Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Ecclesiastes 3:7
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
A time to rend, and a time to sew, etc.] To rend garments, in case of blasphemy, and in times of mourning and fasting, and then to sew them up when they are over; (see <233701>Isaiah 37:1 <290213>Joel 2:13); This the Jews apply to the rending of the ten tribes from Rehoboam, signified by the rending of Jeroboam’s garment, (<111130>1 Kings 11:30,31); the sewing up or uniting of which is foretold, (<263722>Ezekiel 37:22). Some interpret it of the rending of the Jewish church state, signified by the rending of the vail, at the death of Christ; and of the constituting the Gospel church state among the Gentiles; a time to keep silence, and a time to speakf84; when it is an evil time, a time of calamity in a nation, it is not a time to be loquacious and talkative, especially in a vain and ludicrous way, (<300513>Amos 5:13); or when a particular friend or relation is in distress, as in the case of Job and his friends, (<180213>Job 2:13); or when in the presence of wicked men, who make a jest of everything serious and religious, (<193901>Psalm 39:1); and so when under afflictive dispensations of Providence, it is a time to be still and dumb, and not open the mouth in a murmuring and complaining way, (<031003>Leviticus 10:3 <193909>Psalm 39:9 46:10). And, on the other hand, there is a time to speak, either publicly, of the truths of the Gospel, in the ministry of it, and in vindication of them; or privately, of Christian experience: there is a time when an open profession should be made of Christ, his word and ordinances, and when believers should speak to God in prayer and praise; which, should they not, the stones in the wall would cry out.
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