Ecclesiastes 9:12

9:11,12 Men's success seldom equals their expectations. We must use means, but not trust to them: if we succeed, we must give God the praise; if crossed, we must submit to his will. Those who put off the great concerns of their souls, are caught in Satan's net, which he baits with some worldly object, for which they reject or neglect the gospel, and go on in sin till they suddenly fall into destruction.

For man also knoweth not his time,.... Though it is fixed and settled by the Lord, yet times and seasons are kept in his own power, and not known by men; not the time of his death, nor of any calamity and distress coming upon him, nor the proper season and opportunity of doing himself good, and avoiding evil; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; as fishes are suddenly taken in a net, unhappy for them, which is at once east over them, while they are sporting and playing in the water, and catching at the bait; and as birds, being decoyed, are unawares taken in a snare; that is, both of them know not the time of their being caught; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them; they are no more able to guard against a time of adversity and calamity, and the evil of it, which comes at once upon them, than the poor fishes or silly birds are to avoid the net and snare; and are, like them, at such a time, in the utmost security, indulging themselves in ease and pleasure: so the day of death, and of judgment, will come like a thief in the night; or like a snare upon men, when they think nothing of it, but are giving up themselves to their lusts and pleasures; see 1 Thessalonians 5:2; for pleasure, as Plato says, is the bait of evils, with which men are caught, as fishes with the hook (g). (g) Apud Ciceronem de Senectute, c. 12. "Hic ubi saepe occultum visus decurrere piscis ad hamum", Horat.

Ecclesiastes 9:12 . For man also knoweth not his time — Namely, the time of his death, or of some other sore distress, which God is bringing upon him; as fishes are taken in an evil net — While they are sporting and feeding themselves, are suddenly and unexpectedly ensnared to their ruin; so are the sons of men snared — When they are most careless and secure.

12. his time—namely, of death (Ec 7:15; Isa 13:22). Hence the danger of delay in doing the work of God, as one knows not when his opportunity will end (Ec 9:10). evil net—fatal to them. The unexpected suddenness of the capture is the point of comparison. So the second coming of Jesus Christ, "as a snare" (Lu 21:35). evil time—as an "evil net," fatal to them.

His time, to wit, the time of his death, or of some other sore distress which God is bringing upon him; which is opposed to the time of success mentioned in the foregoing verse, and man is said to be ignorant both of the one and of the other. That are taken in an evil net; that whilst they are sporting and feeding themselves, are suddenly and unexpectedly ensnared to their ruin. When it falleth suddenly upon them; when they are most careless and secure.

12 . as the fishes that are taken in an evil net ] The words paint vividly the suddenness of calamities which defeat all men’s purposes and plans. The imagery was a natural one in any country, and meets us in Hosea 7; Ezekiel 12:13 ; Ezekiel 32:3 ; Proverbs 7:23 ; but it is interesting to note a parallel in the poetry of Greece. So Æschylus: ἥτ ʼ ἐπὶ Τροίας πύργοις ἔβαλες στεγανὸν δίκτυον , ὡς μήτε μέγαν μήτ ʼ οὗν νεαρῶν τιν ʼ ὑπερτελέσαι μέγα δουλείας γάγγαμον , ἄτης παναλώτου . “Who upon the towers of Troïa Castedst snare of closest meshes, So that none, full-grown or youthful, Could o’erleap the net of bondage, Woe of universal capture.” Agam . 347–350. We may compare the parallels, for the illustration drawn from the “snare of the fowler,” of Psalm 91:3 ; Psalm 124:7 ; Proverbs 1:17 ; Proverbs 6:5 .

Verse 12. - Man also knoweth not his time ; Vulgate, Neseit homo finem suum , understanding "his time" to mean his death-hour; but it may include any misfortune or accident. The particle gain , "also," or "even," belongs to "his time." Not only are results out of man's control (ver. 11), but his life is in higher hands, and he is never sure of a day. As the fishes that are taken in an evil net , etc. The suddenness and unforeseen nature of calamities that befall men are here expressed by two forcible similes (comp. Proverbs 7:23 ; Ezekiel 12:13 ; Ezekiel 32:3 ). Thus Homer ('Iliad,' 5:487) - "Beware lest ye, as in the meshes caughtOf some wide-sweeping net, become the preyAnd booty of your foes." ( Derby. ) So are the sons of men snared in an evil time . Men are suddenly overtaken by calamity, which they are totally unable to foresee or provide against. Our Lord says ( Luke 21:35 ) that the last day shall come as a snare on all that dwell in the earth (comp. Ezekiel 7:7, 12 ). Ecclesiastes 9:12

"For man also knoweth not his time: like the fishes which are caught in an evil net, and like the birds which are caught in the snare - like them are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it suddenly breaks in upon them." The particles גּם כּי are here not so clearly connected as at Ecclesiastes 8:12 ; Ecclesiastes 4:14 , where, more correctly, the pointing should be גּם כּי (ki with the conjunct. accent); ki rules the sentence; and gam, as to its meaning, belongs to etḣ'itto. The particular has its reason from the general: man is not master of his own time, his own person, and his own life, and thus not of the fruits of his capabilities and his actions, in spite of the previously favourable conditions which appear to place the result beyond a doubt; for ere the result is reached of which he appears to be able to entertain a certainty, suddenly his time may expire, and his term of life be exhausted. Jerome translate 'itto (cf. Ecclesiastes 7:17 ) rightly by finem suum; עת, with the gen. following, frequently (vid., under Job 24:1 ) means the point of time when the fate of any one is decided, - the terminus where a reckoning is made; here, directly, the terminus ad quem. The suddenness with which men are frequently overtaken with the catastrophe which puts an end to their life, is seen by comparison with the fishes which are suddenly caught in the net, and the birds which are suddenly caught in the snare.