Ecclesiastes 12:10

“The preacher sought to find out acceptable words, etc.] Not mere words, fine and florid ones, the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, an elegant style, or eloquent language; not but that it is proper for a preacher to seek out and use words suitable and apt to convey right ideas to the minds of men of what he says; but doctrines are rather here meant, “words of desire”, “delight”, and “pleasure”f296, as the phrase may be rendered; even of God’s good will and pleasure, so Alshech; for the same word is sometimes used of God in this book and elsewhere: (see <210301>Ecclesiastes 3:1 8:6 <235310>Isaiah 53:10); and so may take in the doctrine of God’s everlasting love to his people, and his delight…”

“This passage is properly regarded as the Epilogue of the whole book; a kind of apology for the obscurity of many of its sayings. The passage serves therefore to make the book more intelligible and more acceptable. Here, as in the beginning of the book Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, the Preacher speaks of himself Ecclesiastes 12:8-10 in the third person. He first repeats Ecclesiastes 12:8 the mournful, perplexing theme with which his musings began Ecclesiastes 1:2; and then states the encouraging practical conclusion Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 to which they have led him. It has been pointed out that the Epilogue assumes the identity of the Preacher with the writer of the Book of Proverbs. Ecclesiastes 12:11…”

“Acceptable - Such as would comfort and profit the readers. Ecclesiastes 12:11”

“Preacher: Ecc 1:1, Ecc 1:12 acceptable words: Heb. words of delight, Pro 15:23, Pro 15:26, Pro 16:21-24, Pro 25:11, Pro 25:12; Ti1 1:15 written: Pro 1:1-6, Pro 8:6-10, Pro 22:17-21; Luk 1:1-4; Joh 3:11; Col 1:5 Ecclesiastes 12:11”

“It is further said of Koheleth, that he put forth efforts not only to find words of a pleasant form, but, above all, of exact truth: "Koheleth strove to find words of pleasantness, and, written in sincerity, words of truth." The unconnected beginning biqqesh Koheleth is like dibbarti ani, Ecc 1:16, etc., in the book itself. Three objects follow limtso. But Hitz. reads the inf. absol. וכתוב instead of וכתוּב, and translates: to find pleasing words, and correctly to write words of truth. Such a continuance of the inf. const. by the inf. absol. is possible; Sa1 25:26, Sa1 25:31. But why should וכתוב not be the continuance of the finite (Aq., Syr.), as e.g., at Ecc 8:9, and that in the nearest…”