The Vanity of Self-Indulgence

Ecclesiastes 2

1 I x said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself." But behold, this also was vanity. 2 I y said of laughter, "It is mad," and of pleasure, "What use is it?" 3 I z searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine - my heart still guiding me with wisdom - and how to lay hold on a folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. 4 I made great works. I b built houses and planted c vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself d gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had e slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of f herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and g gold and the treasure of h kings and i provinces. I got j singers, both men and women, and many k concubines, 1 the delight of the children of man.

9 So I became great and l surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my l wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart m found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my n reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was o vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing p to be gained under the sun.

  1. Cross References
    Luke 12:19
    And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.
  2. Cross References
    Proverbs 14:13
    Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.
  3. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 1:17
    And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
  4. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 7:25
    I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.
  5. Cross References
    1 Kings 7:1 - 12
    Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.
  6. Cross References
    Song of Solomon 8:11
    Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
  7. Cross References
    Song of Solomon 4:16
    Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden, let its spices flow. Let my beloved come to his garden, and eat its choicest fruits.
    Song of Solomon 5:1
    I came to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gathered my myrrh with my spice, I ate my honeycomb with my honey, I drank my wine with my milk. Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love!
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 14:14
    When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
    Genesis 15:3
    And Abram said, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.
  9. Cross References
    1 Kings 4:23
    Ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl.
  10. Cross References
    1 Kings 9:28
    And they went to Ophir and brought from there gold, 420 talents, and they brought it to King Solomon.
    1 Kings 10:10
    Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
    1 Kings 10:14
    Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold.
    1 Kings 10:21
    All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon.
  11. Cross References
    1 Kings 4:21
    Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
    1 Kings 10:15
    Besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land.
  12. Cross References
    1 Kings 20:14
    And Ahab said, "By whom?" He said, "Thus says the Lord, By the servants of the governors of the districts." Then he said, "Who shall begin the battle?" He answered, "You.
    Ezekiel 19:8
    Then the nations set against him from provinces on every side; they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit.
  13. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:35
    I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
    2 Chronicles 35:25
    Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a rule in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments.
  14. Cross References
    1 Kings 11:3
    He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.
  15. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 29:25
    And the Lord made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
    Ecclesiastes 1:16
    I said in my heart, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
  16. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 29:25
    And the Lord made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
    Ecclesiastes 1:16
    I said in my heart, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
  17. Cross References
    Proverbs 8:31
    Rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
  18. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 3:22
    So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
    Ecclesiastes 5:18
    Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
    Ecclesiastes 9:9
    Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.
  19. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 1:14
    I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
  20. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 1:3
    What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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