Ecclesiastes 4:6
"Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Better is a handful with quietness,.... These are the words of the fool, according to Aben Ezra; and which is the sense of other interpreters, particularly Mr. Broughton, who connects this verse with Ecc 4:5 by adding at the end of that the word "saying"; making an excuse or an apology for himself and conduct, from

the use and profitableness of his sloth; that little had with ease, and without toil and labour, is much better than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit; than large possessions gotten with a great deal of trouble, and enjoyed with much vexation and uneasiness; in which he mistakes slothful ease for true quietness; calls honest labour and industry travail and vexation; and supposes that true contentment lies in the enjoyment of little, and cannot be had where there is much; whereas it is to be found in a good man in every state: or else these words express the true sentiments of Solomon's mind, steering between the two extremes of slothfulness, and too toilsome labour to be rich; that it is much more eligible to have a competency, though it is but small, with a good conscience, with tranquillity of mind, with the love and fear of God, and a contented heart, than to have a large estate, with great trouble and fatigue in getting and keeping it, especially with discontent and uneasiness; and this agrees with what the wise man says elsewhere, Pro 15:16 . The Targum is, "better to a man is a handful of food with quietness of soul, and without robbery and rapine, than two handfuls of food with robbery and rapine;'' or with what is gotten in an ill way.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (9 words)

H2896 טוֹב
Definition:

Fromtowb; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the Fromtowb; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the

Possible Meanings:
  • good things (semantic_range)
  • goods (semantic_range)
  • goodness (semantic_range)
H4393 מְלא
Definition:

4fulness, that which fills(ArabicLane2729); —׳מconstructGenesis 48:1919t.;מְלוֺEzekiel 41:8; suffixמְלוֺאוֺIsaiah 42:103t.;מְלוֺאָהּDeuteronomy 33:1612t.; —1fulnessof hand (= handful)Ecclesiastes 4:6( 4fulness, that which fills(ArabicLane2729); —׳מconstructGenesis 48:1919t.;מְלוֺEzekiel 41:8; suffixמְלוֺאוֺIsaiah 42:103t.;מְלוֺאָהּDeuteronomy 33:1612t.; —1fulnessof hand (= handful)Ecclesiastes 4:6(

Possible Meanings:
  • was filled with rage (semantic_range)
H3709 כַּף
Definition:

54hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan(Late Hebrewid.; Aramaicid.,Assyriankappu, hand, pan, kippatu, hollow;Arabicpalm, hand) — absolute׳כJob 29:9+, so read probably alsoEzekiel 29:7b 54hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan(Late Hebrewid.; Aramaicid.,Assyriankappu, hand, pan, kippatu, hollow;Arabicpalm, hand) — absolute׳כJob 29:9+, so read probably alsoEzekiel 29:7b

H5183 נַחַת
Definition:

Fromnchath; a descent, i.e. Imposition, unfavorable (punishment) or favorable (food); also (intransitively; perhaps fromnuwach), restfulness -- lighting down, quiet(-ness), to rest, be set on.see HEBR Fromnchath; a descent, i.e. Imposition, unfavorable (punishment) or favorable (food); also (intransitively; perhaps fromnuwach), restfulness -- lighting down, quiet(-ness), to rest, be set on.see HEBR

Possible Meanings:
  • descend (semantic_range)
  • deposited (semantic_range)
  • be deposed (semantic_range)
H4393 מְלא
Definition:

4fulness, that which fills(ArabicLane2729); —׳מconstructGenesis 48:1919t.;מְלוֺEzekiel 41:8; suffixמְלוֺאוֺIsaiah 42:103t.;מְלוֺאָהּDeuteronomy 33:1612t.; —1fulnessof hand (= handful)Ecclesiastes 4:6( 4fulness, that which fills(ArabicLane2729); —׳מconstructGenesis 48:1919t.;מְלוֺEzekiel 41:8; suffixמְלוֺאוֺIsaiah 42:103t.;מְלוֺאָהּDeuteronomy 33:1612t.; —1fulnessof hand (= handful)Ecclesiastes 4:6(

Possible Meanings:
  • was filled with rage (semantic_range)
H2651 חֹפֶן
Definition:

6; constructחָפְנֵיEzekiel 10:7(strike out Co internal grounds); suffixחָפְנֶיךָEzekiel 10:2;חָפְנָיוLeviticus 16:2;Proverbs 30:4;חָפְנֵינֶםExodus 9:8;׳מַלֵּא הEzekiel 10:2+Ezekiel 10:7(strike out Co 6; constructחָפְנֵיEzekiel 10:7(strike out Co internal grounds); suffixחָפְנֶיךָEzekiel 10:2;חָפְנָיוLeviticus 16:2;Proverbs 30:4;חָפְנֵינֶםExodus 9:8;׳מַלֵּא הEzekiel 10:2+Ezekiel 10:7(strike out Co

Possible Meanings:
  • hollow of hand (semantic_range)
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)
H7469 רְעוּת
Definition:

14;Ecclesiastes 2:11,17,26;Ecclesiastes 4:4;Ecclesiastes 6:9;רוּחַ׳עָמָל וּרEcclesiastes 4:6.Topical LexiconRange of usageThe term occurs seven times, all in Ecclesiastes (1:14; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 4:4; 14;Ecclesiastes 2:11,17,26;Ecclesiastes 4:4;Ecclesiastes 6:9;רוּחַ׳עָמָל וּרEcclesiastes 4:6.Topical LexiconRange of usageThe term occurs seven times, all in Ecclesiastes (1:14; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 4:4;

Possible Meanings:
  • longing (semantic_range)
  • striving (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

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