Ecclesiastes 7:23
"All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

All this have I proved by wisdom,.... Referring either to all that he had been discoursing of hitherto in this book, concerning the vanity of natural wisdom and knowledge, of pleasure, power, and riches; or to the several useful instructions given in this chapter, particularly concerning patiently bearing

everything from the hands of God or men, Ecc 7:8 . This, by the help and use of that wisdom which God had given him, he had made trial of, and found it to be right, and therefore recommended it to others; though he acknowledges that, with all his wisdom, he was from perfection; I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me; he determined, if possible, to attain to the perfection of wisdom, and made use of all means to come at it; that he might know all the works of God in creation, the nature, use, and excellency of them; in providence, his different dispensations towards the sons of men, and the causes of them; and in grace, the redemption and salvation of men, and the mysteries thereof; but the more he knew, the more he was convinced of his own ignorance, and seemed further off from the summit of knowledge than he was before; and plainly saw, that perfection in wisdom is not attainable in this life. The Targum restrains this to the wisdom of the law; but it is better to understand it in a more general sense.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (9 words)

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

H2090 זֹה
Definition:

19;Ezekiel 40:45;Ecclesiastes 2:2,24;Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 5:18;Ecclesiastes 7:23;Ecclesiastes 9:13(זאתdoes not occur in Ecclesiastes); also in the phraseכָּזֹה וְכָזֶה(seeזה6cβ).Topical Lexi 19;Ezekiel 40:45;Ecclesiastes 2:2,24;Ecclesiastes 5:15;Ecclesiastes 5:18;Ecclesiastes 7:23;Ecclesiastes 9:13(זאתdoes not occur in Ecclesiastes); also in the phraseכָּזֹה וְכָזֶה(seeזה6cβ).Topical Lexi

Possible Meanings:
  • this (semantic_range)
H5254 נָסָה
Definition:

343t.; suffixנִסָּהוּExodus 15:25; 3feminine singularנִסְּתָהDeuteronomy 28:56; 1singularנִסִּיתִיEcclesiastes 7:23, + 4 t. Perfect;Imperfect3masculine singular suffixיְנַסֵּםDaniel 1:14; 1singularאֲנ 343t.; suffixנִסָּהוּExodus 15:25; 3feminine singularנִסְּתָהDeuteronomy 28:56; 1singularנִסִּיתִיEcclesiastes 7:23, + 4 t. Perfect;Imperfect3masculine singular suffixיְנַסֵּםDaniel 1:14; 1singularאֲנ

Possible Meanings:
  • test (semantic_range)
  • try (semantic_range)
  • test (semantic_range)
  • try (semantic_range)
  • attempt (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)
H0559 אָמַר
Definition:

1+, etc.;ImperfectיאֹמַרGenesis 31:8+;וַיּאֹ֫מֶרGenesis 1:3+;וַיּאֹמַ֑רGenesis 14:19+; in Job alwaysוַיּאֹ֑מַרJob 3:2+; 3 feminine singularתּאֹמַרGenesis 21:12+;תּאֹמֵר֑Proverbs 1:21; 1singularאֹמַרGe 1+, etc.;ImperfectיאֹמַרGenesis 31:8+;וַיּאֹ֫מֶרGenesis 1:3+;וַיּאֹמַ֑רGenesis 14:19+; in Job alwaysוַיּאֹ֑מַרJob 3:2+; 3 feminine singularתּאֹמַרGenesis 21:12+;תּאֹמֵר֑Proverbs 1:21; 1singularאֹמַרGe

Possible Meanings:
  • lamb (semantic_range)
H2449 חָכַם
Definition:

15; 3feminine singularחָֽכְמָהZechariah 9:2;הָכַמְתָּProverbs 9:12(twice in verse), etc. + 3t. Perfect;ImperfectיֶחְכַּםProverbs 9:9;Proverbs 21:11;וַיֶּחְכַּם1 Kings 5:11;יֶחְכָּ֑םProverbs 20:1+;וֶ֯ח 15; 3feminine singularחָֽכְמָהZechariah 9:2;הָכַמְתָּProverbs 9:12(twice in verse), etc. + 3t. Perfect;ImperfectיֶחְכַּםProverbs 9:9;Proverbs 21:11;וַיֶּחְכַּם1 Kings 5:11;יֶחְכָּ֑םProverbs 20:1+;וֶ֯ח

Possible Meanings:
  • wise (semantic_range)
  • skilful (semantic_range)
  • wise in the administration of affairs (semantic_range)
  • shrewd (semantic_range)
  • crafty (semantic_range)
H1931 הוּא
Definition:

23Kt, seeהוּא.הוּאmasculineהִיאfeminine(plural masculineהֵ֫מָּה,הֵם; feminineהֵ֫נָּה,הֵן[the latter only with prefixes]; see these words),pronoun of the 3rd person singular,he, she, used also(in both 23Kt, seeהוּא.הוּאmasculineהִיאfeminine(plural masculineהֵ֫מָּה,הֵם; feminineהֵ֫נָּה,הֵן[the latter only with prefixes]; see these words),pronoun of the 3rd person singular,he, she, used also(in both

H7350 רָחוֹק
Definition:

4distance(LagBN 31); — absoluteרָחֹקExodus 2:4+,רָחוֺקEzekiel 6:12+; feminine singularרְחֹקָהDeuteronomy 30:11+,רְחוֺקָהJoshua 9:6+; masculine pluralרְחֹקִיםDeuteronomy 13:8+, etc., feminine plural ab 4distance(LagBN 31); — absoluteרָחֹקExodus 2:4+,רָחוֺקEzekiel 6:12+; feminine singularרְחֹקָהDeuteronomy 30:11+,רְחוֺקָהJoshua 9:6+; masculine pluralרְחֹקִיםDeuteronomy 13:8+, etc., feminine plural ab

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)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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