Pleasure

How Nave’s arranged it

• WORLDLYJob 20:12–16Job 21:12Job 21:13Proverbs 9:17Proverbs 15:21Proverbs 21:17Ecclesiastes 1:17Ecclesiastes 2:1–13Isaiah 5:11Isaiah 5:12Isaiah 22:12Isaiah 22:13Isaiah 47:8Isaiah 47:9Amos 6:1Luke 8:14Romans 1:322 Thessalonians 2:121 Timothy 5:62 Timothy 3:4
• See Happiness
• See Joy
• See Worldliness

The passages, in Bible order (24)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Job 20:12–16

   Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Job 21:12

   singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.

   ›Commentary on Job 21:122 voices

   “Ver. 12. They take the timbrel, and harp, and rejoice at the noise of the organ. As if he said in plain speech; 'Whilst the masters swell with honours and substance, the dependants rejoice in festive sports.' But, O blessed man, wherefore dost thou tell us all these many things of the delights of the wicked? It is now a long time that thou runnest on in the description of them; after much said, in one word point out what thou thinkest.

   “They take the timbrel and harp - ישאו yisu, they rise up or lift themselves up, probably alluding to the rural exercise of dancing. תף toph, which we translate timbrel, means a sort of drum, such as the tom-tom of the Asiatics. כנור kinnor may mean something of the harp kind. עוגב ugab, organ, means nothing like the instrument now called the organ, though thus translated both by the Septuagint and Vulgate; it probably means the syrinx, composed of several unequal pipes, close at the bottom, which when blown into at the top, gives a very shrill and lively sound.

   Everything gathered on Job 21:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Job 21:13

   They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.

   ›Commentary on Job 21:132 voices

   They spend their days in wealth,.... Or "in good" (p); not in the performance of good works, or in the exercise of that which is spiritually good; or in seeking after spiritual good things, or eternal happiness; but in earthly good, in the enjoyment of the temporal good things of this life, and which to enjoy in a moderate and becoming manner is not criminal, but commendable; but these men, and such as they, seek no other good but worldly good; their language is, "who will show us any good?"

   “They spend their days in wealth - Margin, or, “mirth.” Literally, “they wear out their days in good” - בטוב baṭôb. Vulgate “in bonis.” Septuagint, ἐν ἀγαθοῖς en agathois - “in good things;” in the enjoyment of good. They are not oppressed with the evils of poverty and want, but they have abundance of “the good things” of life. And in a moment go down to the grave - Hebrew to שׁאול she'ôl - but here meaning evidently the grave.

   Everything gathered on Job 21:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Proverbs 9:17

   “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!”

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 9:172 voices

   “The besetting sin of all times and countries, the one great proof of the inherent corruption of man’s nature. Pleasures are attractive because they are forbidden (compare Rom 7:7).

   "The foolish and bold woman comes to want bread." What bread? Surely that bread which comes down from heaven. And he immediately adds, "The earth-born perish in her house, rush into the depths of hell." Who are the earth-born that perish in her house? They of course who follow the first Adam, who is of the earth, and not the second, who is from heaven.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 9:17→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Proverbs 15:21

   Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding walks a straight path.

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Proverbs 21:17

   He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 21:171 voice

   “Wine and oil - i. e., The costly adjuncts of a princely banquet. The price of oil or precious unguent was about equal to the 300 days’ wages of a field laborer Mat 20:2. Indulgence in such a luxury would thus become the type of all extravagance and excess.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 21:17→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Ecclesiastes 1:17

   So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.

   ›Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:171 voice

   "I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this, too, is a vexation of the spirit." Contrary abstract ideas are understood by looking at contrary facts; and " wisdom is the first to be lacking in foolishness" [Horat. Epist.I, 1,41-42.], but it is not possible to be lacking in foolishness, unless one has understood it. Many dangerous things are also created from foolishness, so that while we try to avoid them, we are actually instructed in wisdom.

   Everything gathered on Ecclesiastes 1:17→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Ecclesiastes 2:1–13

   I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.

   ›Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:1–131 voice

   "I said to myself: Come, I will experiment with joy and enjoy pleasure. That, too, turned out to be futile." After I detected that pain and labour were in the essence of wisdom and the accumulation of knowledge, and nothing else except vain and endless struggle, I felt joyful that I would overflow with excess, accrue riches, amass great wealth, and take temporary pleasures before I die. But even in this I saw my vanity, for past pleasures do not help the present, and do not fill up what is empty.

   Everything gathered on Ecclesiastes 2:1–13→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Isaiah 5:11

   Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, who linger into the evening, to be inflamed by wine.

   ›Commentary on Isaiah 5:111 voice

   “(Verse 11, 12.) Woe to those who rise early in the morning to pursue drunkenness, and continue drinking until evening, so that they are inflamed with wine. They have the lyre, the harp, the tambourine, and the flute at their feasts, but they do not regard the work of the Lord or consider the operation of His hands. Regarding drunkenness, which Aquila and Symmachus have interpreted as the Hebrew word Siceram, the LXX have rendered it as any drink that can intoxicate and overthrow one's mental state.

   Everything gathered on Isaiah 5:11→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Isaiah 5:12

    At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.

    ›Commentary on Isaiah 5:122 voices

    “(Verse 11, 12.) Woe to those who rise early in the morning to pursue drunkenness, and continue drinking until evening, so that they are inflamed with wine. They have the lyre, the harp, the tambourine, and the flute at their feasts, but they do not regard the work of the Lord or consider the operation of His hands. Regarding drunkenness, which Aquila and Symmachus have interpreted as the Hebrew word Siceram, the LXX have rendered it as any drink that can intoxicate and overthrow one's mental state.

    “The prophet proceeds to state still further the extent of their crimes. This verse contains an account of their dissipated habits, and their consequent forgetfulness of God. That they commonly had musical instruments in their feasts, is evident from many passages of the Old Testament; see Amo 6:5-6. Their feasts, also, were attended with songs; Isa 24:8-9. The harp - - כנור kinnôr. This is a well-known stringed instrument, employed commonly in sacred music. It is often mentioned as having been used to express the pious feelings of David; Psa 32:2; Psa 43:4; Psa 49:

    Everything gathered on Isaiah 5:12→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Isaiah 22:12

    On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth.

    ›Commentary on Isaiah 22:121 voice

    “And in that day - In the invasion of Sennacherib. It might be rendered, ‘And the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, on such a day calls to weeping;’ intimating that in such a time it was a general truth that God required those who were thus afflicted to weep, and fast, and pray. Call to weeping - That is, by his providence; or, it was “proper” that at such a time they should weep. Affliction, oppression, and calamity are indications from God “always” that we ought to be humbled, and to prostrate ourselves before Him.

    Everything gathered on Isaiah 22:12→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Isaiah 22:13

    But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Isaiah 47:8

    So now hear this, O lover of luxury who sits securely, who says to herself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or know the loss of children.’

    ›Commentary on Isaiah 47:82 voices

    “Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures,.... To carnal lusts and pleasures; gratifying her sensual appetite; indulging herself in everything that was agreeable to the senses; abounding in delicacies, and living deliciously; as is said of mystical Babylon, Rev 18:4, particularly given to venereal pleasures. Curtius says (g), "no city was more corrupt in its manners, or furnished to irritate or allure to immoderate pleasures.

    “Therefore hear now this - The prophet proceeds, in this verse and the following, to detail more particularly the sins of Babylon, and to state the certainty of the punishment which would come upon her. In the previous verses, the denunciation of punishment had been figurative. It had been represented under the image of a lady delicately trained and nurtured, doomed to the lowest condition of life, and compelled to stoop to the most menial offices. Here the prophet uses language without figure, and states directly her crimes, and her doom.

    Everything gathered on Isaiah 47:8→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Isaiah 47:9

    These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.

    ›Commentary on Isaiah 47:91 voice

    “And what follows describes very clearly the arrogance of the kingdom of the Chaldeans and the foolishness of their royal people, in such a way that they ascribed to themselves immortal power and an indestructible rule. However, suddenly you will experience a loss of men and the destruction of your children—that is, men to rule among you, and children meaning those to be ruled. These things will come at once upon you and reveal you abandoned and childless. This will affect you not only through these things proclaimed but also through the extent of sorceries and incantations.

    Everything gathered on Isaiah 47:9→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Amos 6:1

    Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes.

    ›Commentary on Amos 6:11 voice

    “(Chapter 6, Verse 1) Woe to those who are rich in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the nations, who enter pompously into the house of Israel. The Septuagint version says: Woe to those who despise Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, they have gathered the first fruits of the nations for themselves.

    Everything gathered on Amos 6:1→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Luke 8:14

    The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.

    ›Commentary on Luke 8:141 voice

    "Those that fell among the thorns are they who have heard, and go, and are choked by cares and wealth and pleasures of the world, and yield no fruit." The Savior scatters the seed that acquired a firm hold in the souls that received it. It already shot up and just began to be visible when worldly cares choke it and it dries up, being overgrown by empty occupations. The prophet Jeremiah said, "It becomes a handful, that can produce no meal."

    Everything gathered on Luke 8:14→

    Verse page →Original language →