John Gill's Exposition on Ecclesiastes 6:9

A historical reference excerpt for this verse.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.

Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire, etc.] By “the sight of the eyes” is not meant the bare beholding outward riches, as in (<210511>Ecclesiastes 5:11); but the enjoyment of present mercies; such things as a man is in the possession of, and with which he should be content, (<581305>Hebrews 13:5); and by “the wandering of the desire”, the craving appetite and insatiable lust of the covetous mind, which enlarges its desire as hell, after a thousand things, and everything it can think of; such a mind roves through the whole creation, and covets everything under the sun: now it is better to enjoy contentedly things in sight and in possession, than to let the mind loose in vague desires, after things that may never be come at, and, if attained to, would give no satisfaction; this [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit: a most vain thing, to give the mind such a loose and liberty in its unbounded desires after worldly things; and a vexation of spirit it is to such a craving mind, that it cannot obtain what it is so desirous of.

Read Ecclesiastes 6:9 →Read the full chapter →Jamieson, Fausset & Brown →Barnes' Notes →Wesley's Explanatory Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →Keil & Delitzsch →

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