Reflections of a Royal Philosopher

1 The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.^(A)

⁸ Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity.

Epilogue

⁹ Besides being wise, the Teacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs.^{(A) 10} The Teacher sought to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly.^(B)

The Futility of Seeking Wisdom

¹² I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

²⁷ See, this is what I found, says the Teacher, adding one thing to another to find the sum,^(A)

⁴² The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.^{(A) 43} Solomon slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam succeeded him.^(B)

⁵ and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he saved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;^(A)

The Good News of Deliverance

⁷ You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. So come, therefore, and let us confer together.”

¹⁷ But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah. ¹⁸ When King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, the people of Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam hurriedly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹ So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.^(A)