John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. He that observeth the wind shall not sow , etc.] Who before he sows his seed is careful to observe where the wind is, from what corner it blows, and forbears sowing until it is down or changes, lest it should be troublesome unto him in sowing, or blow away his seed, and waits for a better season; such a man may lose his seedtime and never sow at all, and his grain in his barn may be devoured by vermin, or be destroyed by one accident or another, and so he may lose both his seed and his crop; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap ; which are uncertain signs of weather; and if a man gives heed to them, and puts off his sowing from time to time, for the sake of better weather, as he may never sow, so it is impossible that he should reap; and if he sows, and when his grain is ripe and forbears to reap because of the clouds, lest his grain should be wet, may never reap at all: and so it is with respect to liberality; if a man will raise difficulties, and make objections, and attend unto them; if he puts off giving till such an affliction is removed from him and his family, or that is grown up; or such an estate is obtained, or he has got to such an amount of riches, or till more proper and deserving objects present, with twenty things more of the like kind; if he defers giving on such accounts, or through fear of want, which may possess his mind for various reasons, he may never give nor get, yea, never do any good work; for, if nothing is done till all difficulties are removed, no good thing will ever be done.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- Exhortation to liberality. (Eccl. 11:1-6) An admonition to prepare for death, and to young persons to be religious. (Eccl. 11:7-10)
Eccl. 11:1-6 Solomon presses the rich to do good to others. Giv freely, though it may seem thrown away and lost. Give to many. Excus not thyself with the good thou hast done, from the good thou has further to do. It is not lost, but well laid out. We have reason to expect evil, for we are born to trouble; it is wisdom to do good in the day of prosperity. Riches cannot profit us, if we do not benefi others. Every man must labour to be a blessing to that place where the providence of God casts him. Wherever we are, we may find good work to do, if we have but hearts to do it. If we magnify every littl difficulty, start objections, and fancy hardships, we shall never go on, much less go through with our work. Winds and clouds of tribulatio are, in God's hands, designed to try us. God's work shall agree with his word, whether we see it or not. And we may well trust God to provide for us, without our anxious, disquieting cares. Be not weary in well-doing, for in due season, in God's time, you shall reap, Gal. 6:9.
Eccl. 11:7-10 Life is sweet to bad men, because they have their portio in this life; it is sweet to good men, because it is the time of preparation for a better; it is sweet to all. Here is a caution to think of death, even when life is most sweet. Solomon makes a effecting address to young persons. They would desire opportunity to pursue every pleasure. Then follow your desires, but be assured tha God will call you into judgment. How many give loose to every appetite and rush into every vicious pleasure! But God registers every one of their sinful thoughts and desires, their idle words and wicked words If they would avoid remorse and terror, if they would have hope an comfort on a dying bed, if they would escape misery here and hereafter let them remember the vanity of youthful pleasures. That Solomon mean to condemn the pleasures of sin is evident. His object is to draw the young to purer and more lasting joys. This is not the language of on grudging youthful pleasures, because he can no longer partake of them but of one who has, by a miracle of mercy, been brought back in safety He would persuade the young from trying a course whence so few return If the young would live a life of true happiness, if they would secur happiness hereafter, let them remember their Creator in the days of their youth _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew שׁמר8104 רוח7307 לא3808 יזרע2232 וראה7200 בעבים5645 לא3808 יקצור׃7114
