Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes
/i klee'zee as"teez/, n.
a book of the Bible. Abbr.: Eccl., Eccles.
[ < LL < Gk ekklesiastés assemblyman, preacher, equiv. to ekklesí(a) ECCLESIA + -astes, var. of -ISTES -IST after a vowel]

* * *

Hebrew  Qohelet 

      (Preacher), an Old Testament book of wisdom literature that belongs to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the Ketuvim (Writings). In the Hebrew Bible, Ecclesiastes stands between the Song of Solomon and Lamentations and with them belongs to the Megillot, five scrolls that are read at various festivals of the Jewish religious year. The common Christian English translations follow the Septuagint in placing Ecclesiastes between Proverbs and the Song of Solomon, an order reflecting the old tradition that Solomon wrote all three.

      The actual author of Ecclesiastes is unknown, but the superscription (1:1) attributes the book to qohelet (commonly translated “preacher,” Greek ekklēsiastēs), who is identified as “the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” Though these words can only refer to Solomon (fl. mid-10th century BC), the frequency of Aramaic forms and the book's rationalistic contents date it sometime about the second half of the 3rd century BC.

      The book reflects the ideas of one who questioned the doctrine of retributive justice associated with wisdom theology. His observations on life convinced him that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all” (9:11). Man's fate, the author maintains, does not depend on righteous or wicked conduct but is an inscrutable mystery that remains hidden in God (9:1). All attempts to penetrate this mystery and thereby gain the wisdom necessary to secure one's fate are “vanity,” or futile. In the face of such uncertainty, the author's counsel is to enjoy the good things that God provides while one has them to enjoy.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ecclesiastes — • The name given to the book of Holy Scripture which usually follows the Proverbs; the Hebrew Qoheleth probably has the same meaning Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Ecclesiastes     Ecclesiastes …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Ecclesiastes — 1 Ecclesiastes 2 Ecclesiastes 3 Ecclesiastes 4 Ecclesiastes 5 Ecclesiastes 6 Ecclesiastes 7 Ecclesiastes 8 Ecclesiastes 9 Ecclesiastes 10 Ecclesiastes 11 …   The King James version of the Bible

  • ECCLESIASTES — (Heb. קּוֹהֶלֶת ,הַקּוֹהֶלֶת), one of the group of minor writings of the Hagiographa known as the Five Scrolls (Megillot). The name Ecclesiastes is Greek and probably means member of the assembly. It renders the Hebrew word kohelet (qohelet, or… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Ecclesiastes — Ec*cle si*as tes, n. [L., fr. Gr. ? a preacher. See {Ecclesiastic}, a.] One of the canonical books of the Old Testament. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Ecclesiastes — Ecclesiastes, griechischer Name des Prediger Salomonis …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Ecclesiastes — Ecclesiastes, lat. Schreibung für Ekklesiastes (s.d.), Ecclesiastĭcus, für Ekklesiastikus (s.d.) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • ECCLESIASTES — Liber Canonicus S. Scripturae, Hebr. Coheleth: A Salomone in senio scriptus, Hieron. in. c. 1. Eccl. August. in Psalm. 126. et Philastrius, c. 132. etc. In Ecclesiasten exstant: Abini Comm. Basil. An. 1521. Agathius. Alcuinus. Arboreus. Beda.… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Ecclesiastes — c.1300, name given to one of the O.T. books, traditionally ascribed to Solomon, from Gk. ekklesiastes (see ECCLESIASTIC (Cf. ecclesiastic)), to render Heb. qoheleth one who addresses an assembly, from qahal assembly. The title is technically the… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Ecclesiastes — [e klē΄zē as′tēz΄, iklē΄zē as′tēz΄] n. [LL(Ec) < Gr ekklēsiastēs, member of an ecclesia (see ECCLESIA): used in LXX for Heb kohelet, he who calls together an assembly < kahal, assembly] Bible a book of teachings, written as if by Solomon:… …   English World dictionary

  • Ecclesiastes — For other uses, see Ecclesiastes (disambiguation). Hebrew Bible …   Wikipedia

  • Ecclesiastes — Das Buch Kohelet (hebräisch קהלת, auch Prediger Salomo oder Ekklesiastes genannt (Ἐκκλησιαστής in der Septuaginta, und Liber Ecclesiastes in der Vulgata[1]) ist eine Schrift der Bibel. Im Tanach wird der Text unter den Ketuvim („Schriften“)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”