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Eoohellensls, Abraham Eaolesiaetes
fertility of his thought and writings, Ebrard made little impress upon the study of theology. While his many-aided activity had no creative effect in any individual sphere, the beneficent influences which proceeded from his engaging personality are immeasurable.
His works not already mentioned include Daa Dogma mm heiligen Abendmahl and seiner Geachichte (2 vole., Frankfort, 1845-46); Christliche Dog»wtik (2 vols., Ktinigaberg, 18b1); Vorlesungen caber praktisehe Theologie (1854); Das Buck Hiob als poetisches Kunsttuerk iiberaetzt und erklart (Landau, 1858); Handbuch der chrisUichen Rirehen- and Deschichte (4 vole., Erlangen, l8gb-66); Die iroschottische Miasionskirche des sechsten, siebenten, and aehten Jahrhundxrts (Giitersloh, 1873); Bonifatiua (1882). He edited and completed Olahaueen's commentary by writing on the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Apocalypse, and the Epistles of John, published many sermons, and, under various pseudonyms, issued a long series of Christian belletrietic productions.
BIHLrOaRAPHY: The first part of his autobiography. Lebena' j9><runpen, in junpen Jahrsn, was published at GVtersloh, 1888; the rest of it, in M3., remains unPrinted. Consult: P. Behalf, Germany, Its Uniroersities, Theology, and Religion, pp. 389-397. New York, 1857; G. A. ficertsaaini, in BeilaDe scar AUperwinea RirchenaaiCunp, no. 219-220, 1888.
ECCHELLENSIS, ABRAHAIlI. See Aslte>;ear Eccarrr.Errsis.
Ecclesiastes (Heb. Koheleth) is the title of the
book which in the English Bible stands between
Proverbs and the Song of Songs. A prologue, i.
2-11, and an epilogue, xii. 9-14, enclose the body
of the book, and in both Koheleth "The Preacher"
is spoken of in the third person. The prologue
gives the theme of the composition: All is vanity;
man has no abiding profit from his toil; there is
nothing new under the sun. The key-note is
struck in i. 2, " all is vanity," and the book proper
ends with the same note (xii. 8). In
z. The i. 12 the Preacher, in the first person,
Contents begins his proof of the fruitlessness of
all man's striving, and presents in the
first section, i. 12-ii. 23, the results of his collected
experience as king in Jerusalem. Striving after
wisdom, enjoyment, possessions, contented activ
ity, he found unsatisfying, and the results insecure.
This, however, is not the consequence of chance,
but is the ordering of God which stands fast (ii.
24-iii. 22). Fear of God and moderation are the
duties of man. The next section, iv.-vi., contains
a series of observations and statements, the result
of experience, which supplement and emphasize
what precedes. The best rule of living is, accord
ing to the next division, vii. 1-ix. 10, to get out
of life the moat enjoyment possible. For although
wisdom is beat, yet the riddle of life is that re
wards are proportionate neither to wisdom nor
virtue. The last section, ix. 11-xii. 8, commends
THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG 80a prudential morality and grasping of present opportunities. The epilogue adds some words on the Preacher's wisdom, on wisdom-literature in general, and the conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments.
Who is the person whose " I " appears so often in the book? In i. 2, vii. 27, and xii. 8 he is called Koheleth ; in i. 12 he gives himself this name and identifies himself with a wise, rich, brilliant king over Israel in Jerusalem who, according to the conception of the author, can be no other than Solomon. Of the many meanings of the word Koheleth proposed only two call for serious conaideraLion: (1) The word is a participial form with feminine ending but masculine meaning such as is found in late Hebrew (Poahereth, Ezra ii. 57; Sophereth, Neh. vii. 57), taken to mean " he who calls the assembly together " (and
a. Who harangues). (2) The feminine sense is the of the ending is retained and some "Preacher"? personified being (expressed in Greek as Ha ekklftiazousa, " she who har angue _) is represented as speaking. This can be no other than ,Hokhma, " Wisdom," but a specialized wisdom which deals with practicalities, with the art of living (of. Prov. i. 21, viii. 1-3, ix. 3; Is. xl. 9). Herself timeless, in the days of Solomon (whore person was more or less in the writer's eye) she had begun to make observations, which she had continued through the centuries only to find ceaseless repetition characterizing the issue of events up to the time of the writing of the Book.All data,-the historical references, the linguistic character, marking it as at the transition from the use of Hebrew to that of Mishnaic Aramaic, and the general tone of the work-compel the placing of the book at the end of the period when Hebrew was used. 'To secure a more exact dating than this is difficult. The view of Grastz that the book belongs to the time of Herod the
3. The Great involves a series of impoenibil- Date. ities and contradictions. Nor is the assignment by Jewish tradition to the " Men of Hezekiah " or to Solomon himself any more defensible. A more definite datum seems to be furnished in the fact that the Wisdom of Solomon stands to this book in a relation of hos tility (of. Wisd. of Sol. ii. 1-5, iii. 2-3 with Eccles. ix. 2, 5, 10, viii. 8, i. 11, etc., and Wisd. of Sol. ii. 6-9 with Eccles. ix. 7-9, iii. 22, v. 17). If the Wisdom of Solomon can be placed about 100 B.C., that furnishes the date than which >~oheleth can not be later. Whether the book of Sirach, the date of which does not go back of 200 B.C., implies the prior existence of Ecclesiastes can not with cer tainty be decided. The parallels between the two do not prove the dependence of Sirach, though it does seem possible that in Ecclus. xi. 11, xiv. 18, xxi. 12 the influence of Eccles. i. 2 can be dis cerned; similarly in the parallels Eccles. ix. 11 and Ecclus. xi. 12-13, the latter seems the younger. %oheleth gives no sign that its author had shared in the awakening of patriotism and zeal for the national religion which the Maccabean rising in spired. The atmosphere of the book is that of the