What is Ecclesiastes 1 about?

Answer 1

Having just finished reading it, my opinion is this. It is the sad commentary of King Solomon, who at the end of his life, after being blessed with much wisdom from God, and after going through his ups and sinking in his downs, he arrives to one conclusion.

Life is meaningless.

He then gives the solution, which can be found in Ecclesiastes 12: 13, 14.
"Now all has been heard, here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

So we arrive at this: Life is meaningless, BUT it isn't if we just keep God's commandments [which can be found in Exodus 20].

1. "The place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again."
   Good description of the water cycle. 1:7
2. Wisdom is better than folly, but the same fate awaits us all. 2:13-14
3. "There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour." 2:24
4. "To everything there is a season...." Some nice poetry and a great Byrds song. ("Turn, Turn, Turn" -- written by Pete Seeger) 3:1-8
5. Strive to do good in this life. You only get one chance. 3:12
6. Eat, drink, and enjoy the good of your labor. 3:13
7. Men and animals both die and their spirits don't survive death. "A man hath no pre-eminence above a beast ... All goeth unto one place ... Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?" 3:19-21
8. "Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works." 3:22
9. "Two are better than one" -- the value of friendship. 4:9-12
10. "Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king." 4:13
11. "A fool's voice is known by multitude of words." 5:3
12. Greedy folks are never satisfied. 5:10
13. "As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand." 5:15
14. "It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life." 5:18
15. No one knows what happens after we die and no one can tell another how to live. 6:12
16. "A good name is better than precious ointment." 7:1
17. "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools." 7:5
18. "The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." 7:8
19. "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." 7:9
20. Don't waste time thinking about "the good old days." 7:10
21. Don't pay attention to everything people say. 7:21
22. Always strive "to know, and to search; and to seek out wisdom, and the reasonableness of things." 7:25
23. There is nothing better for us to do than "to eat, to drink, and to be merry." 8:15
24. The same death comes to us all, the good and the bad alike. 9:2-3
25. As long as we are alive there is hope. After that there is nothing. "A live dog is better than a dead lion." 9:4
26. Dead people know nothing and receive no reward. 9:5
27. "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart." 9:7
28. "Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest." 9:9
29. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might," because dead people don't work and they know nothing 9:10
30. Human life is subject to indifferent laws and random events -- just like the lives of other animals. 9:11-12
31. Wisdom, though often ignored and despised, is better than strength. 9:16-17
32. "Wisdom is profitable to direct." 10:10
33. "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself." 10:12
34. "A fool also is full of words." 10:14
35. "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." I don't know what this means, but it sure sounds cool. 11:1
36. However long you may live, enjoy your life to the fullest. But do not forget the dark days and know that the end is both certain and final. 11:8
37. "Walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes." 11:9
38. "Much study is a weariness of the flesh." 12:12

BTW, aside from Exodus 20, a slight different version of God's Commandments can also be found in Exodus 34 & Deuteronomy 5.

Answer 2

There are two main themes in Ecclesiastes chapter 1. In this chapter, the author describes himself as "the Preacher" and claims to be King Solomon. The chapter is also about happiness and fulfilment. It compares the constant rounds of nature with the worldly round of cares, business, wars and even petty pleasures being repeated endlessly, with nothing new under the sun. So, there is no new source of happiness.

Answer 3

Though we may live many years in doing good there will be times when we will look back on our lives to the times when we have had vain ambitions. We will never be perfect for we fall foul to the vain things of this world. Even our doing good may be for a vain reason.

Answer 4

A good rule to follow when reading Scripture, is to read it in its full context - allowing The Bible to interpret itself.

Here, Solomon is telling us that man has no advantage over the animal world as we are all air-breathing creatures (nephesh in Hebrew) and will surely die.

Ecclesiastes 3:18-20New King James Version (NKJV)

18 I said in my heart, "Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals." 19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.

Answer 5

It lists 28 "times" in people's lives, for contemplation and to remind us that every occasion is an opportunity to serve God.

Answer 6

It lists the 28 various times which people go through. It is hinting that each of the occasions is an opportunity to serve God.