Ecclesiastes 4:9
"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Two are better than one,.... The wise man takes occasion, from the solitariness Of the covetous man before described, to show in this and some following verses the preferableness and advantages of social life; which, as it holds true in things natural and civil, so in things spiritual and religious; man is a sociable creature, was made to be so; and it was the judgment of God, which is according

to truth, and who can never err, that it was not good for man to be alone, Gen 2:18 . It is best to take a wife, or at least to have a friend or companion, more or less to converse with. Society is preferable to solitariness; conversation with a friend is better than to be always alone; the Targum is, "two righteous men in a generation are better than one;'' such may be helpful to each other in their counsels and comforts, and mutual aids and assistances in things temporal and spiritual. The Midrash interprets this of the study in the law together, and of two that trade together, which is better than studying or trading separately; because they have a good reward for their labour; the pleasure and profit they have in each other's company and conversation; in religious societies, though there is a labour in attendance on public worship, in praying and conferring together, in serving one another in love, and bearing one another's burdens, yet they have a good reward in it all; they have the presence of Christ with them, for, where two or three are met together in his name, he is with them; and whatsoever two of them agree to ask in his name they have it; and if two of them converse together about spiritual things, it is much if he does not make a third with them; besides they have a great deal of pleasure in each other's company, and much profit in their mutual instructions, advices, and reproofs; they sharpen each other's countenances, quicken and comfort each other's souls, establish one another in divine truth, and strengthen each other's hands and hearts.

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)
H8147 שְׁנַיִם
Definition:

768noun masculine and feminine dualtwo(Late Hebrewid.; Phoenicianאשנם(and׳שנsecond), PunicשנםLzb380; Arabic; SabeanתֿניHomChr 47, Aramaicתְּרֵין,(תִּנְיָנָא,second); Nabataeanתרין, Palmyrene feminineת 768noun masculine and feminine dualtwo(Late Hebrewid.; Phoenicianאשנם(and׳שנsecond), PunicשנםLzb380; Arabic; SabeanתֿניHomChr 47, Aramaicתְּרֵין,(תִּנְיָנָא,second); Nabataeanתרין, Palmyrene feminineת

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)
H0259 אֶחָד
Definition:

5#NAME?אַחַ֫דGenesis 21:15+; so even before preposition1 Samuel 9:3and elsewhere see Dr; feminine absoluteאַחַ֫תGenesis 2:21+;אֶחָ֑תGenesis 11:1+; constructאַחַ֫תDeuteronomy 13:13+; plural masculineאֲ 5#NAME?אַחַ֫דGenesis 21:15+; so even before preposition1 Samuel 9:3and elsewhere see Dr; feminine absoluteאַחַ֫תGenesis 2:21+;אֶחָ֑תGenesis 11:1+; constructאַחַ֫תDeuteronomy 13:13+; plural masculineאֲ

Possible Meanings:
  • one (semantic_range)
  • one (semantic_range)
  • each (semantic_range)
  • every (semantic_range)
  • a certain (semantic_range)
H0834 אֲשֶׁר
Definition:

1according to TsepreghiDiss. Lugd. p. 171MühlauBö. Lb. ii. 79 n.StaMorg. Forsch. 1875, 188; Lb. § 167HomZMG 1878, 708 ff.Müll§ 153SayceHebraica. ii. 51LagM. i. 255 &especially KraeHebraica. vi. 298 ff 1according to TsepreghiDiss. Lugd. p. 171MühlauBö. Lb. ii. 79 n.StaMorg. Forsch. 1875, 188; Lb. § 167HomZMG 1878, 708 ff.Müll§ 153SayceHebraica. ii. 51LagM. i. 255 &especially KraeHebraica. vi. 298 ff

Possible Meanings:
  • Asher (semantic_range)
  • happy one (semantic_range)
  • Felix (semantic_range)
  • the tribe (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)
H7939 שָׂכָר
Definition:

18hire, wages, only singular, not with article; — absolute׳שׂNumbers 18:31+, constructשְׂכַרDeuteronomy 15:18+, suffixשְׂכָרִיGenesis 30:18+, etc.; —1wages, of servant,Genesis 30:28;Genesis 30:32;Gene 18hire, wages, only singular, not with article; — absolute׳שׂNumbers 18:31+, constructשְׂכַרDeuteronomy 15:18+, suffixשְׂכָרִיGenesis 30:18+, etc.; —1wages, of servant,Genesis 30:28;Genesis 30:32;Gene

Possible Meanings:
  • drunken (semantic_range)
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)
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)

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