Ecc 3:11 | JFB | STEP | 11. his time —that is, in its proper season ( ), opposed to worldlings putting earthly pursuits out of their proper time and place (see on ). set the world in their heart —given them capacities to understand the world of nature as reflecting God's wisdom in its beautiful order and times ( ). "Everything" answers to "world," in the parallelism. so that —that is, but in such a manner that man only sees a portion, not the whole "from beginning to end" ( ). PARKHURST , for "world," translates: "Yet He hath put obscurity in the midst of them, " literally, "a secret," so man's mental dimness of sight as to the full mystery of God's works. So HOLDEN and WEISS . This incapacity for "finding out" (comprehending) God's work is chiefly the fruit of the fall. The worldling ever since, not knowing God's time and order, labors in vain, because out of time and place.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

11. his time—that is, in its proper season (Ps 1:3), opposed to worldlings putting earthly pursuits out of their proper time and place (see on Ec 3:9).

set the world in their heart—given them capacities to understand the world of nature as reflecting God's wisdom in its beautiful order and times (Ro 1:19, 20). "Everything" answers to "world," in the parallelism.

so that—that is, but in such a manner that man only sees a portion, not the whole "from beginning to end" (Ec 8:17; Job 26:14; Ro 11:33; Re 15:4). PARKHURST, for "world," translates: "Yet He hath put obscurity in the midst of them," literally, "a secret," so man's mental dimness of sight as to the full mystery of God's works. So HOLDEN and WEISS. This incapacity for "finding out" (comprehending) God's work is chiefly the fruit of the fall. The worldling ever since, not knowing God's time and order, labors in vain, because out of time and place.