"For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit."
Ecclesiastes 2:26
“For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight.”
God is good, and He gives good gifts to good people. The people that God views as good are the ones who receive these excellent gifts. He provides these to His righteous children, those who know Him, live for Him and live to please Him.
In the Old Testament Jewish Theocracy, God gave good things to those of His children that had little or none. Here the principle is taught:
“Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver” (Job 27:16-17: see also Proverbs 13:22, and Proverbs 28:8).
“Wisdom, and knowledge, and joy:”
These are wonderful and useful gifts for God’s child! These are the opposite of the misuse of these same things.
“For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow” (Ecclesiastes 1:18).
Some of my former students might agree with this verse as an excuse not to study. But to God’s child, He will give “wisdom without grief,” and “knowledge without sorrow.” He gives joy, along with His good gifts.
Solomon says His good gifts are:
“Wisdom.” “God gives wisdom – the knowledge of himself, light to direct in the way of salvation”[1] (Clarke).
“And knowledge.” “Knowledge – understanding to discern the operation of his hand; experimental acquaintance with himself, in the dispensing of his grace and the gifts of his Spirit”[2] (Clarke).
“And joy.” “Joy; a hundred days of ease for one day of pain; one thousand enjoyments for one privation; and to them that believe, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost”[3] (Clarke).
“But to the sinner, he giveth.”
God, in His wisdom, also gives to the “sinner.” But note well what Solomon says God gives to him/her.
“Travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God.”
God gives the lost one “travail,” the Hebrew word means “occupation, task, job”[4] (BDB). And what will their task be? “To gather and heap up” riches. They will give their lives for “stuff” that they cannot keep, for God says He will “redistribute” their things to His righteous people, “that he may give to him that is good before God.”
The Children of Israel, as they were on their way out of Egypt, “borrowed” valuables from the Egyptians as payment for their toil over the centuries when they worked for taskmasters (Exodus 12:35).
“This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
Imagine their frustration working all their lives to accumulate wealth, only to have it given to people they hate, God’s people!
Dear Lord, thank you for your gift of wisdom, knowledge, and joy!
[1] Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] Clarke, ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Brown, Driver, Briggs. Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.