12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Linguistic Insight
Tap any underlined word in the verse to see its original meaning.
Cross-References
From the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. …
Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.
Commentary
Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Bible (1710)
(vv. 11-22)Here, 1. Solomon lays down his conclusion which he had undertaken to prove, as that which was fully confirmed by the foregoing discourse: There be many things that increase vanity ; the life of man is vain, at the best, and there are abundance of accidents that concur to make it more so; even that which pretends to increase the vanity and make it more vexatious. 2. He draws some inferences from it…
My Notes
Notes are saved on this device.