Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Ecclesiastes 4:13

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 13. Better is a poor and a wise child — The Targum applies this to Abraham. "Abraham was a poor child of only three years of age; but he had the spirit of prophecy, and he refused to worship the idols which the old foolish king - Nimrod - had set up; therefore Nimrod cast him into a furnace of fire. But the Lord worked a miracle and delivered him. Yet here was no knowledge in Nimrod, and he would not be admonished." The Targum proceeds:

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The uselessness of achievement (4:4-16)

Several examples illustrate how useless much human activity is. Some people drive themselves in their work but can never relax and enjoy it, because they are always worrying about being ahead of everyone else. Others do not work at all and so ruin themselves. Both extremes should be avoided. People should work for a living and enjoy it, but they should not be so ambitious that they create trouble for themselves (4-6).
Other unhappy people are those who spend all their time making money which they neither use themselves nor give to others (7-8). Those who cut themselves off from others, such as these rich misers, really harm themselves, for cooperation with others increases personal security (9-12).
Probably no one experiences the worthlessness of success and fame more than the great man who falls from power. He may have risen from poverty to fame, from prison to the throne, but if he refuses to listen to advice, any intelligent youth could rule better than he (13-14). In fact, among the thousands of people over whom a king rules there may just happen to be such an intelligent youth, who will overthrow the king and seize the throne for himself. But he, like the former king, will soon be forgotten (15-16).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

DANGERS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND ISOLATION

"Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more. For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom, he was born poor. I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second that stood up in his stead. There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind."

Some have tried to find the Biblical story of Joseph in this, but without success. "It is probably a parable, of a poor youth who through wisdom rose to be king."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 5, p. 55

"They that come after" "This refers to those of a later generation who were not present when the youth became king."Ibid., p. 56.

We find it difficult to understand what is meant here. Kidner's interpretation appears to be the best available. "The paragraph has its obscurities; but it portrays something common in public life, the short-lived popularity of the great. First there was the stubbornness of the old man who had been king too long."The Bible Speaks Today, p. 31. There are elements in this which suggest both the rise of Joseph to kingly dignity, and that of David whose second half of the kingship so vividly contrasted with the first half; but nearly all scholars agree that, "The passage was not designed to be historical."Ibid.

The big points in the paragraph are (a) the bad example of the foolish old king too stubborn to take advice, who, of course, lost his throne, and (b) the fickleness of the public who afterward hated the wise youth who succeeded the old king.

Sir Walter Scott, whom I quoted in my first commentary (Matthew), and whom I'm glad to quote also in this my last one, paid his respects to the fickleness of public opinion in these words:

"Who o'er the herd would wish to reign?
Fantastic, fickle, fierce, and vain,
Vain as a leaf upon the stream,
And fickle as a changeful dream,
Fantastic as a woman's mood,
And fierce as frenzy's fevered blood;
Thou many headed monster thing,
O, who would wish to be thy king"?Sir Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake, Canto V. stanza 30.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

These verses set forth the vanity of earthly prosperity even on a throne. Opinion as to their application is chiefly divided between considering them a parable or fiction like that of the childless man in Ecclesiastes 4:8 : or as setting forth first the vicissitudes of royal life in two proverbial sayings Ecclesiastes 4:13-14, and then Ecclesiastes 4:15-16, the vicissitudes or procession of the whole human race, one generation giving place to another, Which in its turn will be forgotten by its successor. On the whole, the first appears to have the better claim.

Ecclesiastes 4:13

Child - Rather, young man.

Ecclesiastes 4:14

Rather: For out of the house of bondage he goes forth to be a king; although he was born poor in his kingdom, i. e., in the country over which he became king.

Ecclesiastes 4:15

I considered ... - literally, I saw “all the population of the young man’s kingdom.”

The second child - This second youth is generally understood to be identical with the one mentioned in Ecclesiastes 4:13.

Ecclesiastes 4:16

There is - Rather: There was.

That have been before them - Rather, before whom he was, i. e., at the head of whom the young king was. Compare Micah 2:13.

They also that ... him - i. e., The next generation shall forget this chosen king.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 4

So I returned, and I considered all of the oppressions that are done under the sun: and the tears of those that are oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter ( Ecclesiastes 4:1 ).

The philosophy, Might is right.

Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead, more than the living which were yet alive ( Ecclesiastes 4:2 ).

I looked at life and, man, you're better off dead than you are alive. Those that have already died, oh, they've got it made. You still alive, you got the headaches.

Yea, better is he both they, which have not been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Again, I considered all of the travail, and every right work, and for this man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh. Better is a handful with quietness, than both of your hands full with travail and vexation of spirit ( Ecclesiastes 4:3-6 ).

There is a scripture says, "A little that a righteous man has is more than the riches of many wicked" ( Psalms 37:16 ). Now you're better off with just a little and the Lord, the comfort, than having both hands full and being frustrated.

Then I returned, and I saw the vanity [or the emptiness] under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet there is no end of his labor ( Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 );

Even the man who doesn't have any children, he can't settle down and just enjoy what he has. He's got to keep on it. Keep laboring. No matter how rich he is, he can't be satisfied. He can't relax and enjoy it. Here's one man alone, he has no child, no brother, no one to inherit his wealth. And yet, he can't get away from the grindstone. There's no end of all of his labor.

neither is his eye satisfied with his riches; neither says he ( Ecclesiastes 4:8 ),

He doesn't consider, "What am I saving all this money for? Who am I saving it for? Why am I saving it? Who am I going to leave it to when I die?" And yet, he's bound to it. He's digging for more and more and more. Striving, struggling. Can't stop working. Pushing, grinding, in order to gain more and yet he doesn't have anybody to leave it to.

This also is vanity, it's a sore travail. Two are better than one; because [at least] they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for there's no one to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they can have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevails against him, two will be able to withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king ( Ecclesiastes 4:8-13 ),

Look to those little kids. They're better off than I am. Poor wise child than this old foolish king.

who will no more be admonished ( Ecclesiastes 4:13 ).

I won't listen to anything anymore. No one can tell me anything.

For out of prison he comes to reign; whereas also he that is born of his kingdom becomes poor. I consider all of the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. And there is no end of all of the people, even of all that have been before them: and of all that shall come after they shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit ( Ecclesiastes 4:14-16 ).

It seems that life just goes on. There's, you know, multitudes before me. There's going to be multitudes after me. I'm just in the line here, but it's all so empty. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. The motivations of labor 4:4-16

The phrase "vanity and striving after wind" (Ecclesiastes 4:4; Ecclesiastes 4:16) brackets this section. This structure emphasizes the relative vapidity of everything between these statements. The main theme seems to be "the power complex common among humans and ways of reacting to it." [Note: J. S. Wright, "Ecclesiastes," p. 1165.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Position and prestige 4:13-16

It is also futile to work to gain advancement and popularity, thinking that these advantages will provide ultimate satisfaction.

"He has reached a pinnacle of human glory, only to be stranded there." [Note: Ibid., p. 52.]

Ecclesiastes 4:14 evidently describes the poor lad in Ecclesiastes 4:13, rather than the king. The second lad of Ecclesiastes 4:15 is the same boy who replaced the former old king. What is in view is a succession of kings, none of whom fully satisfies the populace. The point is that even though a man may rise from the bottom of society-this youth had been in prison-to the top, not everyone will accept or appreciate him. Therefore, since it is impossible to achieve full acceptance, it is foolish to spend one’s life seeking it. It is better to stay poor and wise. We might respond by saying that some acceptance by other people is better than none, but this is an evaluation of short-term advantage. Solomon was thinking and speaking of ultimate long-term significance.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Better [is] a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king,.... The wise man proceeds to show the vanity of worldly power and dignity, in the highest instance of it, which is kingly; and, in order to illustrate and exemplify this, he supposes, on the one hand, a person possessed of royal honour; who has long enjoyed it, is settled in his kingdom, and advanced in years; and who otherwise, for his gravity and dignity, would be venerable; but that he is foolish, a person of a mean genius and small capacity; has but little knowledge of government, or but little versed in the arts of it, though he has held the reins of it long in his hand; and, which is worst of all, is vicious and wicked: on the other hand, he supposes one that is in his tender years, not yet arrived to manhood; and so may be thought to be giddy and inexperienced, and therefore taken but little notice of; and especially being poor, becomes contemptible, as well as labours under the disadvantage of a poor education; his parents poor, and he not able to get books and masters to teach him knowledge; nor to travel abroad to see the world, and make his observations on men and things; and yet being wise, having a good genius, which he improves in the best manner he can, to his own profit, and to make himself useful in the world; and especially if he is wise and knowing in the best things, and fears God, and serves him; he is more happy, in his present state and circumstances, than the king before described is in his, and is fitter to take his place, and be a king, than he is; for though he is young, yet wise, and improving in knowledge, and willing to be advised and counselled by others, older and wiser than himself; he is much to be preferred to one that is old and foolish;

who will no more be admonished; or, "knows not to be admonished any more" d: he neither knows how to give nor take advice; he is impatient of all counsel; cannot bear any admonition; is stubborn and self-willed, and resolved to take his own way. The Jews, in their Midrash, Jarchi, and others, interpret it, allegorically, of the good and evil imagination in men, the principle of grace, and the corruption of nature; the one is the new man, the other the old man; the new man is better than old Adam: the Targum applies it to Abraham and Nimrod; the former is the poor and wise child, that feared God, and worshipped him early; the latter, the old and foolish king, who was an idolater, and refused to be admonished of his idolatry; and so the Midrash.

d לא ידע להזהר עוד "non novit moneri adhuc", Montanus; "nescit admoneri amplius", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Rambachius.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.   14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.   15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.   16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

      Solomon was himself a king, and therefore may be allowed to speak more freely than another concerning the vanity of kingly state and dignity, which he shows here to be an uncertain thing; he had before said so (Proverbs 27:24, The crown doth not endure to every generation), and his son found it so. Nothing is more slippery than the highest post of honour without wisdom and the people's love.

      I. A king is not happy unless he have wisdom, Ecclesiastes 4:13; Ecclesiastes 4:14. He that is truly wise, prudent, and pious, though he be poor in the world, and very young, and upon both accounts despised and little taken notice of, is better, more truly valuable and worthy of respect, is likely to do better for himself and to be a greater blessing to his generation, than a king, than an old king, and therefore venerable both for his gravity and for his dignity, if he be foolish, and knows not how to manage public affairs himself nor will be admonished and advised by others--who knows not to be admonished, that is, will not suffer any counsel or admonition to be given him (no one about him dares contradict him) or will not hearken to the counsel and admonition that are given him. It is so far from being any part of the honour of kings that it is the greatest dishonour to them that can be not to be admonished. Folly and wilfulness commonly go together, and those that most need admonition can worst bear it; but neither age nor titles will secure men respect if they have not true wisdom and virtue to recommend them; while wisdom and virtue will gain men honour even under the disadvantages of youth and poverty. To prove the wise child better than the foolish king he shows what each of them comes to, Ecclesiastes 4:14; Ecclesiastes 4:14. 1. A poor man by his wisdom comes to be preferred, as Joseph, who, when he was but young, was brought out of prison to be the second man in the kingdom, to which story Solomon seems here to refer. Providence sometimes raises the poor out of the dust, to set them among princes,Psalms 113:7; Psalms 113:8. Wisdom has wrought not only the liberty of men, but their dignity, raised them from the dunghill, from the dungeon, to the throne. 2. A king by his folly and wilfulness comes to be impoverished. Though he was born in his kingdom, came to it by inheritance, though he has lived to be old in it and has had time to fill his treasures, yet if he take ill courses, and will no more be admonished as he has been, thinking, because he is old, he is past it, he becomes poor; his treasure is exhausted, and perhaps he is forced to resign his crown and retire into privacy.

      II. A king is not likely to continue if he have not a confirmed interest in the affections of the people; this is intimated, but somewhat obscurely, in the last Ecclesiastes 4:15; Ecclesiastes 4:16. 1. He that is king must have a successor, a second, a child that shall stand up in his stead, his own, suppose, or perhaps that poor and wise child spoken of, Ecclesiastes 4:12; Ecclesiastes 4:12. Kings, when they grow old, must have the mortification of seeing those that are to jostle them out and stand up in their stead. 2. It is common with the people to adore the rising sun: All the living who walk under the sun are with the second child, are in his interests, are conversant with him, and make their court to him more than to the father, whom they look upon as going off, and despise because his best days are past. Solomon considered this; he saw this to be the disposition of his own people, which appeared immediately after his death, in their complaints of his government and their affectation of a change. 3. People are never long easy and satisfied: There is no end, no rest, of all the people; they are continually fond of changes, and know not what they would have. 4. This is no new thing, but it has been the way of all that have been before them; there have been instances of this in every age: even Samuel and David could not always please. 5. As it has been, so it is likely to be still: Those that come after will be of the same spirit, and shall not long rejoice in him whom at first they seemed extremely fond of. To-day, Hosanna--tomorrow, Crucify. 6. It cannot but be a great grief to princes to see themselves thus slighted by those they have studied to oblige and have depended upon; there is no faith in man, no stedfastness. This is vanity and vexation of spirit.