Ecclesiastes 1–2 records what the “preacher” (as he calls himself) told about his search to find some lasting feeling of joy and happiness. As you read, think about how you feel about the things he saw and did and what he sought.
Understanding the Scriptures
Ecclesiastes 1
| Vanity (vv. 2, 14) | Meaningless, temporary and not satisfying | |
| Profit (v. 3) | Reward | |
| Taketh (v. 3) | Does | |
| Under the sun (vv. 3, 9) | On earth | |
| Hasteth (v. 5) | Hurries | |
| Circuits (v. 6) | Patterns | |
| Whence (v. 7) | Where | |
| Thither (v. 7) | There | |
| Exercised therewith (v. 13) | Troubled with | |
| Vexation (vv. 14, 17) | Troubling | |
| Wanting (v. 15) | Lacking | |
| Estate (v. 16) | Inheritance | |
| Madness and folly (v. 17) | Foolishness |
Ecclesiastes 2
| Prove thee (v. 1) | Test the idea that there is nothing but vanity in the world | |
| Mirth (vv. 1–2) | Fun, enjoyment that comes from lighthearted activities with others | |
| What doeth it? (v. 2) | What good does it do? | |
| Give myself unto wine (v. 3) | Experiment to see if wine added any quality and meaning to life | |
| Yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom (v. 3) | Still trying to learn wisdom | |
| Lay hold on folly (v. 3) | Do foolish things | |
| Above (v. 7) | More than | |
| Portion (vv. 10, 21) | Wage or payment | |
| Wrought (vv. 11, 17) | Made | |
| Folly (vv. 12–13) | Foolishness | |
| Excelleth (v. 13) | Is greater than | |
| Perceived (v. 14) | Realized | |
| One event happeneth to them all (v. 14) | Some things happen to everyone, no matter how wise or foolish the person is. | |
| Grievous (v. 17) | Bad | |
| Travail (vv. 23, 26) | Work | |
| Grief (v. 23) | Sadness | |
| Heap up (v. 26) | Store |
Studying the Scriptures
Do activities A and B as you study Ecclesiastes 1–2.
Make a List
List at least five items from Ecclesiastes 1–2 that the writer said should have made him happy but did not. After each item on your list, write the reference of the verse where you found it. You may want to highlight in your scriptures the five things you chose to list.
Do You Agree or Disagree?
Read Ecclesiastes 1:18. Write to the preacher and tell him why you agree or disagree with his statement there.
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