CHAPTER III.
MORE MORALISING, INTERRUPTED BY PROVERBIAL MAXIMS.
Let us now resume the thread of Koheleth's moralising. Violence
and oppression were two of the chief evils which struck
an attentive observer of Palestinian life. But there were two
others equally worthy of a place in the sad picture—the evils
of rivalry and isolation. First, with regard to rivalry (iv. 4-6).
What is 'skilful work,' or art, but an 'envious surpassing of
the one by the other'? This also is 'pursuit of wind;' it
gives no permanent satisfaction. True, indolence is self-destruction:
but on the other hand a little true rest is better
than the labour of windy effort, urged on by rivalry yielding
no rest' (Delitzsch). Such at least is the most probable connection,
supposing that vv. 5 and 6 are not rather interpolated
or misplaced. If however it be objected (here Koheleth passes
to a second great evil—that of isolation) that a man may
labour for his child or his brother, yet who, pray, is benefited
by the money-getting toils of one who has no near relative,
and stands alone in the world? A pitiable sight is such unprofitable
toil! The fourth chapter closes with maxims on
the blessings of companionship (iv. 9-12), followed by a vivid
description of the sudden fall of an old and foolish king (iv. 13-16),
who had not cared to appropriate one of the chief of these
blessings, viz. good advice. There is much that is enigmatical
in the last four verses. We should expect the writer to be alluding
to some fact in contemporary history, but no plausible
parallel has yet been indicated.[1] Ver. 16 is certainly either cor-*
- ↑ Hitzig in his commentary refers to the history of the high priest Onias and his nephew Joseph. Afterwards he recalled this opinion; but we may be thankful to him for directing attention to this curious and instructive historical episode.
