Ecclesiastes 10

• Let's review Chapter 1-9 of Ecclesiastes:

  • Chapter 1 – This book is Wisdom literature, written by Solomon, a man God gave wisdom and discernment greater than any man ever.

    • The book of Ecclesiastes establishes Solomon’s theory of the meaning of life, there is nothing new under the sun to give man the meaning of life.

    • The thesis is the meaning of life can’t be found in the creation, therefore it is vanity to try and seek for it there.

  • Chapter 2 – Solomon’s personal experiences of seeking an answer through wisdom and wealth did not give the answer to understanding the meaning of life also called an advantage in life.

  • Chapter 3 – There is a God-appointed time for every event under heaven. Man’s purpose in life is to seek God’s sovereign will lived out.

  • Chapter 4 – God allows wicked men with hearts given to self serving motives to oppress others, do not be surprised when you witness this truth.

  • Chapter 5 – Approach a sovereign God in reverence, seeking only to know His Will in every situation, not to change God’s plans. Be satisfied in what God provides and find true contentment.

  • Chapter 6 – There is wisdom in embracing pain in life knowing both prosperity and adversity are from the hand of God. Neither is an indication of our stance before God in eternity. This is not how God’s ways are revealed to man.

  • Chapter 7 – God’s measurement of righteousness is perfection while man’s measurements are self-righteousness and can lead to a denial of God. There is no bargaining with God.

  • Chapter 8 – In eternal ways, it will go well for men who fear God. It will not be well for those who do not fear God. This is true in spite of what is seen as an outcome on earth, when we see the righteous receive evil, and good things happen for the wicked.

  • Chapter 9 – Men are born evil; their deeds can’t make them righteous. God brings hope or righteousness to some, and they have eternal life (the living). Those without this righteousness are spiritually dead; no deeds can change this outcome. The spiritually alive should do deeds to honor God each day not knowing when their last day may be. This is true wisdom.

    • The last verse of Chapter 9 is the transition to Chapter 10.

Eccl. 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Eccl. 10:1 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.
Eccl. 10:2 A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.
Eccl. 10:3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.
Eccl. 10:4 If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.

• v.1 What picture does Solomon put forth? (Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink)

  • What is the purpose of perfume? (to give off a pleasant scent)

    • The scent may draw flies who then become trapped and die in the perfume. The result is the decaying bodies of the flies cause the entire perfume to become compromised and the previously pleasant scent now stinks.

    • This small invasion ruins the entire project.

  • This is compared to what? (so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.)

  • Solomon compares the flies in the perfume to what? (so a little foolishness is weightier)

• What does ‘weightier mean? (tips the balance of the scale in measurement)

  • What is being measure on the other side of the scales? (wisdom and honor)

    • Just a little foolishness in someone’s life can have a bigger impact than all the wisdom and honor they had previously accumulated.

• v.2 What does Solomon describe next? (A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right,)

KJV Eccl. 10:2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand…

Psa. 16:8  I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

• The right hand would be a place of protection.

  • This is compared to what? (but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.)

    • Opposite from what we learned about the right hand, the left hand would not lead to protection. A foolish man’s heart leads him away from safety.

• v.3 What else is true for the fool? (Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.)

  • What would it mean for someone to walk along a road in this day? (They would be out in public to be seen, not along a private path.)

    • The fool is not self-aware of his situation, and he reveals it for the world to see.

• v.4 What advice does Solomon give? (If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.)

  • What is the situation Solomon describes? (If the ruler’s temper rises against you)

  • Who would a ruler be? (Any with authority over you)

    • What is described happening to this one in authority over you? (his temper rises)

  • What does it mean when one’s temper rises? (He is angry)

  • What response are you to have when one who is in authority is angry at you? (do not abandon your position)

  • What is the position referring to? (the job you hold in regards to the one with authority over you)

    • Do not walk away from the job you are to do.

• v.4 How can staying at the job become beneficial? (because composure allays great offenses.)

  • What does composure mean? (Dictionary.dotcom has it as serene, self-controlled state of mind; calmness; tranquillity)

  • When you stay serene in the face of an authority figure’s anger, what can happen? (allays great offenses)

  • What does allay mean? (Dictionary.dotcom has it as to put fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc. to rest; calm; quiet)

    • You can put to rest, or calm, or quiet the response of the the one in authority who feels there has been a great offense committed against them. This is true whether there has been a great offense or not. Staying in the good graces of those in authority will always be beneficial.

Eccl. 10:5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler —
Eccl. 10:6 folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
Eccl. 10:7 I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

• v.5 What connection does Solomon make? (There is an evil I have seen under the sun)

  • What key phrase alerts us to the fact this was something Solomon was a witness to? (I have seen)

  • Where does Solomon say this evil is done? (under the sun)

    • What does it mean when Solomon uses this phrase (It is done on earth.)

    • The evil is compared to what? (like an error which goes forth from the ruler)

• v.6 In error what did the ruler make? (folly is set in many exalted places)

  • The ruler put men of folly in positions of leadership.

  • What else occurred? (while rich men sit in humble places)

Prov. 14:24  The crown of the wise is their riches…

• The concept that wise men acquire riches is common in scripture.

  • Men of folly have been placed in positions of authority while those who were wise (rich) and should to be considered leaders were not exalted to leadership positions.

• v.7 How had Solomon seen this demonstrated? (I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.)

  • The roles of these men were reversed from what should have been.

  • Why the reference to slaves riding horses?

    • Why would princes be walking?

    • When would Solomon have seen such an event himself?

1Sam. 8:10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king.
1Sam. 8:11 He said, “This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots.

• This was the beginning of a list of things God told Samuel to warn the people a king would do to them if they did decide to have a king over them.

  • These things were not compliments but warnings.

    • It would appear that the son’s of David who attempted to make themselves king in his place misunderstood the words spoken by Samuel as a warning and instead thought they were words describing the ‘procedure of the king.’

2Sam. 15:1 Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him.
2Sam. 15:2 Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
2Sam. 15:3 Then Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king.”
2Sam. 15:4 Moreover, Absalom would say, “Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice.”
2Sam. 15:5 And when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
2Sam. 15:6 In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel.

• v.1 The first thing Absalom did to show himself in the position to be the king was what? (provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him)

  • Adonijah did the same thing.

1Kings 1:5 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him.

• Both of these men made the same mistake. They took what Samuel spoke that was descriptive and made it prescriptive. They believed it was part of what would make them king in Israel.

  • Those riding the horses here would have been the slaves assigned to this duty by Absalom and later Adonijah

    • This would explain the reference to slaves riding horses.

  • Where was Solomon during the insurrection of Absalom?

2Sam. 15:14 David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go in haste, or he will overtake us quickly and bring down calamity on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
2Sam. 15:15 Then the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.”
2Sam. 15:16 So the king went out and all his household with him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house.

• All of David’s household left Jerusalem with David, this would include all of the princes of Israel. They all left in haste and walked out of Jerusalem into the wilderness. Solomon would have been an eye witness to this event.

  • This would also explain why Solomon said in Eccl. 10:6 ‘folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.’

    • The rightful ruler or king and princes and leaders were in the wilderness or humble places while Absalom and his followers entered into Jerusalem.

Eccl. 10:8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall.
Eccl. 10:9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
Eccl. 10:10 If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
Eccl. 10:11 If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
Eccl. 10:12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;
Eccl. 10:13 the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness.
Eccl. 10:14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?
Eccl. 10:15 The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city.

• v.8 What observation does Solomon begin with? (He who digs a pit may fall into it)

  • Is it ever the goal of someone digging a pit to fall into it? (No)

    • There is a risk that the man who dug the pit could fall into it, but that is not his plan.

  • What else does Solomon say can happen? (and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall.)

    • Why would a man break through a wall? In Solomon’s time, walls were built to provide protection of property and often built around cities. When a man breaks through a wall, this would be his goal to enter and take something or to invade the city. What an unexpected outcome for a man who has successfully broken through a wall only to have a serpent bite him and most likely cause him extreme harm if not death.

• v.9 What is described next? (He who quarries stones may be hurt by them)

  • What does it mean when someone quarries stone? (They dig around or break up stones from the earth to be moved and used elsewhere.)

    • How can one be hurt in this process? (The stones can become lose unexpectedly and injure or crush the person.)

  • What else is depicted? (and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.)

  • What does it mean to split logs? (taking larger pieces of wood and making them smaller for use)

  • How does one split logs? (with a sharp object like an ax)

    • What danger can happen when one splits logs? (Pieces of the splintered wood can fly up at the person working.)

  • What do all of these activities have in common?

    • They are all unintentional consequences of a work a person can engage in.

    • Each work was performed with a future use in mind.

    • Each work described can be done successfully but through an error or mistake an accident can occur.

    • The worker may not get to see the work completed.

• v.10 What does Solomon say about a tool of use? (If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength.)

  • When a tool is not used properly the worker must work harder.

  • What is the tool compared to? (Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.)

    • Just like a sharp ax is best to succeed at a specific job, so is wisdom a tool to be used to help a man’s work end more successfully.

• v.11 What example does Solomon relate next? (If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.)

  • When one deals with something or someone dangerous like a serpent there is always a chance the danger will overtake them before the plan to control the danger is completed. The result can be the benefit to the one expecting to control the situation or person is thwarted.

• v.12 What two things does Solomon compare? (Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him)

  • Words from a wise man are what? (gracious)

  • Words from a fool do what? (consume him)

  • What does consume mean? (To consume is to use up completely, nothing left, or to eat or drink up; devour.)

    • This second description would be a play on words as the lips used for eating and drinking are what speaks the words that also consume the person.

• v.13 The fools starts how? (the beginning of his talking is folly)

  • How does the fool end? (and the end of it is wicked madness)

    • A fool begins with smaller evil and progresses to more significant evil.

• v.14 What does the fool continue to do? (Yet the fool multiplies words.)

  • What indication does Solomon give about the foolish words? (No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?)

    • It would appear the foolish words spoken from the fool indicated he knew what the future would be. Solomon emphatically concludes no man knows what will happen. When a man speaks contrary to this, he is a fool.

• v.15  What happens to the fool? (The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city.)

  • In the end the fool can’t keep up the pretense and resigns himself to his fate. These verses parallel a continuation of the story we were following concerning Absalom’s rebellion. This follows the connection to Ahithophel.

2Sam. 15:12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

2Sam. 15:31 Now someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.”

2Sam. 16:15 Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

2Sam. 16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What shall we do?”
2Sam. 16:21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.”
2Sam. 16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
2Sam. 16:23 The advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.
2Sam. 17:1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight.
2Sam. 17:2 “I will come upon him while he is weary and exhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone,
2Sam. 17:3 and I will bring back all the people to you. The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at peace.”
2Sam. 17:4 So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

• Absalom however took counsel from Hushai the Archite which ultimately resulted in the death of Absolam and the return of David to Jerusalem.

2Sam. 17:23  Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to his city, and set his house in order, and strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father.

• This was a story of a fool whose words consumed him in the end. His advice for Absalom to go in to David’s concubines was folly, but his advice to track down David, the anointed king, immediately and to allow Ahithophel to kill him was wickedness and madness.

  • Ahithophel also spoke his words as if they were acquired from the word of the Lord. He acted as though he knew the future results of actions by claiming they were from God.

Eccl. 10:16 Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning.
Eccl. 10:17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time — for strength and not for drunkenness.
Eccl. 10:18 Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.
Eccl. 10:19 Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.
Eccl. 10:20 Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.

• v.16 What warning does Solomon issue? (Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning.)

  • What is meant by Woe? (Dictionary.dotcom states an exclamation of grief, distress, or lamentation)

    • What is ‘O land’ referring to? (a tribe or country of of people)

  • How is their king described? (is a lad)

    • A mere child is their leader and those who are in positions of princes do what? (feast in the morning)

  • What is the normal time for feasting? (end of the day when work is completed)

• v.17 Solomon gives a caparison of what? (Blessed are you, O land)

  • Why is this land blessed? (whose king is of nobility)

  • What do these leaders do? (and whose princes eat at the appropriate time — for strength and not for drunkenness)

    • The purpose of the eating and drinking is for doing the work they need to do. They do not participate in eating and drinking for the excessiveness of the experience.

    • The conclusion would be the leaders of the previous group did eat and drink to excessiveness.

• v.18 What observation does Solomon make? (Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.)

  • What is indolent? (Dictionary.dotcom states having or showing a disposition to avoid exertion; slothful)

    • When one is lazy and not attentive to the upkeep of a house, the impact is of course apparent. In context, what did Solomon just describe? (two lands with two different style leaders)

    • When leaders do not take care of a kingdom with diligence and hard work but focus on self indulgent behavior, the kingdom will suffer like a house left uncared for.

• v.19 What is the attitude displayed by these men? (Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.)

  • What is mentioned first? (men prepare a meal for enjoyment)

  • What was just mentioned in verse 17 about the purpose of preparing a meal? (for strength)

    • The proper focus of leaders should be to do things to be strong and not  purely for self-indulgence; even their daily activities such as meal preparation should be with a higher focus in mind.

  • The same is true with what description next? (and wine makes life merry)

  • When the term ‘merry’ is used in the description of wine it always carry a negative connotation of excessive use. We covered that in Ecclesiastes 8:15.

    • The last example used of poor leadership is what? (money is the answer to everything)

    • Leaders who want to throw money at every situation are not good leaders; they are lazy leaders. Good leaders make sacrifices of themselves by finding real solutions to problems. Ultimately they open the door to corruption.

• v.20 What warning does Solomon present next? (Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.)

  • Solomon warned against a word spoken against rulers.

    • Verses 12-15 dealt with the impact words spoken by fools versus the words spoken by a wise man. In verse 20, Solomon gives a specific example of where words can be spoken by fools.

  • What would it mean to curse a king while in your bedchamber?

  • Who is in the bedchamber? (a Lord of the Bedchamber)

Wikipedia says their duties originally consisted of assisting the monarch with dressing, waiting on him when he ate, guarding access to his bedchamber and closet and providing companionship. Such functions became less important over time but provided proximity to the monarch and the holders were thus trusted confidants and often extremely powerful. The offices were in the gift of The Crown and were originally sworn by Royal Warrant directed to the Lord Chamberlain.

• This position then was to be held by someone in service to the king. When one holds this position it would be foolish to curse the king.

• v.20 What else should one avoid doing? (and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man)

  • The sleeping rooms would be lesser rooms than the official bedchamber but would be used for those in attendance to the king’s business. All these rooms would be in the house of the king.

  • The closest example would be the palace at Versailles. The king of France would require all the men of wealth to travel with him to Versailles when he vacationed there. They were also required to be present in the morning when the king awoke to be sure they were not off plotting against the king.

    • These rooms would be where the officials of the court would stay, such as the rich man spoken of in verse 20.

    • Solomon is saying these men should not be cursing each other, not tearing down the other leaders of the kingdom.

• v.20 What will happen when these men speak against the king or each other? (for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.)

  • There will be a bird that will carry the sound.

  • What sound will the bird carry? (the curse spoken against the king and the men of the court)

  • What does the bird do with sound? (will make the matter known)

    • This deception will be made known; it will not stay a secret.

    • We even use the saying, ‘a little birdie told me’.

  • This was also demonstrated during the time of Absalom’s rebellion.

2Sam. 15:31 Now someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.”
2Sam. 15:32 It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn and dust on his head.
2Sam. 15:33 David said to him, “If you pass over with me, then you will be a burden to me.
2Sam. 15:34 “But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me.
2Sam. 15:35 “Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
2Sam. 15:36 “Behold their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything that you hear.”
2Sam. 15:37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

2Sam. 17:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, and a maidservant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not be seen entering the city.

• Could it be that Ecclesiastes 10:20 is speaking of this same event and how David was able to learn what plans were being made against him?