Job 7:20 | TNotes | STEP | 7:20 watcher of all humanity: Rather than praising God for his goodness expressed in watchfulness (Deut 32:10 ; Ps 25:21 ; Prov 24:12 ), Job blamed God for hostile surveillance, which actually characterizes Satan’s activity (Job 1:7 ). • Why is from the language of lament (see study note on 3:11-24). • your target: See 6:4 ; Lam 3:12 . Thematic note: All Is “Vapor” A key word in Ecclesiastes is the Hebrew term hebel (“vapor,” often translated “meaningless”). This word expresses the core of the Teacher’s judgment concerning life in this world. At its root, hebel means physical “breath” or “vapor.” Hebel is used seventy-eight times in the Old Testament, but in only three instances is the physical meaning clearly intended (Ps 62:9 ; Prov 21:6 ; Isa 57:13 ). In the other seventy-five instances, the word is used metaphorically to describe what is incomprehensible, futile, meaningless, false, transitory, or insubstantial. The term is often used to describe the insubstantiality, unreality, and worthlessness of false gods (Deut 32:21 ; 2 Kgs 17:15 ). In this sense, hebel is the opposite of “glory”—the substantial, weighty, and lasting presence of God. Sometimes the word hebel stands for the way life is fleeting and momentary, like vapor (Job 7:16 ; Ps 144:4 ). In other cases, it refers to the meaninglessness and frustration of life (Pss 78:33 ; 94:11 ; Isa 49:4 ). There is a long tradition of understanding hebel in Ecclesiastes as meaning “vanity,” not in the sense of thinking too highly of oneself, but in the sense of experiencing life as futile and without purpose or meaning. The ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament used the word mataiotēs , which means “emptiness” or “futility.” The Latin Vulgate then translated hebel with the Latin word vanitas , which means “purposelessness, pointlessness, hollowness, worthlessness.” From the Vulgate comes the long-standing tradition of translating the word as “vanity” in English. Most translators today understand the word hebel in this sense: Life on earth has no apparent purpose or meaning, and all that we do is futile. Some translators, however, understand hebel in Ecclesiastes to be referring primarily to the transitory impermanence of life. Vapor has no permanence or weight. This translation leads to a different understanding of Ecclesiastes: Life is not so much meaningless and futile as it is impermanent and fleeting. Many phrases in Ecclesiastes allude to the fleeting nature of human life and its efforts. In the New Testament, a similar thought can be found in James 4:13-15 . The understanding of hebel as “impermanence” in Ecclesiastes has merit in explaining the book coherently; it is, however, a minority view among scholars. The NLT translates hebel in Ecclesiastes as “meaningless.” However, while reading Ecclesiastes, it is helpful to keep in mind the root of the word (“breath” or “vapor”) that stands behind the metaphors. The brevity, frustration, and apparent meaninglessness of life can be depressing. This discouragement should motivate us toward working more wisely and diligently and enjoying life while we can. We have all observed the apparent absurdity of life’s tragedies, such as the success of a wicked fool or unchecked injustice. But these things come into proportion when we remember God’s sovereignty, because “God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad” (Eccl 12:14 ). Passages for Further Study Deut 32:21 ; 2 Kgs 17:15 ; Job 7:16 ; Pss 62:9 ; 78:33 ; 94:11 ; 144:4 ; Prov 21:6 ; Eccl 1:2 ; Isa 30:7 ; 49:4 ; 57:13

7:20 ^a watcher of all humanity: Rather than praising God for his goodness expressed in watchfulness (Deut 32:10 ^b; Ps 25:21 ^c; Prov 24:12 ^d), Job blamed God for hostile surveillance, which actually characterizes Satan’s activity (Job 1:7 ^e).

• Why is from the language of lament (see study note on 3:11-24).

• your target: See 6:4 ^f; Lam 3:12 ^g.

Thematic note: All Is “Vapor”
A key word in Ecclesiastes is the Hebrew term hebel (“vapor,” often translated “meaningless”). This word expresses the core of the Teacher’s judgment concerning life in this world.
At its root, hebel means physical “breath” or “vapor.” Hebel is used seventy-eight times in the Old Testament, but in only three instances is the physical meaning clearly intended (Ps 62:9 ^h; Prov 21:6 ⁱ; Isa 57:13 ^j). In the other seventy-five instances, the word is used metaphorically to describe what is incomprehensible, futile, meaningless, false, transitory, or insubstantial. The term is often used to describe the insubstantiality, unreality, and worthlessness of false gods (Deut 32:21 ^k; 2 Kgs 17:15 ^l). In this sense, hebel is the opposite of “glory”—the substantial, weighty, and lasting presence of God. Sometimes the word hebel stands for the way life is fleeting and momentary, like vapor (Job 7:16 ^m; Ps 144:4 ⁿ). In other cases, it refers to the meaninglessness and frustration of life (Pss 78:33 ^o; 94:11 ^p; Isa 49:4 ^q).
There is a long tradition of understanding hebel in Ecclesiastes as meaning “vanity,” not in the sense of thinking too highly of oneself, but in the sense of experiencing life as futile and without purpose or meaning. The ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament used the word mataiotēs, which means “emptiness” or “futility.” The Latin Vulgate then translated hebel with the Latin word vanitas, which means “purposelessness, pointlessness, hollowness, worthlessness.” From the Vulgate comes the long-standing tradition of translating the word as “vanity” in English. Most translators today understand the word hebel in this sense: Life on earth has no apparent purpose or meaning, and all that we do is futile.
Some translators, however, understand hebel in Ecclesiastes to be referring primarily to the transitory impermanence of life. Vapor has no permanence or weight. This translation leads to a different understanding of Ecclesiastes: Life is not so much meaningless and futile as it is impermanent and fleeting. Many phrases in Ecclesiastes allude to the fleeting nature of human life and its efforts. In the New Testament, a similar thought can be found in James 4:13-15 ^r. The understanding of hebel as “impermanence” in Ecclesiastes has merit in explaining the book coherently; it is, however, a minority view among scholars.
The NLT translates hebel in Ecclesiastes as “meaningless.” However, while reading Ecclesiastes, it is helpful to keep in mind the root of the word (“breath” or “vapor”) that stands behind the metaphors.
The brevity, frustration, and apparent meaninglessness of life can be depressing. This discouragement should motivate us toward working more wisely and diligently and enjoying life while we can. We have all observed the apparent absurdity of life’s tragedies, such as the success of a wicked fool or unchecked injustice. But these things come into proportion when we remember God’s sovereignty, because “God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad” (Eccl 12:14 ^s).

Passages for Further Study
Deut 32:21 ^t; 2 Kgs 17:15 ^u; Job 7:16 ^v; Pss 62:9 ^w; 78:33 ^x; 94:11 ^y; 144:4 ^z; Prov 21:6 ^aa; Eccl 1:2 ^ab; Isa 30:7 ^ac; 49:4 ^ad; 57:13 ^ae