What is the meaning of Ecclesiastes 2:7? I acquired menservants and maidservants • Solomon’s first marker of success is a large household staff. In the Ancient Near East, the more servants a king employed, the more obvious his status (compare Genesis 24:35, where Abraham’s wealth is measured partly by “menservants and maidservants,”). • 1 Kings 9:20-22 notes that Solomon conscripted vast numbers of workers; Ecclesiastes 2:7 shows he also purchased servants outright. • Yet later he confesses, “Then I considered all that my hands had done…and behold, all was vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:11). The text nudges us to see how even impressive accomplishments fail to satisfy the deepest longings of the soul (Luke 12:15). and servants were born in my house • A servant population large enough to produce second-generation workers signals stability and long-term prosperity (see Genesis 17:12: “the servant who is born in your house,”). • Such growth happened because Solomon provided for them—food, shelter, employment—demonstrated in the massive daily provisions listed in 1 Kings 4:22-23. • Nevertheless, permanence in staff did not translate into permanence in fulfillment; after detailing every achievement, Solomon still laments that “everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:17). Earthly security falls short of eternal significance (Matthew 6:19-21). I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me • Livestock functioned as currency, food supply, and status symbol (Job 1:3 counts sheep and camels among Job’s riches). Solomon’s herds eclipsed all previous kings, aligning with 1 Kings 4:26 and 2 Chronicles 9:27, where silver became “as common as stones.” • The phrase underscores superlative wealth: “more…than anyone in Jerusalem before me.” His empire set a new benchmark for affluence, echoing Deuteronomy 8:13’s description of abundant “herds and flocks.” • Yet Ecclesiastes continuously contrasts “under the sun” success with the ultimate conclusion that fearing God is the only lasting good (Ecclesiastes 12:13). summary Ecclesiastes 2:7 portrays Solomon’s unparalleled prosperity—servants purchased, servants born in his palace, and record-breaking herds and flocks. Each achievement showcases outward greatness but also sets up the book’s refrain: earthly gain, even at its peak, cannot fill the God-shaped void in the human heart. True meaning arises only when wealth and work are surrendered to the Lord, who alone imparts lasting joy and purpose. |
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