Ecclesiastes 9:4

“For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope, etc.] That is, who is among the living, is one of them, and, as long as he is, there is hope, if his circumstances are mean, and he is poor and afflicted, that it may be better with him in time; (see <181407>Job 14:7); or of his being a good man, though now wicked; of his being called and converted, as some are at the eleventh hour, even on a death bed; and especially there is a hope of men, if they are under the means of grace, seeing persons have been made partakers of the grace of God after long waiting. There is here a “Keri” and a “Cetib”, a marginal reading and a textual writing; the former reads, “that is joined”, the latter,…”

“For--rather, "Nevertheless." English Version rightly reads as the Margin, Hebrew, "that is joined," instead of the text, "who is to be chosen?" hope--not of mere temporal good (Job 14:7); but of yet repenting and being saved. dog--metaphor for the vilest persons (Sa1 24:14). lion--the noblest of animals (Pro 30:30). better--as to hope of salvation; the noblest who die unconverted have no hope; the vilest, so long as they have life, have hope.”

“For to him - Rather: “Yet to him.” Notwithstanding evils, life has its advantage, and especially when compared with death. Dog - To the Hebrews a type of all that was contemptible 1 Samuel 17:43. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Joined - That continues with living men. Hope - He hath not only some comfort for the present, but also hopes of further happiness in this world. Better - Much happier as to the comforts of this world. Ecclesiastes 9:5”

“9:4-6 The hope for enjoyment is only as alive as the one who is hoping. In this sense, it is better to be alive (cp. 6:3; 7:1).”

“Job 14:7-12, Job 27:8; Isa 38:18; Lam 3:21, Lam 3:22; Luk 16:26-29 Ecclesiastes 9:5”

“"For (to him) who shall be always joined to all the living, there is hope: for even a living dog is better than a dead lion." The interrog. אשׁר מי, quis est qui, acquires the force of a relative, quisquis (quicunque), and may be interpreted, Exo 32:33; Sa2 20:12, just as here (cf. the simple mi, Ecc 5:9), in both ways; particularly the latter passage ( Sa2 20:11) is also analogous to the one before us in the formation of the apodosis. The Chethı̂b יבחר does not admit of any tenable meaning. In conformity with the usus loq., Elster reads מי אשר יבחר, "who has a choice?" But this rendering has no connection with what follows; the sequence of thoughts fails. Most interpreters, in opposition to…”