A Commentary in Simple English on Ecclesiastes

The Shape of Ecclesiastes

We have seen that the shape of the book is as follows: -

1:1-11 The Writer speaks about the Teacher

1:12-12:8 The Teacher speaks

12:9-14 The Writer speaks again

It is not easy to break the book up and to say what the parts are about. However we must try.

	Chapter 1 Man without God
		1-11 Look around! 12-15 Look at them! 16-18 Look at me!

	Chapter 2 Work and Pleasure
		1-11 Man at work 12-23 Wise man and fool both die 24-26 The first answer

	Chapter 3 All in God’s time
		1-9 Time and change 10-15 Life is harsh 16-22 Is the Judge wise?

	Chapter 4 Numbers
		1-3 Man wrongs man 4-8 The Rat Race 9-12 One, two, three 13-16 Climb to the top

	Chapter 5 Religion
		1-7 The worship of God 8-17 Rich and poor 18-20 Another answer to the question

	Chapter 6 Riches
		1-6 Riches are not enough 7-9 The poor man 10-12 All men rich or poor

	Chapter 7 What wisdom can do
		1-12 Good, better, best again 13-29 God’s work

	Chapter 8 We do not know the future
		1-8 The wise man and the king 9-15 Does God punish bad men? 16 and 17 Even wise men do not know

	Chapter 9 Wisdom in danger
		1-6 Death yet again 7-12 The failure of wisdom 13-16 Wisdom’s weakness 17 and 18 War and peace

	Chapter 10 Wisdom’s strength
		1-3 Wisdom’s strength and weakness 4-11 Health and safety at work 12-20 Wisdom’s weakness again

	Chapter 11 Towards home
		1 and 2 You do not know! 3-6 The clouds gather 7-10 The dark clouds

	Chapter 12 The end of the argument
		1-8 The storm breaks 9-14 The Writer sums up