Ecc 7:26 | KingComments | STEP | The Preacher has discovered that wickedness is foolish and that foolishness is madness ( ). He not only observed this, but also experienced it himself by making wrong relationships with his many wives. He speaks about it with a deep awareness of its bitterness. Death as the wages of sin is bitter ( ), but the sin of fornication is even “more bitter than death” ( ; ). The Preacher does not speak of all women – women in general – but about “the woman whose heart is snares” and who seeks to tempt to unfaithfulness (cf. ; ). From his own example, it appears that not only women can mislead men, but that also men can be captured by their lusts through the woman setting snares and nets for him. He is chained by his lusts ( ) and captured by her, because he is no longer pleasing in the sight of God; in other words no longer walking with Him. Solomon uses many words to describe the wicked nature of such a woman. He compares the heart of the woman with “snares and nets”; “her hands are chains”, which indicates that she handcuffs those whom she grasps with her hands, out of which there is no way of escape. The temptation of illicit sexual intercourse is the greatest temptation ever for numerous men, great in extent and great in depth. Whoever is captured by it, is the most deplorable man. “Flee immorality. Every [other] sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body” ( ). “Who is pleasing to God”, is the man seen by God in Christ and who walks with Him. Such a man pleases God as Enoch did ( ), and escapes the temptations of such a woman. That is the only way to escape from her. The danger to fall prey to this woman is so enormous that a person is only kept from her by God’s grace and mercy. Whoever goes outside God’s mercy will inevitably fall into her hands. This clearly shows that no man should cherish the foolish thought that it will not happen to him. The judgment about the futility of man is again confirmed here. He who is kept, must confess that God is the One Who kept him. At the same time, God only keeps those who with an intention of the heart keep the evil at a distance. Joseph was such a man ( ). He walked in fellowship with God and refused to sin against Him ( ). The beginning of corresponds to the previous verse, but is also applicable to everything that the Preacher has searched. Through all his research work for wisdom, whereby he combined things – adding “one thing to another” –, Solomon arrived at the corruptness of human nature, both of man and woman. He made that discovery, “I have discovered this”. He says this as the “Preacher”, with which he underlines the truth of what he says. He has done everything “to find an explanation”, to come to a final conclusion containing the secret of a meaningful life. In he says that he has not found that conclusion yet. It is not about what he has found, but what he has not found and what he is still seeking. Yet, there is something he found among men: “one man among a thousand”. In the light of the corrupted nature of man, which he stated in , the interpretation should be that a righteous man is a rarity (cf. ). In the light of the New Testament we see that the one Man Who is different, Who is the exception among a thousand, is no one else than Christ ( ). The presence of women among a thousand is altogether miserable: he could not find a single one. Solomon could not find a single woman among his thousand wives, who could satisfy his heart. After this judgment that the Preacher expressed about mankind in , where he did not find what he was looking for, he adds something he did find ( ). By the word ‘behold’, the attention is drawn to what he has found and invites everyone to take part in it. Solomon arrives at the cause of the original corruption: sin comes forth from the fall of man and not from God, for God has “made men upright”. The blame of the general corruption does not lie with God, but with man. God has “made men upright”, but man went the wrong way. ‘Upright’ is not sinful or neutral, but describes the condition of the heart that is faithful and obedient. Man is created after God’s image and likeness, but fell into sin ( ; ). Man does not want to know about that and has been searching out many devices for excuses for his sin since Adam and Eve. Seeking has the meaning of fabricating. Admitting is not to be found, but looking for excuses, blaming others, which has already started right after the fall ( ). The problems are acknowledged sometimes, but the solution is sought in the improvement of behavior by courses and trainings and such. In that way the problem will never be solved and God’s solution for this problem is ignored, which is: the gift of His Son.

‏ Ecclesiastes 7:26

Found and Not Found

The Preacher has discovered that wickedness is foolish and that foolishness is madness (Ecc 7:25). He not only observed this, but also experienced it himself by making wrong relationships with his many wives. He speaks about it with a deep awareness of its bitterness. Death as the wages of sin is bitter (1Sam 15:32), but the sin of fornication is even “more bitter than death” (Ecc 7:26; Pro 5:9 ; 11).

The Preacher does not speak of all women – women in general – but about “the woman whose heart is snares” and who seeks to tempt to unfaithfulness (cf. Ecc 9:9; Pro 18:22). From his own example, it appears that not only women can mislead men, but that also men can be captured by their lusts through the woman setting snares and nets for him. He is chained by his lusts (Pro 5:22-23) and captured by her, because he is no longer pleasing in the sight of God; in other words no longer walking with Him.

Solomon uses many words to describe the wicked nature of such a woman. He compares the heart of the woman with “snares and nets”; “her hands are chains”, which indicates that she handcuffs those whom she grasps with her hands, out of which there is no way of escape.

The temptation of illicit sexual intercourse is the greatest temptation ever for numerous men, great in extent and great in depth. Whoever is captured by it, is the most deplorable man. “Flee immorality. Every [other] sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body” (1Cor 6:18).

“Who is pleasing to God”, is the man seen by God in Christ and who walks with Him. Such a man pleases God as Enoch did (Heb 11:5), and escapes the temptations of such a woman. That is the only way to escape from her. The danger to fall prey to this woman is so enormous that a person is only kept from her by God’s grace and mercy. Whoever goes outside God’s mercy will inevitably fall into her hands.

This clearly shows that no man should cherish the foolish thought that it will not happen to him. The judgment about the futility of man is again confirmed here. He who is kept, must confess that God is the One Who kept him. At the same time, God only keeps those who with an intention of the heart keep the evil at a distance. Joseph was such a man (Gen 39:2-3). He walked in fellowship with God and refused to sin against Him (Gen 39:9).

The beginning of Ecc 7:27 corresponds to the previous verse, but is also applicable to everything that the Preacher has searched. Through all his research work for wisdom, whereby he combined things – adding “one thing to another” –, Solomon arrived at the corruptness of human nature, both of man and woman. He made that discovery, “I have discovered this”. He says this as the “Preacher”, with which he underlines the truth of what he says.

He has done everything “to find an explanation”, to come to a final conclusion containing the secret of a meaningful life. In Ecc 7:28 he says that he has not found that conclusion yet. It is not about what he has found, but what he has not found and what he is still seeking.

Yet, there is something he found among men: “one man among a thousand”. In the light of the corrupted nature of man, which he stated in Ecc 7:26, the interpretation should be that a righteous man is a rarity (cf. Psa 12:1). In the light of the New Testament we see that the one Man Who is different, Who is the exception among a thousand, is no one else than Christ (Job 33:23).

The presence of women among a thousand is altogether miserable: he could not find a single one. Solomon could not find a single woman among his thousand wives, who could satisfy his heart.

After this judgment that the Preacher expressed about mankind in Ecc 7:28, where he did not find what he was looking for, he adds something he did find (Ecc 7:29). By the word ‘behold’, the attention is drawn to what he has found and invites everyone to take part in it. Solomon arrives at the cause of the original corruption: sin comes forth from the fall of man and not from God, for God has “made men upright”.

The blame of the general corruption does not lie with God, but with man. God has “made men upright”, but man went the wrong way. ‘Upright’ is not sinful or neutral, but describes the condition of the heart that is faithful and obedient. Man is created after God’s image and likeness, but fell into sin (Gen 3:1-7; Rom 5:12).

Man does not want to know about that and has been searching out many devices for excuses for his sin since Adam and Eve. Seeking has the meaning of fabricating. Admitting is not to be found, but looking for excuses, blaming others, which has already started right after the fall (Gen 3:12-13). The problems are acknowledged sometimes, but the solution is sought in the improvement of behavior by courses and trainings and such. In that way the problem will never be solved and God’s solution for this problem is ignored, which is: the gift of His Son.