Ecclesiastes 1:8
"All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

All things are full of labour,.... Or "are laborious" (g); gotten by labour, and attended with fatigue and weariness; riches are got by labour, and those who load themselves with thick clay, as gold and silver be, weary themselves with it; honour and glory, crowns and kingdoms, are weighty cares, and very fatiguing to those that have them; much study to acquire knowledge is a weariness to the flesh; and as men even weary themselves to commit iniquity, it is

no wonder that religious exercises should be a weariness to a natural man, and a carnal professor; man cannot utter it; or declare all the things that are laborious and fatiguing, nor all the labour they are full of; time would fail, and words be wanting to express the whole; all the vanity, unprofitableness, and unsatisfying nature of all things below the sun; particularly the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing; both one and the other require new objects continually; the pleasure of these senses is blunted by the same objects constantly presented; men are always seeking new ones, and when they have got them they want others; whatever curious thing is to be seen the eye craves it; and, after it has dwelt on it a while, it grows tired of it, and wants something else to divert it; and so the ear is delighted with musical sounds, but in time loses the taste of them, and seeks for others; and in discourse and conversation never easy, unless, like the Athenians, it hears some new things, and which quickly grow stale, and then wants fresh ones still: and indeed the spiritual eye and ear will never be satisfied in this life, until the soul comes into the perfect state of blessedness, and beholds the face of God, and sees him as he is; and sees and hears what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard below. The Targum is, "all the words that shall be in the world, the ancient prophets were weary in them, and they could not find out the ends of them; yea, a man has no power to say what shall be after him; and the eye cannot see all that shall be in the world, and the ear cannot be filled with hearing all the words of all the inhabitants of the world.'' (g) "laboriosae", Pagninus, Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus, Schmidt.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (15 words)

H3605 כֹּל
Definition:

8 Kt.),noun masculinethe whole, all(Moabite, Phoenician,id.; Aramaicכּוֺל,; Arabic; Sabeanכל, compare DHMEpigr. Denk. 36-38; EthiopicAssyriankullatu) — absoluteכֹּל, constructכֹּלGenesis 2:5,16,20 #NA 8 Kt.),noun masculinethe whole, all(Moabite, Phoenician,id.; Aramaicכּוֺל,; Arabic; Sabeanכל, compare DHMEpigr. Denk. 36-38; EthiopicAssyriankullatu) — absoluteכֹּל, constructכֹּלGenesis 2:5,16,20 #NA

H1697 דָבָר
Definition:

14446t.; constructדְּבַרGenesis 12:17361t.; suffixדְּבָרִיNumbers 11:23+ (suffixes 66 t.); singular in all 875 t.; pluralדְּבָרִיםExodus 4:10182t.; constructדִּבְרֵיGenesis 24:30253t.; suffixדְּבָרָיו 14446t.; constructדְּבַרGenesis 12:17361t.; suffixדְּבָרִיNumbers 11:23+ (suffixes 66 t.); singular in all 875 t.; pluralדְּבָרִיםExodus 4:10182t.; constructדִּבְרֵיGenesis 24:30253t.; suffixדְּבָרָיו

Possible Meanings:
  • speaking (semantic_range)
H3023 יָגֵעַ
Definition:

18weary(""עָיֵף);2 Samuel 17:2(""רְפֵה יָדַיִם);כָּלהַֿדְּבָרִיםיְגֵעִיםEcclesiastes 1:8all things are wearisome(' full of labour ').Topical LexiconRange of Meaning and NuanceThe word depicts physical 18weary(""עָיֵף);2 Samuel 17:2(""רְפֵה יָדַיִם);כָּלהַֿדְּבָרִיםיְגֵעִיםEcclesiastes 1:8all things are wearisome(' full of labour ').Topical LexiconRange of Meaning and NuanceThe word depicts physical

H3808 לֹא
Definition:

11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, 11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay,

H3201 יָכֹל
Definition:

268t.;יָכוֺל1 Samuel 4:152t.; 3 feminine singularיָ˜כְלָהGenesis 36:7;Exodus 2:3; 2masculine singularוְיָכָלְתָּ֫Exodus 18:23; 1singularיָכֹלְתִּיGenesis 30:82t.; suffixיְכָלְתִּיוPsalm 13:5; 3pluralי 268t.;יָכוֺל1 Samuel 4:152t.; 3 feminine singularיָ˜כְלָהGenesis 36:7;Exodus 2:3; 2masculine singularוְיָכָלְתָּ֫Exodus 18:23; 1singularיָכֹלְתִּיGenesis 30:82t.; suffixיְכָלְתִּיוPsalm 13:5; 3pluralי

Possible Meanings:
  • be able (semantic_range)
H0376 אִישׁ
Definition:

23+; constructGenesis 25:27+; suffixאִישִׁיGenesis 29:32+, etc.; pluralאִישִׁיםPsalm 141:42t. (Phoenicianאשם); usuallyאֲנָשִׁיםGenesis 12:20+, from √אנשׁq. v.; constructאַנְשֵׁיJudges 6:27+; suffixאֲנ 23+; constructGenesis 25:27+; suffixאִישִׁיGenesis 29:32+, etc.; pluralאִישִׁיםPsalm 141:42t. (Phoenicianאשם); usuallyאֲנָשִׁיםGenesis 12:20+, from √אנשׁq. v.; constructאַנְשֵׁיJudges 6:27+; suffixאֲנ

Possible Meanings:
  • man (semantic_range)
H1696 דָבַר
Definition:

— (1) Arabicdepart, perish, IV.retreat, figurativeretrograde, decline;passing away, death; Assyriandabâru, Pi`eldrive away, BezOrient. Diplom, Vocab.,Dibbara, pest-god, Hpt. in KAT2. 500,דֶּבֶרpestile — (1) Arabicdepart, perish, IV.retreat, figurativeretrograde, decline;passing away, death; Assyriandabâru, Pi`eldrive away, BezOrient. Diplom, Vocab.,Dibbara, pest-god, Hpt. in KAT2. 500,דֶּבֶרpestile

Possible Meanings:
  • speaking (semantic_range)
H3808 לֹא
Definition:

11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, 11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay,

H7646 שָׂבַע
Definition:

); —Qal79Perfect3masculine singularשָׂבַע1 Chronicles 23:1,׳וְשׂconsecutiveDeuteronomy 31:20; 3pluralשָׂבֵ֑עוּIsaiah 9:19,׳ושׂconsecutiveDeuteronomy 14:29;Deuteronomy 26:12, etc.;Imperfect3masculine s ); —Qal79Perfect3masculine singularשָׂבַע1 Chronicles 23:1,׳וְשׂconsecutiveDeuteronomy 31:20; 3pluralשָׂבֵ֑עוּIsaiah 9:19,׳ושׂconsecutiveDeuteronomy 14:29;Deuteronomy 26:12, etc.;Imperfect3masculine s

Possible Meanings:
  • seven (semantic_range)
H5869 עַיִן
Definition:

9seeעין.עִוְעִיםsee below I.עוה.I.עַ֫יִן859noun feminineGenesis 3:7and (Zechariah 3:9; 4:10 AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 75)masculineeye(ancient Semitic word; √ and relation to II.׳עunknown; Late Hebrewid.; Ph 9seeעין.עִוְעִיםsee below I.עוה.I.עַ֫יִן859noun feminineGenesis 3:7and (Zechariah 3:9; 4:10 AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 75)masculineeye(ancient Semitic word; √ and relation to II.׳עunknown; Late Hebrewid.; Ph

H7200 רָאָה
Definition:

7, compareריחspectacleDeuteronomy 1:12; Sabeanראיsee, expectDHMZMG xxix (1875), 506,599; Arabicsee, so Ethiopicᵑ7רֵו,רֵיוָאhumanappearance, features, etc. (compare Hebrewרְָאִי2)); —Qal1141Perfect3mas 7, compareריחspectacleDeuteronomy 1:12; Sabeanראיsee, expectDHMZMG xxix (1875), 506,599; Arabicsee, so Ethiopicᵑ7רֵו,רֵיוָאhumanappearance, features, etc. (compare Hebrewרְָאִי2)); —Qal1141Perfect3mas

Possible Meanings:
  • vision (semantic_range)
H3808 לֹא
Definition:

11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, 11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. Negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows) -- X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay,

H4390 מָלֵא
Definition:

5) {maw-law'}; a primitive root, to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) -- accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, f 5) {maw-law'}; a primitive root, to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) -- accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, f

Possible Meanings:
  • was filled with rage (semantic_range)
H0241 אֹזֶן
Definition:

Exodus 29:20ear (Arabic, Aramaic,אוּדְנָא, Assyrianuznu, Ethiopic) — absolute2 Samuel 22:45+; constructExodus 29:20+; suffixאָזְנִי1 Samuel 20:2+, etc.; dualאָזְנַיִם(נָ֑יִם)Deuteronomy 29:3+; constru Exodus 29:20ear (Arabic, Aramaic,אוּדְנָא, Assyrianuznu, Ethiopic) — absolute2 Samuel 22:45+; constructExodus 29:20+; suffixאָזְנִי1 Samuel 20:2+, etc.; dualאָזְנַיִם(נָ֑יִם)Deuteronomy 29:3+; constru

Possible Meanings:
  • weigh (semantic_range)
  • test (semantic_range)
  • prove (semantic_range)
H8085 שָׁמַע
Definition:

52+,שָׁמֵ֑עַJeremiah 36:133t.; 2 feminine singularשָׁמַ֫עַתְּ1 Kings 1:112t.; 3 pluralשָׁמֵ֑עוּJudges 2:17+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁמַעExodus 6:30+, 1 singular cohortativeאֶשְׁמְעָהNumb 52+,שָׁמֵ֑עַJeremiah 36:133t.; 2 feminine singularשָׁמַ֫עַתְּ1 Kings 1:112t.; 3 pluralשָׁמֵ֑עוּJudges 2:17+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁמַעExodus 6:30+, 1 singular cohortativeאֶשְׁמְעָהNumb

Possible Meanings:
  • hear (semantic_range)
  • hear (semantic_range)
  • have sense of hearing (semantic_range)
  • shew oneself obedient (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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