Ecclesiastes 7:13
"Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?"

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Consider the work of God,.... This is dressed to those who thought the former days better than the present, and were ready to quarrel with the providence of God, Ecc 7:10 ; and are therefore advised to consider the work of God; not the work of creation, but of providence; which is the effect of divine sovereignty, and is conducted and directed according to the counsel of his will, and is always wisely done to answer the best ends and purposes:

everything is beautiful in its season; contemplate, adore, and admire the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, displayed therein; it is such as cannot be made better, nor otherwise than it is; for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked? or which seems to be so, irregular and disagreeable? No man can mend or make that better he finds fault with and complains of; nor can he alter the course of things, nor stay the hand, nor stop the providence of God: if it is his pleasure that public calamities should be in the world, or in such a part of it, as famine, pestilence, or the sword; or any affliction on families, and particular persons, or poverty and meanness in such and such individuals, there is no hindering it; whatever he has purposed and resolved, his providence effects, and there is no frustrating his designs; it signifies nothing for a creature to murmur and complain; it is best to submit to his will, for no alteration can be made but what he pleases. Some understand this of natural defects in human bodies, with which they are born, or which attend them, as blindness, lameness, &c. so the Targum, "consider the work of God, and his strength, who made the blind, the crooked, and the lame, to be wonders in the world; for who can make straight one of them but the Lord of the world, who made him crooked?'' Others, of spiritual defects in such who walk in crooked ways, and are hardened in them; who can correct them, and make them other ways, if God does not give them his grace to convert them, and soften their hard hearts? he hardens whom he will, and who hath resisted his will? Jarchi's paraphrase is, "who can make straight after death what he has made crooked in life?'' See Gill on Ecc 1:15 . Alshech interprets it of the first man Adam.

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)
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)
H4639 מַעֲשֶׂה
Definition:

9deed, work; — absolute׳מGenesis 44:15+, constructמַעֲשֵׂהIsaiah 5:12+; suffixמַעֲשֵׂהוּJudges 13:12+, etc.; pluralמַעֲשִׂיםGenesis 20:9+; constructמַעֲשֵׂיJeremiah 1:16+; suffixמַעֲשָׂיו1 Samuel 19:4 9deed, work; — absolute׳מGenesis 44:15+, constructמַעֲשֵׂהIsaiah 5:12+; suffixמַעֲשֵׂהוּJudges 13:12+, etc.; pluralמַעֲשִׂיםGenesis 20:9+; constructמַעֲשֵׂיJeremiah 1:16+; suffixמַעֲשָׂיו1 Samuel 19:4

H0430 אֱלהִים
Definition:

33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power 33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

Possible Meanings:
  • divine ones (semantic_range)
  • angels (semantic_range)
  • gods (semantic_range)
H3588 כִּי
Definition:

Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic, Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic,

Possible Meanings:
  • for (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
H4310 מִי
Definition:

WSG 123 f.): —who ?(τίς;quis ?)Genesis 3:11הִגִּיד לְךָ מִיwho told thee ?Genesis 24:65מִי הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶהwhois this man ?Genesis 27:18מי אתה בניwhoart thou, my son ?Numbers 22:9;Judges 1:1;Judges 6: WSG 123 f.): —who ?(τίς;quis ?)Genesis 3:11הִגִּיד לְךָ מִיwho told thee ?Genesis 24:65מִי הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶהwhois this man ?Genesis 27:18מי אתה בניwhoart thou, my son ?Numbers 22:9;Judges 1:1;Judges 6:

Possible Meanings:
  • who? (semantic_range)
  • whose (semantic_range)
  • who among (semantic_range)
  • whose (semantic_range)
  • whosoever (semantic_range)
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)
H8626 תָּקַן
Definition:

9תיקןset in order; Assyriantakânu,be well ordered, especially Pi`el as Late Hebrew; Aramaicbe established, firm, Pa`el,תֵּקֵּיןfix, arrange, prepare, etc.; Palmyrene Pa`elerect); —QalInfinitive constr 9תיקןset in order; Assyriantakânu,be well ordered, especially Pi`el as Late Hebrew; Aramaicbe established, firm, Pa`el,תֵּקֵּיןfix, arrange, prepare, etc.; Palmyrene Pa`elerect); —QalInfinitive constr

Possible Meanings:
  • be in order (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)
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)
H5791 עָוַת
Definition:

6,עִוְּתוֺEcclesiastes 7:13; 3plural suffixעִוְּתוּנִיPsalm 119:78;Imperfect3masculine singularיְעַוֵּתPsalm 146:9;Job 8:3,יְעַוֶּתֿJob 8:3;InfinitiveלְעַוֵּתAmos 8:5;Lamentations 3:22; —1. a.make cro 6,עִוְּתוֺEcclesiastes 7:13; 3plural suffixעִוְּתוּנִיPsalm 119:78;Imperfect3masculine singularיְעַוֵּתPsalm 146:9;Job 8:3,יְעַוֶּתֿJob 8:3;InfinitiveלְעַוֵּתAmos 8:5;Lamentations 3:22; —1. a.make cro

Possible Meanings:
  • to help (semantic_range)

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