDB 343 s.v. חֵפֶץ 4. It is
also sometimes used in reference to the “good pleasure” of God, that is, his
sovereign plan, e.g., Judg 13:23; Isa 44:28; 46:10; 48:14 (BDB 343 s.v. חֵפֶץ). While the theme of the sovereignty of God permeates Eccl
3:1–4:3, the content of 3:1–8 refers to human activities that are planned and
purposed by man. The LXX translated it with πράγματι
(pragmati, “matter”). The term is translated variously by modern English
versions: “every purpose” (KJV, ASV), “every event” (NASB), “every delight” (NASB
margin), “every affair” (NAB), “every matter” (RSV, NRSV), “every activity”
(NEB, NIV), “every project” (MLB), and “every experience” (NJPS).
5 tn Heb
“under heaven.”
6 tn
The verb יָלָד (yalad, “to bear”) is used in the active sense of a
mother giving birth to a child (HALOT 413 s.v. ילד;
BDB 408 s.v. יָלָד). However, in light of its parallelism
with “a time to die,” it should be taken as a metonymy of cause (i.e., to give
birth to a child) for effect (i.e., to be born).
7 sn
In 3:2–8, Qoheleth uses fourteen sets of merisms (a figure using polar
opposites to encompass everything in between, that is, totality), e.g., Deut
6:6–9; Ps 139:2–3 (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 435).
8 tn
The term לְאַבֵּד (lé’abbed, Piel infinitive construct from אָבַד, ’avad, “to destroy”) means “to lose” (e.g., Jer 23:1)
as the contrast with בָּקַשׁ (baqash,
“to seek to find”) indicates (HALOT 3 s.v. I אבד;
BDB 2 s.v. אבד 3). This is the declarative or
delocutive-estimative sense of the Piel: “to view something as lost” (R. J.
Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 28, §145; IBHS 403 §24.2g).
9 tn
The term הָעוֹשֶׂה (ha’oseh, article + Qal active participle ms from עָשַׂה, ’asah, “to do”) functions substantively (“the
worker”); see BDB 794 s.v. עָשַׂה
II.1.
This is a figurative description of man (metonymy of association), and plays on
the repetition of עָשַׂה (verb: “to
do,” noun: “work”) throughout the passage. In the light of God’s orchestration
of human affairs, man’s efforts cannot change anything. It refers to man in
general with the article functioning in a generic sense (see IBHS 244–45
§13.5.1f; Joüon 2:511 §137.m).
10 sn
This rhetorical question is an example of negative affirmation, expecting a
negative answer: “Man gains nothing from his toil!” (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures
of Speech, 949–51). Any advantage that man might gain from his
toil is nullified by his ignorance of divine providence.
11 tn Heb
“the sons of man.”
12 sn
The Hebrew adjective translated beautifully functions as a metonymy of
effect (i.e., to appear beautiful) for cause (i.e., to make it fit): “to fit
beautifully.” It is used in parallelism with Qoheleth’s term for evaluation: טוֹב (tov, “good”) in 5:17.
13 tn
The word “but” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the
translation for clarity.
14 tn Heb
“darkness”; perhaps “eternity” or “the future.” The meaning of the noun עֹלָם (’olam) is debated. It may mean: (1) “ignorance”; (2)
time reference: (a) “eternity” or (b) “the future”; or (3) “knowledge” (less
likely). The arguments for these options may be summarized: (1) Most suggest
that עֹלָם is the defectively written form of עוֹלָם “duration; eternity” (e.g., Eccl 1:4; 2:16; 3:14; 9:6; 12:5);
see BDB 762 s.v. III עוֹלָם 2.k. Within
this school of interpretation, there are several varieties: (a) BDB 762 s.v.
III עוֹלָם 2.k suggests that here it denotes “age [i.e., duration] of the
world,” which is attested in postbiblical Hebrew. The term III עֹלָם “eternity” = “world” (Jastrow 1084 s.v. עָלַם III) is used in this sense in postbiblical Hebrew, mostly in
reference to the Messianic age, or the world to come (e.g., Tg. Genesis
9:16; Tg. Onq. Exodus 21:6; Tg. Psalms 61:7). For example, “the
world (עֹלָם) shall last six thousand years, and after one thousand years it
shall be laid waste” (b. Rosh HaShanah 31a) and “the world (עֹלָם) to come” (b. Sotah 10b). The LXX and the Vulgate took
the term in this sense. This approach was also adopted by several English
translations: “the world” (KJV, Douay, ASV margin). (b) HALOT 799 s.v. עוֹלָם 5 and THAT 2:242 suggest that the term refers to an
indefinite, unending future: “eternity future” or “enduring state referring to
past and future” (see also BDB 762 s.v. III עוֹלָם 2.i). In this sense, the noun עֹלָם functions as a metonymy of association: “a sense of eternity,”
but not in a philosophical sense (see J. Barr, Biblical Words for Time
[SBT], 117, n. 4). This approach is supported by three factors: (i) the
recurrence of עוֹלָם (“eternity”) in 3:14, (ii) the temporal
qualification of the statement in the parallel clause (“from beginning to
end”), and (iii) by the ordinary meaning of the noun as “eternity” (HALOT
798–799 s.v. עוֹלָם). The point would be that God has endowed
man with an awareness of the extra-temporal significance of himself and his
accomplishments (D. R. Glenn, “Ecclesiastes,” BKCOT, 984). This is the
most frequent approach among English versions: “the timeless” (NAB), “eternity”
(RSV, MLB, ASV, NASB, NIV, NJPS), “a sense of time past and time future” (NEB),
and “a sense of past and future” (NRSV). (3) Other scholars suggest that עוֹלָם simply refers to the indefinite future: “the future,” that is,
things to come (e.g., HALOT 799 s.v. עוֹלָם 2; BDB 762 s.v. III עוֹלָם 2.a; THAT 2:241). The plural עֹלָמִים (’olamim, “things to come”) was used in this sense in
Eccl 1:10 (e.g., 1 Kgs 8:13 = 2 Chr 6:2; Pss 61:5; 77:8; 145:13; Dan 9:24; cf. HALOT
799 s.v. עוֹלָם 2). The point would simply be that God has not only ordained
all the events that will take place in man’s life (3:1–8), but also preoccupies
man with the desire to discover what will happen in the future in terms of the
orchestration or timing of these events in his life (3:9–11). This fits well
with the description of God’s orchestration of human events in their most
appropriate time (3:1–10) and the ignorance of man concerning his future
(3:11b). Elsewhere, Qoheleth emphasizes that man cannot learn what the future
holds in store for him (e.g., 8:7, 17). This approach is only rarely adopted:
“the future” (NJPS margin). (2) The second view is that עֹלָם is not defectively written עוֹלָם (“eternity”) but the segholate noun II עֶלֶם (’elem) that means “dark” (literal) or “ignorance;
obscurity; secrecy” (figurative). The related noun תַּעֲלֻמָה (ta’alumah) means “hidden thing; secret,” and the
related verb עָלַם (’alam) means “to hide; to
conceal” (BDB 761 s.v. I עָלַם; HALOT
834–35 s.v. עלם). This is related to the Ugaritic noun
“dark” and the Akkadian verb “to be black; to be dark” (see HALOT 834–35
s.v. עלם). In postbiblical Hebrew the root II עֶלֶם means (i) “secret” and (ii) “forgetfulness” (Jastrow 1084 s.v. עֶלֶם I). Thus the verse would mean that God has “obscured” man’s
knowledge so that he cannot discover certain features of God’s program. This
approach is adopted by Moffatt which uses the word “mystery.” Similarly, the
term may mean “forgetfulness,” that is, God has plagued man with
“forgetfulness” so that he cannot understand what God has done from the beginning
to the end (e.g., Eccl 1:11). (3) The third view (Delitzsch) is to relate עֹלָם to a cognate Arabic root meaning “knowledge.” The point would
be that God has endowed man with “knowledge,” but not enough for man to
discover God’s eternal plan. This approach is only rarely adopted: “knowledge”
(YLT).
15 tn Heb
“in their heart.” The Hebrew term translated heart functions as a
metonymy of association for man’s intellect, emotions, and will (BDB 524–25
s.v. לֵב 3–6, 9). Here, it probably refers to man’s intellectual
capacities, as v. 11 suggests.
16 tn
The compound preposition מִבְּלִי (mibbéli,
preposition מִן [min] + negative particle בְּלִי [béli]) is used as a conjunction here. Elsewhere, it
can express cause: “because there is no [or is not]” (e.g., Deut 9:28; 28:55;
Isa 5:13; Ezek 34:5; Lam 1:4; Hos 4:6), consequence: “so that there is no [or
is not]” (e.g., Ezek 14:5; Jer 2:15; 9:9–11; Zeph 3:6), or simple negation:
“without” (e.g., Job 4:11, 20; 6:6; 24:7–8; 31:19). BDB 115 s.v. בְּלִי 3.c.β suggests the negative consequence:
“so that not,” while HALOT 133 s.v. בְּלִי 5 suggests the simple negation: “without the possibility of.”
17 tn Heb
“man.”
18 tn Heb
“the work that God has done.” The phrase אֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה (’et-hamma’aseh ’asher-’asah, “the work which he [i.e.,
God] has done”) is an internal cognate accusative (direct object and verb are
from the same root), used for emphasis (see IBHS 167 §10.2.1g). The
repetition of the verb עָשַׂה (“to do”)
in 3:11 and 3:14 suggests that this phrase refers to God’s foreordination of
all the events and timing of human affairs: God has “made” ( = “foreordained”; עָשַׂה) everything appropriate in his sovereign timing (3:11a), and
all that God has “done” ( = “foreordained”; עָשַׂה) will come to pass (3:14). Thus, the verb עָשַׂה functions as a metonymy of effect (i.e., God’s actions) for
cause (i.e., God’s sovereign foreordination). The temporal clause “from
beginning to end” (3:11) supports this nuance.
19 tn
Traditionally, “what God has done from the beginning to the end.” The temporal
clause מֵרֹאשׁ וְעַד־סוֹף (mero’sh vé’ad-sof, “from the
beginning to the end”) is traditionally taken in reference to “eternity” (the
traditional understanding of הָעֹלָם [ha’olam]
earlier in the verse; see the note on “ignorance”), e.g., KJV, NEB, NAB, ASV,
NASB, NIV, RSV, NRSV. However, if הָעֹלָם simply denotes “the future” (e.g., HALOT 799 s.v. עוֹלָם 2; BDB 762 s.v. III עוֹלָם 2.a; THAT 2:241), this temporal clause would refer to
the events God has ordained to transpire in an individual’s life, from
beginning to end. This approach is adopted by one English version: “but without
man ever guessing, from first to last, all the things that God brings to pass”
(NJPS). This would fit well in the context begun in 3:1 with the fourteen
merisms encompassing man’s life, starting with “a time to be born” (i.e., from
the beginning in 3:11) and concluding with “a time to die” (i.e., to the end in
3:11). This approach is also supported by the admonition of 3:12–13, namely,
since no one knows what will happen to him in the future days of his life,
Qoheleth recommends that man enjoy each day as a gift from God.
20 tn
The phrase “of their lives” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied
in the translation for clarity.
21 tn Heb
“I know.”
22 tn Heb
“for them”; the referent (people, i.e., mankind) has been specified in the
translation for clarity.
23 tn
Qoheleth uses the exceptive particle אִם … כִּי (ki …’ im, “except”) to identify the only
exception to the futility within man’s life (BDB 474 s.v. כִּי 2).
24 tn Heb
“to do good.” The phrase לַעֲשׂוֹת טוֹב (la’asot
tov) functions idiomatically for “to experience [or see] happiness [or
joy].” The verb עָשַׂה (’asah)
probably denotes “to acquire; to obtain” (BDB 795 s.v. עָשַׂה II.7), and טוֹב (tov)
means “good; pleasure; happiness,” e.g., Eccl 2:24; 3:13; 5:17 (BDB 375 s.v. טוֹב 1).
25 tn Heb
“for it.” The referent of the 3rd person feminine singular independent person
pronoun (“it”) is probably the preceding statement: “to eat, drink, and find
satisfaction.” This would be an example of an anacoluthon (GKC 505–6 §167.b).
Thus the present translation uses “these things” to indicate the reference back
to the preceding.
26 tn
The phrase “to do again” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in
the translation for clarity.
27 tn Heb
“God will seek that which is driven away.” The meaning of יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־נִרְדָּף (yévaqqesh ’et-nirdaf) is difficult to determine: יְבַקֵּשׁ (yévaqqesh) is Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine
singular from בָּקַשׁ (baqash, “to seek”) and נִרְדָּף (nirdaf) is a Niphal participle 3rd person masculine
singular from רָדַף (radaf, “to drive away”). There
are several options: (1) God watches over the persecuted: יְבַקֵּשׁ (“seeks”) functions as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to
protect), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף (“what is driven away”) refers to “those
who are persecuted.” But this does not fit the context. (2) God will call the
past to account: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions
as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to hold accountable), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף is a metonymy of attribute (i.e., the past). This approach is
adopted by several English translations: “God requires that which is past”
(KJV), “God will call the past to account” (NIV) and “God summons each event
back in its turn” (NEB). (3) God finds what has been lost: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to find),
and אֶת־נִרְדָּף refers to what has been lost: “God restores what would otherwise
be displaced” (NAB). (4) God repeats what has already occurred: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions as a metonymy of effect (i.e., to repeat), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף is a metonymy (i.e., that which has occurred). This fits the
context and provides a tight parallel with the preceding line: “That which is
has already been, and that which will be has already been” (3:15a) parallels
“God seeks [to repeat] that which has occurred [in the past].” This is the most
popular approach among English versions: “God restores that which has past”
(Douay), “God seeks again that which is passed away” (ASV), “God seeks what has
passed by” (NASB), “God seeks what has been driven away” (RSV), “God seeks out
what has passed by” (MLB), “God seeks out what has gone by” (NRSV), and “God is
ever bringing back what disappears” (Moffatt).
28 tn
The phrase “in the past” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in
the translation for clarity.
29 tn Heb
“under the sun.”
30 tn
Or “righteousness.”
31 tn
The phrase “a time of judgment” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is
supplied in the translation for clarity.
32 tn
The phrase “it is” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the
translation for clarity.
33 tn Heb
“the sons of man.” The phrase עַל־דִּבְרַת
בְּנֵי הָאָדָם (’al-divrat béne ha’adam) is handled variously: (1)
introduction to the direct discourse: “I said to myself concerning the sons of
men” (NASB), (2) direct discourse: “I thought, ‘As for men, God tests
them’ ” (NIV), (3) indirect discourse: “I said in my heart concerning the
estate of the sons of men” (KJV), and (4) causal conjunction: “I said, ‘[It is]
for the sake of the sons of men.” Since the phrase “sons of men” is contrasted
with “animals” the translation “humans” has been adopted.
34 tn
The meaning of לְבָרָם (lévaram, preposition + Qal
infinitive construct from בָּרַר, barar,
+ 3rd person masculine plural suffix) is debated because the root has a broad
range of meanings: (1) “to test; to prove; to sift; to sort out” (e.g., Dan
11:35; 12:10); (2) “to choose; to select” (e.g., 1 Chr 7:40; 9:22; 16:41; Neh
5:18); (3) “to purge out; to purify” (e.g., Ezek 20:38; Zeph 3:9; Job 33:3);
and (4) “to cleanse; to polish” (Isa 49:2; 52:11); see HALOT 163 s.v. בָּרַר; BDB 141 s.v. בָּרַר. The
meanings “to prove” (Qal), as well as “to cleanse; to polish” (Qal), “to keep
clean” (Niphal), and “to cleanse” (Hiphil) might suggest the meaning “to make
clear” (M. A. Eaton, Ecclesiastes [TOTC], 85–86). The meaning “to make
clear; to prove” is well attested in postbiblical Mishnaic Hebrew (Jastrow
197–98 s.v. בָּרַר). For example, “they make the fact as
clear (bright) as a new garment” (b. Ketubbot 46a) and “the claimant
must offer clear evidence” (b. Sanhedrin 23b). The point would be that
God allows human injustice to exist in the world in order to make it clear to
mankind that they are essentially no better than the beasts. On the other hand,
the LXX adopts the nuance “to judge,” while Targum and Vulgate take the nuance
“to purge; to purify.” BDB 141 s.v. בָּרַר 4 suggests “to test, prove,” while HALOT 163 s.v. בָּרַר 2 prefers “to select, choose.”
35 tn
The two infinitives לְבָרָם (lévaram,
“to make it clear to them”) and וְלִרְאוֹת (vélir’ot,
“and to show”) function as a verbal hendiadys (the two verbs are associated
with one another to communicate a single idea). The first verb functions
adverbially and the second retains its full verbal force: “to clearly show
them.”
36 tn Heb
“of the sons of man.”
37 tn Heb
“the spirit of the sons of man.”
38 tn Heb
“man.”
39 tn Heb
“his works.”
40 tn Heb
“his.”
41 tn Heb
“what will be after him” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV) or “afterward” (cf. NJPS).
[vi] Biblical
Studies Press. The NET
Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible.
Biblical Studies Press, 2005.
21
tn Or “craftiness.” See BDAG 625
s.v. μεθοδεία.
22
tn BDAG 752 s.v. πάλη says, “struggle against … the opponent is introduced by πρός w. the acc.”
23
tn Grk “blood and flesh.”
24
tn BDAG 561 s.v. κοσμοκράτωρ suggests “the
rulers of this sinful world” as a gloss.
sn
The phrase world-rulers of this darkness
does not refer to human rulers but the evil spirits that rule over the world.
The phrase thus stands in apposition to what follows (the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens); see note on heavens at the end of this verse.
25
tn BDAG 837 s.v. πνευματικός 3 suggests “the
spirit-forces of evil” in Ephesians 6:12.
26
sn The phrase spiritual forces of evil in the heavens serves to emphasize the
nature of the forces which oppose believers as well as to indicate the locality
from which they originate.
[vii]
Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible, Second Edition.
(Denmark: Thomas Nelson, 2019), Eph 6:10–12.
[viii] I use this title with thanks to
Dr. Michael S. Heiser who has written a book by the same name.
[ix] Sancta: a room or place of
total privacy or inviolability (definition
from Collins
English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers)
[x] All made common in everyday usage
thanks to George Orwell’s opus, 1984.
n 6:12 Php 3:3
o 6:12 1Pt 3:22
p 6:12 Mt 6:13; Jn 17:15
q 6:12 Eph 1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; Php 2:10
[xi] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard
Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Eph 6:12.
[xii] From the “about” page found at https://drmsh.com/about/ .
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