| Ecclesiastes 5 | |
|---|---|
 A handwritten Hebrew scroll of Ecclesiastes by the scribe Elihu Shannon of Kibbutz Saad, Israel (c. 2005) | |
| Book | Book of Ecclesiastes |
| Category | Ketuvim |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 21 |
Ecclesiastes 5 is the fifthchapter of theBook of Ecclesiastes in theHebrew Bible or theOld Testament of theChristianBible.[1][2] The book contains philosophical speeches by a character called '(the) Qoheleth' ("the Teacher"), composed probably between the fifth and second centuries BCE.[3]Peshitta,Targum, andTalmud attribute the authorship of the book to KingSolomon.[4] This chapter contains advice on how to approach God the right way, and a discussion aboutpoverty andwealth.[5]
The original text was written inHebrew.This chapter is divided into 19 or 20 verses.[a]
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter inHebrew are of theMasoretic Text, which includesCodex Leningradensis (1008).[6][b] Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among theDead Sea Scrolls4QQoha (4Q109; 175-150 BCE; extant verses 13–17).[8][9][10]
There is also a translation intoKoine Greek known as theSeptuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version includeCodex Vaticanus (B;B; 4th century),Codex Sinaiticus (S;BHK:S; 4th century), andCodex Alexandrinus (A;A; 5th century).[11] The Greek text is probably derived from the work ofAquila of Sinope or his followers.[3]
Stuart Weeks treats verses 1-9 as a section dealing with "fear of God", and connects verses 10-20 and 6:1-12 as a section dealing with "the problems and inadequacies ofwealth".[12] TheNew King James Version has two sections:
TheNew International Version divides the verses in a similar pattern.[13] In Hebrew texts, verse 1 is numbered 4:17, and verses 2-20 are numbered as 5:1-19.[13]
The lack of solution inchapter 4 on the theme of companionship leads the reader to consider whetherGod is the answer, and this part shows how to approach God in the right way.[5]
Weeks suggests these two verses are "notoriously difficult".[12] Qoheleth points to the frustration of the poor facing delays to obtain justice due to oppressive bureaucracy and tiers of hierarchy.[5] "He that is higher than the highest regardeth" (KJV), from Hebrewגבה מעל גבה שמרḡā-ḇō-ahmê-‘alḡā-ḇō-ahshō-mêr,,[16] is also translated as "the high official is watched by a higher" (NRSV), not referring to an official of any government bureaucracy, but rather ambitious people who strive to be higher than others.[15] However, there will always people higher than those,[15] ultimately pointing to God as the highest one.[12]
This section starts by stating three concise points about financial greed (verses 10–12): the lover of money never have enough; increasing resources will result in bigger financial commitments; more wealth causes less peace.[12] The rich man could not pass any of the wealth to their offsprings (verse 14) nor take anything to the next life (verse 15).[5] The whole passage of 5:8 to 6:9 is arranged as such that the outer sections will point to the center at verse 20.[15] Qoheleth reiterates his earlier conclusion that God's gift is the ability to find enjoyment in the wealth,[12] which keep humans occupied in life,[5] so that "they should not much call to mind the days of their lives".[17]
As God gives joy to people as the antidote to their obsessions, people should not think too much ahead but to enjoy the present.[17] That capacity for enjoyment of God's other gifts is also a gift of God, a theme which Qoheleth develops in chapter 6.[12]E. H. Plumptre offers "a satisfying meaning":
The man who has learnt the secret of enjoyment is not anxious about the days of his life, does not brood even over its transitoriness, but takes each day tranquilly, as it comes, as God’s gift to him.[19]
Jastrow, Morris; Margoliouth, David Samuel (1901–1906)."Ecclesiastes, Book of". InSinger, Isidore; et al. (eds.).The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
Ecclesiastes public domain audiobook atLibriVox Various versions