Ecclesiastes 1:16
in Ecclesiastes 1I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
KJV
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 1
Commentary
11 notes on this verse"I said to myself: here I have acquired great wisdom, more than any of my predecessors over Jerusalem, and my mind has had much experience with wisdom and knowledge." Solomon was not greater than Abraham and Moses, and other saints, but than those who were before him in Jerusalem. We read in the book of Kings that Solomon was very wise, and he claimed this wisdom to have been given by God before all others. [Cfr III Reg.
This site's exposition
I said to myself
on Ecclesiastes 1:16-18
I said to myself opens the book's first trial, wisdom tested by a man who has grown and increased in wisdom. Verse 17 widens the trial to wisdom and madness and folly. The last line states the cost: with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
What is the way back for the wanderer, and the way of escape from evil, and toward good, we learn next. For he "who has had experience like us in all things, without sin," speaks to us from our own condition. "He took our weaknesses upon him," and through these very weaknesses of our nature he shows us the way out of the reach of evil. Now note, please, that Wisdom speaks to us through Solomon himself after the flesh, and speaks about those things by which we may most readily be led to despise the things which are pursued by people.
We next learn about the return of a person who has erred and the change from evil to enjoyment of the good. He [Christ] who has been tempted in all things and is without sin holds converse with us in our human nature. He who assumed our weakness showed us a way out of evil through the infirmities of his human nature. "Instruct me in the Wisdom [Christ] according to the Solomon who was in the flesh which held converse with us." Once familiar with it, we are able to pass judgment on what men pursue.
Therefore it is written in Ecclesiastes, "And I added wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem; and my heart saw many things; and besides, I knew wisdom and knowledge, parables and understanding. And this also is the choice of the spirit, because in abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge." He who is conversant with all kinds of wisdom will be preeminently reliant upon knowledge. Now it is written, "Abundance of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him who is of it." And again, what is said is confirmed more clearly by this saying, "All things are in the sight of those who understand"—all things, both hellenic and barbarian; but the one or the other is not all. "They are right to those who wish to receive understanding. Choose instruction, and not silver, and knowledge above tested gold," and prefer also sense to pure gold;"for wisdom is better than precious stones, and no precious thing is worth it."
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Here he similarly shows his curiosity in the consideration of moral matters. For first is noted his transition from natural things to moral matters; second, the discovery of affliction; third, the turning to the enjoyment of delightful things; fourth, the return to the consideration of …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Have gotten - As I had a large stock of wisdom infused into me by God, so I have greatly improved it by conversation, and study, and experience. Than all - Whether governors, or priests, or private persons. In Jerusalem - Which was then the most eminent place in the world for wisdom.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
I communed with my own heart,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
I communed with mine own heart - Literally, “I spoke, I, with my heart, saying.” When successful in my researches, but not happy in my soul, though easy in my circumstances, I entered into my own heart, and there inquired the cause of my discontent. He found that, though - 1. He had gotten wisdom beyond all men; 2. Wealth and honors more than any other; 3. Practical wisdom more than all his predecessors; 4. Had tried pleasure and animal gratification, even to their extremes; yet after all this he had nothing but vexation of spirit.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
His wisdom exceeded that of all before Jesus Christ, the antitypical Koheleth, or "Gatherer of men," (Lu 13:34), and "Wisdom" incarnate (Mt 11:19; 12:42). had . . . experience--literally, "had seen" (Jer 2:31). Contrast with this glorying in worldly wisdom (Jer 9:23, 24).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I am come ... - Rather, I have accumulated (literally “enlarged and added”) wisdom more than etc. They that have been ... - The reference is probably to the line of Canaanite kings who lived in Jerusalem before David took it, such as Melchizedek Gen 14:18, Adonizedek Jos 10:1, and Araunah 2Sa 24:23; or, it may be, to Solomon’s contemporaries of his own country 1Ki 4:31 and of other countries who visited him 1Ki 4:34; 1Ki 10:24. for “in” Jerusalem render over.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי | dibarti | I have spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֲנִ֤י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| לִבִּי֙ | libi | heart my | H3820 → | 595 times |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲנִ֗י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| הִנֵּ֨ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| הִגְדַּ֤לְתִּי | higdalti | I have made great | H1431 → | 117 times |
| וְהוֹסַ֙פְתִּי֙ | vehosafti | and I have increased | H3254 → | 212 times |
| חָכְמָ֔ה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| עַ֛ל | ʾal | above | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [one] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיָ֥ה | hayah | he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְפָנַ֖י | lefanai | <to> before me | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| וְלִבִּ֛י | velibi | and heart my | H3820 → | 595 times |
| רָאָ֥ה | raah | it has seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| הַרְבֵּ֖ה | harbeh | much | H7235 → | 227 times |
| חָכְמָ֥ה | chokhmah | wisdom | H2451 → | 153 times |
| וָדָֽעַת׃ | vadaat | and knowledge | H1847 → | 92 times |
דִּבַּ֨רְתִּיI have spoken
dibartiH1696 →1141 times
אֲנִ֤יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
לִבִּי֙heart my
libiH3820 →595 times
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
אֲנִ֗יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
הִנֵּ֨הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
הִגְדַּ֤לְתִּיI have made great
higdaltiH1431 →117 times
וְהוֹסַ֙פְתִּי֙and I have increased
vehosaftiH3254 →212 times
חָכְמָ֔הwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
עַ֛לabove
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־[one] who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
הָיָ֥הhe was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
לְפָנַ֖י<to> before me
lefanaiH6440 →2123 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
וְלִבִּ֛יand heart my
velibiH3820 →595 times
רָאָ֥הit has seen
raahH7200 →1300 times
הַרְבֵּ֖הmuch
harbehH7235 →227 times
חָכְמָ֥הwisdom
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
וָדָֽעַת׃and knowledge
vadaatH1847 →92 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 4:4Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:26
“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,
- Psalms 77:6
At night I remembered my song; in my heart I mused, and my spirit pondered:
- Psalms 63:6
When I remember You on my bed, I think of You through the watches of the night.
- Proverbs 3:7
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
- Psalms 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”
- Ephesians 4:26
Through
Ecclesiastes 2:9So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 29:25
The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal majesty such as had not been bestowed on any king in Israel before him.
- 1 Kings 10:23
So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
- 1 Chronicles 29:25
Through
1 Kings 4:30Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the men of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
it leads to
- Daniel 5:11–12
There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that…
- Daniel 5:11–12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ecclesiastes
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 1; Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary (church-history corpus); Gregory of Nyssa, HOMILIES ON ECCLESIASTES 2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.