Poetry and wisdom
The book of Ecclesiastes
A wise man’s search for meaning “under the sun,” ending with fearing God and keeping his commandments.
The book opens, “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1), which fits Solomon. Many think he wrote it in his old age, looking back on his life. Its conclusion is the one fixed point: fear God and keep his commandments.
Kinds of writing
- Wisdom 100%
Key verses
Vanity of vanities. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
Ecclesiastes 1:2 (World English Bible)
Fear God and keep his commandments. This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (World English Bible)
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On the timeline
Dating notes
Ussher dates Solomon’s death to 975 BC. Many scholars date the book much later, on language grounds. The span is an estimate; Scripture doesn’t say when the book was written.