Ecclesiastes 10:19

“A feast is made for laughter, etc.] Or, “who make bread for laughter”f253. Not bakers, who make bread for common use, and for all sorts of persons, sorrowful ones as others; but luxurious men, particularly such princes as are before described; they “make bread”, that is, a feast, as the phrase is used, (<270501>Daniel 5:1); not for mere refreshment, but to promote mirth and gaiety to an excessive degree; being attended with rioting and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, with revellings and dancing; and wine maketh merry; or, “and [they prepare] wine”f254; which is provided in plenty at feasts; and which is sometimes put for a feast itself, and called a banquet of wine, (<170702>Esther…”

“Referring to Ecc 10:18. Instead of repairing the breaches in the commonwealth (equivalent to "building"), the princes "make a feast for laughter (Ecc 10:16), and wine maketh their life glad (Psa 104:15), and (but) money supplieth (answereth their wishes by supplying) all things," that is, they take bribes to support their extravagance; and hence arise the wrongs that are perpetrated (Ecc 10:5-6; Ecc 3:16; Isa 1:23; Isa 5:23). MAURER takes "all things" of the wrongs to which princes are instigated by "money"; for example, the heavy taxes, which were the occasion of Rehoboam losing ten tribes (Kg1 12:4, &c.).”

“Foolish rulers, by their weakness, self-indulgence and sloth, bring decay upon the state: nobleness and temperance insure prosperity: yet the subject must not rebel in word or thought against his king. Ecclesiastes 10:16 A child - Rather, young. The word is applied to Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 13:7 at the time of his accession to the throne, when he was 41 years old. Eat in the morning - A sign of intemperance (compare Isaiah 5:11). Ecclesiastes 10:17 Son of nobles - i. e., of a noble disposition. Ecclesiastes 10:18 The “building” or “house” represents the state. Compare Isaiah 3:6; Amos 9:10. Droppeth through - i. e., Lets the rain through the roof. Ecclesiastes 10:19 literally, For merriment…”

“10:19 money gives everything: It is the way to get what you want or need in this world (cp. 7:11-12).”

“feast: Ecc 2:1, Ecc 2:2, Ecc 7:2-6; Gen 43:34; Dan 5:1-12; Pe1 4:3 and wine: Ecc 9:7; Psa 104:15; Isa 24:11; Sa1 25:36; Sa2 13:28; Luk 12:19; Eph 5:18, Eph 5:19 maketh merry: Heb. maketh glad the life but: Money which would have answered every good purpose, and served for every emergency, is too often spent in feastings and revellings. Ecc 7:11, Ecc 7:12; Ch1 21:24, Ch1 29:2-9; Ch2 24:11-14; Ezr 1:6, Ezr 7:15-18; Neh 5:8; Psa 112:9; Isa 23:18; Mat 17:27, Mat 19:21; Luk 8:3, Luk 16:9; Act 2:45, Act 11:29; Phi 4:15-19; Ti1 6:17-19 Ecclesiastes 10:20”

“"Meals they make into a pleasure, and wine cheereth the life, and money maketh everything serviceable." By עשׂים, wicked princes are without doubt thought of-but not immediately, since Ecc 10:16 is too remote to give the subject to Ecc 10:19. The subject which 'osim bears in itself (= 'osim hēm) might be syntactically definite, as e.g., Psa 33:5, אהב, He, Jahve, loves, thus: those princes, or, from Ecc 10:18 : such slothful men; but 'osim is better rendered, like e.g., omrim, Exo 5:16 (Ewald, 200a), and as in the Mishna we read קורין and the like with gramm. indefin. subj.: they make, but so that by it the slothful just designated, and those of a princely rank are meant (cf. a similar use…”