Ecc Notes Week 9

Woman

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 7

7:27 this is what I found … the scheme of things. The verb “to find” is a key word in this section (vv. 26, 27, 28, 29) and has the meaning of “find out, figure out, comprehend” (see note on 3:11). As stated earlier (1:13), the Preacher is on a quest to understand all of reality.

7:28–29 One man … I found, but a woman … I have not found. The term “found” here means “figured out, comprehended by study” (see notes on 3:11 and 7:27). The Preacher is admitting that he is unable to “figure out” (see note on v. 27) the vast majority of people he encounters, whether male or female; even his successes in understanding his own sex are extremely unimpressive (only “one man among a thousand”). The one firm conclusion he is able to draw is that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes, i.e., they were not content to remain in their state of uprightness but instead rebelled against God (cf. Genesis 3).

CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 7

7:25–29

CSB Study Bible: Notes (Chapter 7)

7:25–29 This passage seems to say that women are more evil than men. However, it needs to be understood in its context; this was a male sage giving advice to other male sages and to men generally.

Because Ecclesiastes was originally intended for men (few women were literate), it predominantly reflects the man’s point of view.

Furthermore, this text is a reflection on the fall into sin, alluded to in v. 29.

The point is that because of sin, the fundamental relationship between male and female, especially husband and wife, is broken (as implied in Gn 3:16).

This is why men often have better friendships with other men (in the sense that they encourage and accept one another) than they have with their own wives.

The phrase none of those was a woman does not mean that women are intrinsically evil, but that Solomon, as a man, could not find a woman with whom his relationship was without guile, tension, or conflict.

He also found that such honest friendships were extremely rare (I found one person in a thousand). If Ecclesiastes were written more for women, it would reflect their point of view, rightly stating that many women have more caring relationships with other women than they have with their husbands. As it stands, both genders benefit from the God-given wisdom found in this book.

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 23A: Ecclesiastes Comment

The description fits a certain type of woman against whom the sages railed; it is not a description of the female sex per se.

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 23A: Ecclesiastes (Comment)

The terms טוב, “good,” and חוטא, “errant,” are best understood as in 2:26, not as moral qualifications, but as designations of human beings in terms of the inscrutable divine will.

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 23A: Ecclesiastes (Comment)

28 The verse contains ambiguities. As indicated in note 28.a., the אשׁר that begins v 28a can be referred back to חשׁבון, “answer,” and understood as the relative particle. According to our translation, it is to be considered as beginning a new statement indicating something that Qoheleth did not find, namely, the truth of v 28b. In 28b the figure of a thousand is merely a round number (cf. Job 8:3). The text says, literally, “one man (אדם) in a thousand I found but a woman in all these I did not find”; presumably “in all these” means an equal number of women as there were (a thousand) men.

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 23A: Ecclesiastes Comment

But is the intent of v 28 to disparage women? Our translation indicates that he rejects a saying that is demeaning to women (see note 28.a.). v 29 contains his verdict on all human beings, men and women alike, and would be anticlimactic after a misogynistic statement. The series of “discoveries” in vv 26–28 seems to be threefold: (1) v 26 concerns the saying about the adulterous women (which can be duplicated in Proverbs and the wisdom tradition); (2) vv 27–28 deal with a saying about one in a thousand (man not woman), which is found not to be true; (3) v 29 presents a statement about humankind, which is found to be true. In this sequence there is a continual heightening of the “discoveries,” leading to the conclusion of v 29.

NAC

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs 23. On Religion, Wisdom, and Evil (7:15–29)

Verses 26–28, which appear outrageously antiwoman, are incomprehensible if two factors are not considered: (1) Ecclesiastes was originally written for a male audience, and (2) these verses look back to the early chapters of Genesis.

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs 23. On Religion, Wisdom, and Evil (7:15–29)

7:23–29

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (23. On Religion, Wisdom, and Evil (7:15–29))

7:23–29 Verses 23–29 are in effect further reflections on the fall of humanity. Verses 23–25 bespeak the Teacher’s determination to understand human behavior and are comparable to 1:17–18.

Verses 26–28, which appear outrageously antiwoman, are incomprehensible if two factors are not considered: (1) Ecclesiastes was originally written for a male audience, and (2) these verses look back to the early chapters of Genesis.

The portrait of woman as snare and trap does not refer to a prostitute or to Woman Folly of Prov 9:13–18. Instead, it refers to domestic conflict between husband and wife as given from a man’s perspective and based upon Gen 3:16, “You will try to trap your husband, but he will dominate you.” In other words, because of sin, married life will be a war instead of a joy.

Women will try to ensnare and control men; but most men, often through sheer brutality, will dominate their wives. Yet it will be miserable for all.

The Teacher, a man writing for men, looks at it from the masculine perspective: many men are made wretched by their wives. The man who is righteous before God, however, escapes this fate (v. 26b).

This does not mean that such men never marry (!) but that God gives them women who are loving and who are not human traps.

Verse 28 does not mean that men are slightly better than women. It describes the reality that although most men can find at least one man who is a true friend, they never find a woman with whom they can enjoy such companionship without competition.It is important to note that it is equally possible and legitimate to reflect on Gen 3:16c from the woman’s perspective. For many women a husband is a hard, cold taskmaster. Human history has no shortage of examples of emotional and physical brutality against women. Similarly, many women find at least one true female friend even though they can never find a loving man. The one who teaches this text must present it from both perspectives.

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Original Meaning

For example

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Original Meaning)

For example, the kind of woman who sets out to entrap and enslave a man is “more bitter than death.”

The good man, walking on the right path and embracing wisdom rather than folly, will “escape” (mlṭ) her “snare” (lit., “nets”; Heb. meṣodim), just as the wise man of 9:13–18 saves (causes to escape, Heb. mlṭ) the city from the “nets” (Heb. meṣodim) of the invading king

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Original Meaning

The book of Proverbs devotes considerable space to the arming of a young man for such a sexual battle (e.g., Prov. 2:12–19). The sinner, on the other hand, has no motivation to avoid the trap and thus falls straight into it.

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Original Meaning

The precise way in which we are to understand the second part of verse 28 in this context is a matter of debate. Most commentators have understood “man” and “woman” (which is all that actually appears in the Heb. text) to mean “upright man” and “upright woman” (cf. NIV). If this is correct, then the verse anticipates verse 29, stressing just how little righteousness humankind exhibits (cf. also v. 20). It is unlikely that Qohelet intends any particular comment on women by the admittedly awkward way in which the finding is expressed. The point of the line in context, if “uprightness” is the focus, is not that there are more righteous men than righteous women in the world but that there are hardly any righteous people at all, whether men or women. Yet it is curious, if this is what Qohelet means, that he does not qualify “man” and “woman” explicitly with Heb. yaṣar, “upright,” or some similar term. It seems more natural, in fact, to link verse 28 to verse 27 in the first instance, as a more literal translation of verses 27–29 makes clear:

See, this I have found, says Qohelet:

one to one to find a sum,

which I still seek but have not found.

One man among a thousand I found,

but a woman among all these I did not find.

See this only I have found:

that God made humans upright,

but they sought many sums.

In order to come to a cumulative understanding of the world, one must be able to make connections between things, between the experiences of this person and that (“one to one to find a sum”).

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Original Meaning

What Qohelet seems to be saying in his rather compressed way is that summation has proved impossible, because it has proved all but impossible to make connections. He has only occasionally (one time in a thousand) been able to connect a particular primary datum (presumably derived from his own experience and observation) with that provided by another to make any kind of “sum,” and even then, it has only ever been another man. Women have remained clothed in mystery.

Quotes a proverb in 7:28

A Handbook on Ecclesiastes 7:27–28

There

A Handbook on Ecclesiastes (7:27–28)

There is another possible approach to this phrase, and that is that Qoheleth is quoting a well-known saying; he is using it to introduce his observation in verse 29.

This view is supported by the fact that the saying is a very general one, unconnected with the context apart from its shared vocabulary. The quote refers to finding one person out of a thousand. Verse 29 talks about the “one thing” Qoheleth has found in his search, the “one thing” that he could be sure of. The view we recommend here is that Qoheleth quotes a proverb, to which he then adds his personal conclusion. This style is in keeping with that found in other passages; it also is consistent with the context. Qoheleth is not on a search for a particular person, or a particular kind of person, but on a search for truths about this world.

A Handbook on Ecclesiastes 7:27–28

We suggest translating the latter part of verse 28 rather literally and, if possible, indicating that a quote is being made. This can be done by enclosing it in quotation marks or by adding “[As] they say.…” In this way, verse 29 flows quite naturally from what comes before it:

• With my whole being I kept on searching, but I didn’t find the explanation to things.

They say, “I found one man in a thousand,

but among all these, I didn’t find one woman.”

29 But the one thing I did find is this.…

Taking this approach, Qoheleth’s references to women here and in verse 26 are seen to be literary features of the text and not moral evaluations of women. The quotation indicates that the search for meaning and explanation found something, even though it may not seem very significant.

Words

To find/discover (matsa)

CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 7

matsa’

Hebrew pronunciation [mah TSAH]

CSB translation find, discover

Uses in Ecclesiastes 17

Uses in the OT 457

Focus passage Ecclesiastes 7:14, 24, 26–29

Matsa’ denotes find (Gn 8:9), discover, expose, and find or figure out. Trials happen or come to (Dt 31:21), confront, afflict, overtake, or overwhelm. Matsa’ means encounter (Ps 116:3), meet, see, reach, catch up with, or spread to. People obtain (Lv 25:26), acquire, get, reap, receive, take, or feel (Jr 10:18). They catch (Jr 2:34), seize, or reach out to seize. “Finding favor” involves pleasing (Nm 11:15), allowing, granting, approving, liking, or indulging. “Find hands” implies ability to act (Ps 76:5). “Hand finds” signifies have sufficient means (Lv 12:8) or afford. Passive verbs indicate be, be present (Est 1:5), live (Jr 5:26), or be enough. They suggest be verified (Est 2:23) or traced to. “Be found with” connotes belong to (Dt 21:17), possess, or have. The participle entails surviving (2Kg 19:4) or remaining. Causative verbs denote bring (Lv 9:12), hand or turn over, and cause to happen.

Schemes

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Original Meaning

They have “gone in search of many schemes” (Heb. biqšu hiššebonot rabbim). The verb bqš is used in verses 25 and 28 (“search out,” “searching”) of Qohelet’s own quest for comprehensive knowledge—that is, his own inquiry into the “scheme of things” (hešbon, vv. 25, 27).

Big Idea

You can’t make sense of this world. Just when you think you have something figured out he rules change.

We look out at the world and see the wicked prospering and the righteous suffering.

We see oppression and violence, greed and injustice.

What do we do when the young, hard working christian mother is taken from her kids? While the sex trafficking pimp continues to rack in the dough and live the good life?

This is perpelxing. It’s part of the hevel.

When life doesn’t make sense what do you do with that?

when bad things happen to good people? when good things happen to bad people?

When things don’t seem to be working out one response is to redouble your efforts and try even harder. Surely it just takes some more vigorous effort. — Ecc says nope, there’s no guarantee in that

the other response is to just throw up your hands and walk way and say what’s the point of all the hard work, nothing works out. Ecc also says that’s not the right response.

Ecc says neither of those responses will work. Is there a third way? that is not just trying harder, and not just giving up on the Christian life?

Solomon says yes there is a third way. He says wisdom is an advantage in that it makes someone strong (ecc 7:19) but even wisdom has it’s limits for all are sinful. There is no one who is perfectly righteous. (ecc 7:20)

Here’s an example.

You get mad when you hear someone talking bad about you…right what would you do?

Would your response be: well, you know I’ve also talked bad about others. so I shouldn’t be so suprised.

No, that’s not our first reaction. (ecc 7:21-22)

We are offended! our rights have been violated! We want to go tell them off

why? b/c we are all sinful — that is wisdom.

For when I am weak — Then I am strong.

What are the limits of wisdom?

here solomon says I have given wisdom all that I can.

I resolved to be wise but behold ‘it’ the explanation for things was beyon me (ecc 7:23)

It is beyond reach — very deep — no one can discover it. (ecc 7:24)

wisdom cannot explain the perplexities of life.

What solomon found:

But here is what I found through wisdom: 4 things I found.

Temptation that leads to destruction rather than salvation: I found that we are all tempted by sin that leads us to destruction and only the one who pleases God (who does what is right) who is ‘wise’ can escape her. (the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom)

the one who continues in his sin is lost to it

How? — living life before others — with your spouse, close friends — groups.

you need a place to be real with others

The second thing I found is ironically what I could find

I found that I cannot find out the scheme or sum of things.

I tried wisdom — but wisdom failed me.

I could not find out on my own the way of things.

The third thing I found is that no one is righteous

one in a thousand men, but no women.

This was likely a proverb or saying … again ecc was written by men to men which explains why it talks of women this way, but the principles apply to everyone.

He’s saying everyone is crooked, no one is righteous.

which is confirmed by his last finding.

God made people upright but they have sought out schemes

God made people good — he is good he is not to blame

It is people that have screwed things up.

What do we do?

what did Jesus do?

he trusted the father

What’s better than even wisdom? — Jesus — a dying savior.