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diminishing joy (light) and increasing gloom (dark), heralding the approach of the long night of death. This obviously alludes to the earlier figurative use of light and darkness to depict life and death (11:7-8). This allusion would have been obvious to the ancient Hebrews who held a more dynamic view of death than people have today. Any decrease in the vitality of a person, even a young person, was viewed as the onset of death (cf., e.g., Psalms 18:4-5; 88:3-5).

12:3. Many diversified attempts have been made to interpret the highly figurative statements in verses 3-5. (For a brief, yet fairly comprehensive treatment of most views, cf. G.A. Barton, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1908, pp. 186-91.) Though some interpreters have tried to explain this passage under a rigid adherence to one figure - either the decline of an estate or the gloom of a household after the death of its head - it seems that Solomon chose the various pictures to depict the declining physical and psychological powers of old age. Thus he referred to the days of misery (v. 1) and the days of decreasing joy and increasing gloom (v. 2) as a time when the keepers of the house tremble (the arms and hands grow weak). Also the strong men stoop, that is, the legs grow bent and feeble. The grinders cease because they are few refers to the teeth becoming fewer, and those looking through the windows grow dim refers to the eyesight beginning to fail.

12:4. The doors to the street are closed may picture the lips sinking in, due to the loss of teeth. When men rise up at the sound of birds suggests that old people get up early because of their inability to sleep. All their songs grow faint speaks of hearing that becomes impaired.

12:5. Being afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets points up lack of vigor and the fear that makes older people afraid to venture out. The almond tree blossoms refers to the hair turning gray and white (almond blossoms are white). The grasshopper drags himself along speaks of the body being bent and one's walk being slowed; the grasshopper, normally moving about quickly, is an apt figure of the past liveliness of one's childhood and youth. Desire no longer is stirred speaks of diminished appetites. The decline of physical powers culminates in death and man goes to his eternal home (i.e., the grave; cf. comments on 11:8-9) and people grieve (mourners go about in the streets).

c. Live responsibly before death comes (12:6-7)

12:6. Solomon urged people to live responsibly before death comes; the idea, remember Him, is repeated from verse 1. Solomon then referred to life under the two common figures of light ("golden lamp," JB) and water (cf. Psalms 36:8-9 for a similar use of these two figures of speech). The dissolution of the body is suggested by light being extinguished: the silver cord holding a golden bowl (in which the light burns) snaps and the bowl is broken. Death is also referred to by water being unavailable: the pitcher which holds water is shattered and the wheel by which it is drawn from the well is broken.

12:7. The final description of death, by which Solomon sought to motivate people toward responsible living, was that of the reversal of Creation. The dust of the body returns to the ground it came from and the breath of life (spirit and "breath" are translations of the same Heb. word ruah.) to God who gave it. This obviously alludes to part of the Creation account (Genesis 2:7; man was made from the dust of the ground and was given breath). This makes it evident that Solomon was not referring to the return of individual human spirits to God for judgment. Similar descriptions of death (as a dissolution of the body and the withdrawal of the breath of God) are referred to in Job 34:14-15 and Psalms 104:29-30 (cf. Job 10:9).
Moreover, a comparison of these passages with Ecclesiastes 12:7 makes it clear that the description of the return of the breath of life given here does not contradict 3:20. There Solomon, writing about the common destiny of people and animals, had denied the possibility of demonstrating a difference in the disposition of their life breaths, that is, whether a human's breath went upward to God and whether an animal's went down to the earth. A comparison of 12:7; Job 34:14-15; Psalms 104:29-30; and Genesis 1:30 shows that Solomon would have affirmed the same destiny for life in animals, that is, it also returns to God.

Solomon closed this book by reiterating his theme of the futility of all human endeavor (v. 8; cf. 1:2) and by recommending that people fear God and keep His commandments (12:13-14). He underlined the validity of this summarization of his book by referring to the sources of its authority (vv. 9-12).

12:8. Having demonstrated the limitations of all human efforts (1:12-6:9) and of all human wisdom (6:10-11:6), Solomon then reiterated the theme with which he opened his book (1:2): Everything is meaningless (hebel). As was stated in the comments on chapter 1, the immediately following context (1:3-11) shows that this statement applies to all human endeavor. Here (12:8) it applies to all that preceded, the futility of human efforts and human wisdom (1:12-11:6). Obviously, however, not included in this assessment is the advice to enjoy life as God enables, a course which Solomon repeatedly recommended (cf. 2:24-26; 3:12,22; 5:18-20; 8:15; 9:7-9) and which he had just discussed explicitly in relationship to the fear of God (11:7-12:7). Apart from enjoying one's lot in life in the fear of God, life is indeed meaningless.

12:9-10. Solomon underlined the validity of the teaching in this book and the advice he offered in it by referring to its authority and by warning his readers about the futility of seeking answers from different kinds of books. Solomon first referred to his personal qualifications as a wisdom Teacher - one of the three kinds of leaders (prophets, priests, teachers) through whom God revealed His will to Israel (cf. Jeremiah 18:18; Ezekiel 7:26). Solomon said he was... wise and imparted knowledge to the people. He took thoughtful care in producing this book; he said he pondered (i.e., carefully weighed in his mind) and searched out and set in order (i.e., carefully arranged) many proverbs.

Also Solomon said that he sought to give his book an aesthetically pleasing form without sacrificing the truth of what he wrote. He "sought to find delightful [or pleasing] words and to write words of truth correctly" (NASB).

12:11-12. Solomon related this book to the purpose and goal of other wisdom books (the words of the wise and their collected sayings) and to the ultimate source of their authority. Like ox goads and firmly planted nails, Solomon's teaching, like the words of other wise people, provides a guide and stimulus to godly living (cf. Acts 26:14 for an illustration of goads) and a secure basis for living (cf. Jeremiah 10:4 for a usage of nails). Moreover, like some other words of the wise these words have divine authority; they were given by one Shepherd. This refers to God and His care and concern (cf. Genesis 49:24; Psalms 80:1; in Psalms 95:6-7 the concepts of Shepherd and Creator are combined as they are in Ecclesiastes 12:1,11). Because of the peculiar value and authority of the words of the wise of which this book was an example - Solomon warned his son (cf. "my son" in Proverbs 1:8,10,15; 2:1; 3:1,11,21; 4:10,20; 5:1,20; 6:1,3,20; 7:1; 19:27; 23:15,19,26; 24:13,21; 27:11) and all his readers not to seek answers beyond those God had given through the wise. If they would keep looking for answers in many other books, they would wear themselves out.

12:13. The book concludes (here is the conclusion of the matter) with an explicit recommendation to fear God and keep His commandments. These words, were not added by someone other than Solomon, as is often claimed, but are the culmination of many other implicit references in Ecclesiastes to fear God and serve Him acceptably (cf. comments on 2:24-26; 7:15-18; 11:9-10; 12:1). Here Solomon said such reverence and service are everyone's duty (NASB'S "this applies to every person" is preferred to NIV'S this is the whole duty of man).