©Kris Gerbrandt
Chapter 4:7-16 (ESV) - Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king's place. There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Question to consider: What made the old king foolish?
In yesterday’s passage, Solomon described the man who toiled with both hands. Here he expands upon the futility of this because this person obsessively labors merely to increase his own wealth, for he has no one with whom to share it. This hearkens back to the vanity of toil first mentioned in chapter 2 when Solomon asked of the one who would inherit this wealth, “Who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?”
You may know someone like this who prioritizes their career over friends and family. It may allow them to travel and enjoy the finer things in life while they are young, but the notion seems empty when no one shows up to their hospital bed, and they die alone with no one to mourn their loss.
Solomon recognizes and considers it a curse for someone to go through life without someone to share it with. Often the verse describing a cord with three strands is used during wedding ceremonies with the understanding that the third strand in the marital cord is God. While it is true that it is good to have God at the center of our marriages, I’d be hesitant to recommend this verse for young couples. Even though Solomon thought of it as a woe to be alone, he was still arguing that all earthly toil and relationships were ultimately meaningless. I’m not sure a young couple would take comfort in that context.
Another way to interpret the threefold cord is the strength of living in community (society). This makes sense given that it leads to a discussion about the wise young king compared with the foolish old one. While the older king grew up in humble circumstances and probably began his reign in wisdom, he grew increasingly foolish as he refused to listen to counsel. The example seems rather specific so I wish we knew more about what Solomon was saying. David began as a humble shepherd and acted wisely up until the death of Uriah. Despite his eventual repentance when confronted by Nathan, David's reign only went down hill from there. Perhaps Solomon saw himself as the younger king whose father would not listen to advice?
Regardless of whether he had a specific person in mind, the point was that the legacy of a king was not lasting and therefore also a chasing after wind.
Dear heavenly Father, please help us to value relationships above the accumulation of things. As we get older, please give us ears to listen and a humble spirit to receive corrections so that we will continue to grow in Your wisdom. Amen.