Ecclesiastes - GA Barton - 1908.pdf

AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION, OR PREFACE [Cn. !- 71
The word for " panting" in Heb. is used of the panting or snorting
of animals. Cleric long ago perceived that Qoheleth was thinking
of the chariot of the sun as drawn by panting steeds, as in Ovid,
Metam. XV, 418^". and Virgil, Georg. I, 250. Kn. and Wr. object
that such an idea is entirely un-Hebraic and consequently impos-
sible. Ha. has, however, pointed out that 2 K. 23" shows that
even before the exile the Israelites were familiar with it. The
comparison of Ps. 19* (Kn. and Heng.) is inapt. Qoheleth 's
mood is very different from that of the psalmist.
6. Circling, circling goes the wind]. The movements of the wind,
as well as of the sun, present a similar series of endless, wearisome
repetitions. North and south only are mentioned probably because
east and west were mentioned in the preceding vs. (so
Gins.). PL's suggestion that they are alone mentioned because
north and south winds are the prevailing currents of air in Pales-
tine is erroneous. The Palestinian winds are mostly from the
west, and are quite as likely to be from the east as from the north
or south.
7. All the streams]. As a third example from nature, Qoheleth
takes the fact that the streams all continually^^ into the sea with-
out filling it. Their ceaseless work accomplishes nothing.
8. All things are wearied]. The wKole universe groans with man
because of its useless and monotonous activity. The last two
lines of the verse may be interpreted in two different ways,
(i) With Gr., PL, No. and Ha. it may be taken to mean that neither
the eye nor the ear of man is able to take in all this weariness.
This interpretation ignores, however, the literal meaning of the
words, and gives them a sense derived from the context. (2) Wr.
takes the words in their natural sense, understanding them to
mean that the meaningless rounds of nature communicate them-
selves to the spirit of man, so that eye and ear enter upon endless
courses of seeing and hearing that never satisfy.
the more probable interpretation.
This last seems
9. What has been is that which shall be]. This is a general statement
of the fact that all things move in constant cycles. The
fact has been illustrated in preceding verses by a few striking ex-
amples. 10. Already was it]. This anticipates
and answers an ob-