Ecclesiastes 2:13
"Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Then I sat that wisdom excelleth folly,.... However, this upon a review of things he could not but own, that natural wisdom and knowledge, though there was no true happiness

and satisfaction in them, yet they greatly exceeded folly and madness; as far as light excelleth darkness; as the light of the day the darkness of the night; the one is pleasant and delightful, the other very uncomfortable; the one useful to direct in walking, the other very unsafe to walk in: light sometimes signifies joy and prosperity, and darkness adversity; the one is used to express the light of grace, and the other the darkness of sin and ignorance; now as the natural light exceeds darkness, and prosperity exceeds adversity and calamities, and a state of grace exceeds a state of sin and wickedness, so wisdom exceeds folly.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (11 words)

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)
H0589 אֲנַי
Definition:

17;Genesis 9:9,12 + often Following a participle as its subject (to express mostly either a true present or the futurum instans [immanent future])Genesis 18:17הַמְכַסֶּה אֲנִיAmos I hidingfrom Abraham 17;Genesis 9:9,12 + often Following a participle as its subject (to express mostly either a true present or the futurum instans [immanent future])Genesis 18:17הַמְכַסֶּה אֲנִיAmos I hidingfrom Abraham

Possible Meanings:
  • ships (semantic_range)
  • fleet (semantic_range)
H3426 יֵשׁ
Definition:

24etc.;יֶשֿׁGenesis 31:29+ often;הֲיֵשׁGenesis 24:2318t. (soאִשׁ2 Samuel 14:19,הַאִשׁMicah 6:10), with suffixיֶשְׁךָGenesis 24:422t.;יֶשְׁכֶםGenesis 24:49;הֲיִשְׁכֶםDeuteronomy 13:4;יֶשְׁנוֺ(Ol§ 97 bS 24etc.;יֶשֿׁGenesis 31:29+ often;הֲיֵשׁGenesis 24:2318t. (soאִשׁ2 Samuel 14:19,הַאִשׁMicah 6:10), with suffixיֶשְׁךָGenesis 24:422t.;יֶשְׁכֶםGenesis 24:49;הֲיִשְׁכֶםDeuteronomy 13:4;יֶשְׁנוֺ(Ol§ 97 bS

Possible Meanings:
  • being (semantic_range)
  • substance (semantic_range)
  • existence (semantic_range)
  • substance (semantic_range)
  • existence (semantic_range)
H3504 יִתְרוֹן
Definition:

34t.; constructEcclesiastes 2:134t.; —advantageto (ל) any one,מַהיִֿתְרוֺן לָאָדָםEcclesiastes 1:3, i.e.what advantage hath a man?Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 10:11; followed byמִןcomparative =advan 34t.; constructEcclesiastes 2:134t.; —advantageto (ל) any one,מַהיִֿתְרוֺן לָאָדָםEcclesiastes 1:3, i.e.what advantage hath a man?Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 10:11; followed byמִןcomparative =advan

Possible Meanings:
  • profit (semantic_range)
H2451 חָכְמָה
Definition:

3106t.; constructחָכְמַתExodus 35:3515t.; suffixחָכְמָתִיEcclesiastes 2:9, etc. + 25 t. suffix; plural abstract emphaticחָכְמוֺתPsalm 49:4;Proverbs 1:20;Proverbs 9:1;Proverbs 24:7;חַכְמוֺתProverbs 14: 3106t.; constructחָכְמַתExodus 35:3515t.; suffixחָכְמָתִיEcclesiastes 2:9, etc. + 25 t. suffix; plural abstract emphaticחָכְמוֺתPsalm 49:4;Proverbs 1:20;Proverbs 9:1;Proverbs 24:7;חַכְמוֺתProverbs 14:

Possible Meanings:
  • wisdom (semantic_range)
H4480 מִן
Definition:

2; 2Chronicles 20:11) contracted toמִי(asמִידֵיfromמִיְּדֵי), before guttural andר, mostlyמֵ, occasionallyמִ(Ges§ 102, l R.; more fully Köii. 291ff),מִןbefore article in all books much commoner than - 2; 2Chronicles 20:11) contracted toמִי(asמִידֵיfromמִיְּדֵי), before guttural andר, mostlyמֵ, occasionallyמִ(Ges§ 102, l R.; more fully Köii. 291ff),מִןbefore article in all books much commoner than -

Possible Meanings:
  • out of (semantic_range)
  • by (semantic_range)
  • by reason of (semantic_range)
  • at (semantic_range)
H5531 סִכְלוּת
Definition:

3,12,13;Ecclesiastes 7:25;Ecclesiastes 10:1,13;׳שׁEcclesiastes 1:17(שׂerroneously forס).שִׂכְלוּתEcclesiastes 1:17seeסִכְלוּת.Topical LexiconConceptual Overviewסִכְלוּת denotes practiced, observable f 3,12,13;Ecclesiastes 7:25;Ecclesiastes 10:1,13;׳שׁEcclesiastes 1:17(שׂerroneously forס).שִׂכְלוּתEcclesiastes 1:17seeסִכְלוּת.Topical LexiconConceptual Overviewסִכְלוּת denotes practiced, observable f

Possible Meanings:
  • folly (semantic_range)
H3504 יִתְרוֹן
Definition:

34t.; constructEcclesiastes 2:134t.; —advantageto (ל) any one,מַהיִֿתְרוֺן לָאָדָםEcclesiastes 1:3, i.e.what advantage hath a man?Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 10:11; followed byמִןcomparative =advan 34t.; constructEcclesiastes 2:134t.; —advantageto (ל) any one,מַהיִֿתְרוֺן לָאָדָםEcclesiastes 1:3, i.e.what advantage hath a man?Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 10:11; followed byמִןcomparative =advan

Possible Meanings:
  • profit (semantic_range)
H0216 אוֹר
Definition:

3(feminineJob 36:32;Jeremiah 13:16)light(Assyrianurru = ûruDlw). — absoluteGenesis 1:3+; constructJudges 16:2+; suffixאוֺרִיPsalm 27:1, etc.;pluralאוֺרִיםPsalm 136:7; —1lightas diffused in nature, lig 3(feminineJob 36:32;Jeremiah 13:16)light(Assyrianurru = ûruDlw). — absoluteGenesis 1:3+; constructJudges 16:2+; suffixאוֺרִיPsalm 27:1, etc.;pluralאוֺרִיםPsalm 136:7; —1lightas diffused in nature, lig

H4480 מִן
Definition:

2; 2Chronicles 20:11) contracted toמִי(asמִידֵיfromמִיְּדֵי), before guttural andר, mostlyמֵ, occasionallyמִ(Ges§ 102, l R.; more fully Köii. 291ff),מִןbefore article in all books much commoner than - 2; 2Chronicles 20:11) contracted toמִי(asמִידֵיfromמִיְּדֵי), before guttural andר, mostlyמֵ, occasionallyמִ(Ges§ 102, l R.; more fully Köii. 291ff),מִןbefore article in all books much commoner than -

Possible Meanings:
  • out of (semantic_range)
  • by (semantic_range)
  • by reason of (semantic_range)
  • at (semantic_range)
H2822 חשֶׁךְ
Definition:

21darkness, obscurity— absoluteחשֶׁךְGenesis 1:275t. (+Ezekiel 8:12strike out Co A B etc.); constructid.Exodus 10:22; suffixחָשְׁכִּיPsalm 18:29=2 Samuel 22:29; —1darkness(opposed toאוֺר) literalGenes 21darkness, obscurity— absoluteחשֶׁךְGenesis 1:275t. (+Ezekiel 8:12strike out Co A B etc.); constructid.Exodus 10:22; suffixחָשְׁכִּיPsalm 18:29=2 Samuel 22:29; —1darkness(opposed toאוֺר) literalGenes

Possible Meanings:
  • obscure (semantic_range)
  • low (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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