Ecclesiastes 1:6 KJV - Bible Verse

Ecclesiastes 1:6

"The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north,.... The word "wind" is not in this clause in the original text, but is taken from the next, and so may be rendered, "it goeth towards the south", &c. that is, the sun (x) before mentioned, which as to its diurnal and nocturnal course in the daytime goes towards the south, and in the night towards the north; and as to its annual course before the winter solstice it goes to the south, and before the summer solstice to the

north, as interpreters observe. And the Targum not only interprets this clause, but even the whole verse, of the sun, paraphrasing the whole thus, "it goes all the side of the south in the daytime, and goes round to the side of the north in the night, by the way of the abyss; it goes its circuit, and comes to the wind of the south corner in the revolution of Nisan and Tammuz; and by its circuit it returns to the wind of the north corner in the revolution of Tisri and Tebet; it goes out of the confines of the east in the morning, and goes into the confines of the west in the evening.'' But Aben Ezra understands the whole of the wind, as our version and others do, which is sometimes in the south point of the heavens, and is presently in the north; it whirleth about continually; and the wind returneth again according to his circuits; which may be meant of the circuits of the sun, which has a great influence on the wind, often raising it in a morning and laying it at night; but it is the wind itself which whirls and shifts about all the points of the compass, and returns from whence it came, where the treasures of it are. Agreeably to Solomon's account of the wind is Plato's definition of it, "the wind is the motion of the air round about the earth (y).'' This also exemplifies the rotation of men and things, the instability, inconstancy, and restless state of all sublunary enjoyments; the unprofitableness of men's labours, who, while they labour for riches and honour, and natural knowledge, labour for the wind, and fill their belly with east wind, which cannot satisfy, Ecc 5:16 ; as well as the frailty of human life, which is like the wind that passes away and comes not again; and in this respect, like the rest of the instances, exceed man, which returns to its place, but man does not, Job 7:7 . (x) Jarchi, Alshech, and Titatzak, interpret it of the sun; so Mercerus, Varenius, Gejerus; accordingly Mr. Broughton renders it "he walketh to the south." (y) Definition. p. 1337. Ed. Ficin.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (14 words)

H1980 הָלַךְ

Definition:

26+;הָלָ֑ךְ2 Samuel 8:6+; 3 pluralהָֽלְכוּGenesis 14:24+;(הֶ)הָֽלְכוּאJoshua 10:24(Ges§ 23, 3; 138, 3 b Köi. 414 f.), etc.;Imperfectrarelya.3masculine singularיִהֲלֹךְJeremiah 9:34t. Job, Psalms;וַיַּ 26+;הָלָ֑ךְ2 Samuel 8:6+; 3 pluralהָֽלְכוּGenesis 14:24+;(הֶ)הָֽלְכוּאJoshua 10:24(Ges§ 23, 3; 138, 3 b Köi. 414 f.), etc.;Imperfectrarelya.3masculine singularיִהֲלֹךְJeremiah 9:34t. Job, Psalms;וַיַּ

Possible Meanings:

toll (semantic_range)

H0413 אֶל

Definition:

22;1 Samuel 5:26;1 Samuel 15:22;1 Samuel 29:19), with suffixאֵלַי,אֵלֶיךָ,אֵלַיִךְ, etc.אֵלֵינוּ,אֲלֵיכֶם& (5 t.)אֲלֵכֶם,אֲלֵיהֶם&אֲלֵהֶם(both very often); onceאֵלֵימוֺPsalm 2:5,אֲלֵיהֶן, onceאֲלֵהֶןE 22;1 Samuel 5:26;1 Samuel 15:22;1 Samuel 29:19), with suffixאֵלַי,אֵלֶיךָ,אֵלַיִךְ, etc.אֵלֵינוּ,אֲלֵיכֶם& (5 t.)אֲלֵכֶם,אֲלֵיהֶם&אֲלֵהֶם(both very often); onceאֵלֵימוֺPsalm 2:5,אֲלֵיהֶן, onceאֲלֵהֶןE

Possible Meanings:

these (semantic_range)

H1864 דָּרוֹם

Definition:

1714t. +Ezekiel 40:27b;Ezekiel 40:28b (strike outᵑ6Co inEzekiel 40:27bEzekiel 40:27b; ABᵑ9Co inEzekiel 27bEzekiel 40:28b —south,Ezekiel 42:18(over againstקָדִים,צָפוֺן,יָם); 12 t. more in Ezekiel (of 1714t. +Ezekiel 40:27b;Ezekiel 40:28b (strike outᵑ6Co inEzekiel 40:27bEzekiel 40:27b; ABᵑ9Co inEzekiel 27bEzekiel 40:28b —south,Ezekiel 42:18(over againstקָדִים,צָפוֺן,יָם); 12 t. more in Ezekiel (of

H5437 סָבַב

Definition:

19+; 1 singularסַבֹּ֫תִי1 Samuel 22:22(but see below),סַבּ֫וֺתִיEcclesiastes 2:20;Ecclesiastes 7:25; 3pluralסָָֽבְבוּJoshua 6:15+1 Samuel 14:21;2 Samuel 24:6(see below), suffixסְבָבוּנִיPsalm 18:6+,סַ 19+; 1 singularסַבֹּ֫תִי1 Samuel 22:22(but see below),סַבּ֫וֺתִיEcclesiastes 2:20;Ecclesiastes 7:25; 3pluralסָָֽבְבוּJoshua 6:15+1 Samuel 14:21;2 Samuel 24:6(see below), suffixסְבָבוּנִיPsalm 18:6+,סַ

Possible Meanings:

turn about (semantic_range)
go around (semantic_range)
surround (semantic_range)
turn (semantic_range)
march (semantic_range)

H0413 אֶל

Definition:

Possible Meanings:

these (semantic_range)

H6828 צָפוֹן

Definition:

6north(as thehidden, dark; compare Thes LewyFremdw. 188 f.; perhaps Phoenicianצפלnorth); — absolute׳צJeremiah 26:26+,צָפֹ֫נָהnorthwardGenesis 13:14+, oftenerצָפ֫וֺנָהJeremiah 3:12+, alsoצָפ֫וֺנָה=צָפו 6north(as thehidden, dark; compare Thes LewyFremdw. 188 f.; perhaps Phoenicianצפלnorth); — absolute׳צJeremiah 26:26+,צָפֹ֫נָהnorthwardGenesis 13:14+, oftenerצָפ֫וֺנָהJeremiah 3:12+, alsoצָפ֫וֺנָה=צָפו

H5437 סָבַב

Definition:

Possible Meanings:

turn about (semantic_range)
go around (semantic_range)
surround (semantic_range)
turn (semantic_range)
march (semantic_range)

H5437 סָבַב

Definition:

Possible Meanings:

turn about (semantic_range)
go around (semantic_range)
surround (semantic_range)
turn (semantic_range)
march (semantic_range)

H1980 הָלַךְ

Definition:

Possible Meanings:

toll (semantic_range)

H7307 רוּחַ

Definition:

8(less oftenmasculineExodus 10:13+)breath, wind, spirit; — absolute׳רGenesis 8:1+,ר֑וּחָהJeremiah 52:23; constructרוּחַGenesis 6:17+; suffixרוּחִיGenesis 6:3+,רוּחֲךָPsalm 104:30+, etc.; pluralרוּחוֺת 8(less oftenmasculineExodus 10:13+)breath, wind, spirit; — absolute׳רGenesis 8:1+,ר֑וּחָהJeremiah 52:23; constructרוּחַGenesis 6:17+; suffixרוּחִיGenesis 6:3+,רוּחֲךָPsalm 104:30+, etc.; pluralרוּחוֺת

H5921 עַל

Definition:

“The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the

Possible Meanings:

upon (semantic_range)
on account of (semantic_range)
to (semantic_range)

H5439 סָבִיב

Definition:

— constructסְבִיבAmos 3:11; plural constructסְבִיבֵיJeremiah 32:44;Jeremiah 33:13, suffixסְבִיבֶיךָetc. (10 t.), much oftenerסְבִיבוֺתExodus 7:2422t.,סְבִיבוֺתַי,תֶיךָ-, etc.,Deuteronomy 17:14, etc. ( — constructסְבִיבAmos 3:11; plural constructסְבִיבֵיJeremiah 32:44;Jeremiah 33:13, suffixסְבִיבֶיךָetc. (10 t.), much oftenerסְבִיבוֺתExodus 7:2422t.,סְבִיבוֺתַי,תֶיךָ-, etc.,Deuteronomy 17:14, etc. (

Possible Meanings:

circuit (semantic_range)
round about (semantic_range)

H7725 שׁוּב

Definition:

33+, 3 feminine singularשָׁ֫בָהRuth 1:15+,וְשָׁבַתconsecutiveEzekiel 46:17(Ges§ 72o, but Co Toy Kraeוְשֶׁבָה), 2 masculine singularשַׁבְתָּPsalm 85:2, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיָשׁוּבHosea 11: 33+, 3 feminine singularשָׁ֫בָהRuth 1:15+,וְשָׁבַתconsecutiveEzekiel 46:17(Ges§ 72o, but Co Toy Kraeוְשֶׁבָה), 2 masculine singularשַׁבְתָּPsalm 85:2, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיָשׁוּבHosea 11:

Possible Meanings:

turn back (semantic_range)
return (semantic_range)
turn back (semantic_range)
return (semantic_range)
turn back (semantic_range)

H7307 רוּחַ

Definition:

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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