John Gill's Exposition on Ecclesiastes 7:8

A historical reference excerpt for this verse.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 end of a thing than the beginning thereof, etc.] If the thing is good, other ways the end of it is worse; as the end of wickedness and wicked men, whose beginning is sweet, but the end bitter; yea, are the ways of death, (<200504>Proverbs 5:4 16:25); and so the end of carnal professors and apostates, who begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh, (<480303>Galatians 3:3 <610220>2 Peter 2:20,21); but the end of good things, and of good men, is better than the beginning; as the end of Job was, both with respect to things temporal and spiritual, (<180807>Job 8:7 42:12); see (<193737>Psalm 37:37 <401022>Matthew 10:22 <421625>Luke 16:25); [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit; patience is a fruit of the Spirit of God; and is of great use in the Christian’s life, and especially in bearing afflictions, and tends to make men more humble, meek, and quiet; and such are highly esteemed of God; on them he looks, with them he dwells, and to them he gives more grace; when such who are proud, and elated with themselves, their riches or righteousness, are abominable to him; (see <421615>Luke 16:15 18:14).

Read Ecclesiastes 7:8 →Read the full chapter →Jamieson, Fausset & Brown →Barnes' Notes →Wesley's Explanatory Notes →Tyndale Open Study Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →Keil & Delitzsch →

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