Ecclesiastes 2:20
"Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair,.... Of ever finding happiness in anything here below. He "turned about" (y), as the word signifies dropped his severe studies of wisdom, and his

eager pursuits of pleasure; and desisted from those toilsome works, in which he had employed himself; and went from one thing to another, and settled and stuck at nothing, on purpose to relax his mind, as the Syriac version renders it; to divest it of all anxious thought and care, and call it off from its vain and fruitless undertakings; and be no more concerned about or thoughtful of all the labour which I took under the sun; and what will be the consequence and issue of it; but quietly leave all to an all wise disposing Providence; and not seek for happiness in anything under the sun, but in those things that are above it; not in this world, but in the world to come. (y) "versus sum", Montanus; "et ego verti me", Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (11 words)

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)
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)
H2976 יָאַשׁ
Definition:

20); Arabicdespair) —Niph`alPerfectוְנוֺאַשconsecutive1 Samuel 27:1;ParticipleנוֺאָשׁJeremiah 2:253t.; —despair,מִמֶּנִּי שָׁאוּל׳וְנלְבַקְּשֵׁנִי1 Samuel 27:1and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me; 20); Arabicdespair) —Niph`alPerfectוְנוֺאַשconsecutive1 Samuel 27:1;ParticipleנוֺאָשׁJeremiah 2:253t.; —despair,מִמֶּנִּי שָׁאוּל׳וְנלְבַקְּשֵׁנִי1 Samuel 27:1and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me;

Possible Meanings:
  • to make my heart despair (semantic_range)
  • concerning all the toil (semantic_range)
H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H3820 לֵב
Definition:

15(feminineProverbs 12:25, from influence ofנֶפֶשׁsee De Now)inner man, mind will, heart, absolute and constructלֵבGenesis 8:21239t.;לֶבֿExodus 15:815t.; suffixלִבִּיGenesis 24:45102t.;לִבְּךָExodus 9 15(feminineProverbs 12:25, from influence ofנֶפֶשׁsee De Now)inner man, mind will, heart, absolute and constructלֵבGenesis 8:21239t.;לֶבֿExodus 15:815t.; suffixלִבִּיGenesis 24:45102t.;לִבְּךָExodus 9

Possible Meanings:
  • in the midst of the sea (semantic_range)
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)
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

H5999 עָמָל
Definition:

8feminineEcclesiastes 10:15(against AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 113, see KöSynt. § 249 m)trouble, labour, toil(on this form as abstract see LagBN 143BaNB 105); —׳עNumbers 23:21+; constructעֲמַלJudges 10:16+; 8feminineEcclesiastes 10:15(against AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 113, see KöSynt. § 249 m)trouble, labour, toil(on this form as abstract see LagBN 143BaNB 105); —׳עNumbers 23:21+; constructעֲמַלJudges 10:16+;

Possible Meanings:
  • toiling (semantic_range)
H5998 עָמַל
Definition:

21; 3feminine singularעָֽמְלָהProverbs 16:26; 2masculine singularעָמַלְתָּJonah 4:10; 1singularעָמַלְתִּיEcclesiastes 2:112t.; 3 pluralעָֽמְלוּPsalm 127:1;Imperfect3masculine singularיַעֲמֹלEcclesiast 21; 3feminine singularעָֽמְלָהProverbs 16:26; 2masculine singularעָמַלְתָּJonah 4:10; 1singularעָמַלְתִּיEcclesiastes 2:112t.; 3 pluralעָֽמְלוּPsalm 127:1;Imperfect3masculine singularיַעֲמֹלEcclesiast

Possible Meanings:
  • toiling (semantic_range)
H8478 תַּחַת
Definition:

4(Cooke320), Syriac); —1asadverb accusativeGenesis 49:25(=Deuteronomy 33:13) the deepרֹבֶצֶת תָּ֑חַתthat couchethbeneath; more usually withמִן,מִתָּחַתliterallyoff(מִן1c)the under part = beneath,Exodu 4(Cooke320), Syriac); —1asadverb accusativeGenesis 49:25(=Deuteronomy 33:13) the deepרֹבֶצֶת תָּ֑חַתthat couchethbeneath; more usually withמִן,מִתָּחַתliterallyoff(מִן1c)the under part = beneath,Exodu

Possible Meanings:
  • underneath (semantic_range)
  • below (semantic_range)
  • instead of (semantic_range)
H8121 שֶׁמֶשׁ
Definition:

14and masculineGenesis 19:23(AlbrZAW xv (1895), 324)sun; — absolute׳שׁJoshua 10:12+,שָׁ֑מֶשׁJudges 20:43+; suffixשִׁמְשֵׁךְIsaiah 60:20,שִׁמְשָׁךְJeremiah 15:9; plural suffixשִׁמְשֹׁתַ֫יִךְIsaiah 54:1 14and masculineGenesis 19:23(AlbrZAW xv (1895), 324)sun; — absolute׳שׁJoshua 10:12+,שָׁ֑מֶשׁJudges 20:43+; suffixשִׁמְשֵׁךְIsaiah 60:20,שִׁמְשָׁךְJeremiah 15:9; plural suffixשִׁמְשֹׁתַ֫יִךְIsaiah 54:1

Possible Meanings:
  • minister (semantic_range)

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