The Meaning of t( in the Book of Ecclesiastes

When speaking about time Qoheleth uses a Hebrew word t( which occurs twenty- eight times in Eccl 3:2–8 and eleven more times later in the book (Eccl 3:11, 17; 7:17;

does not lead to violent and wrongful behaviour. Rather, these verses speak of a clear distinction between attitudes and actions that are pleasing to God and those that are contradictory to his nature. For Qoheleth, his hatred toward life and work (Eccl 2:17–18a) resulted in contemplative behaviour (Eccl 2:18b–23) and positive action (Eccl 2:24–26). See also Treier, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, 154.

32 _{Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes, 259.} 33

Daniel J. Estes, Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), 312.

8:5, 6, 9; 9:8, 11, 12 (x2); 10:17).35 It is the interpretation of this word, however, that determines Qoheleth’s overall view of time in the book of Ecclesiastes.36

According to Barr, t( “time” signifies a temporal aspect of an event, referring to conditions lasting over a long period. Barr believes that Qoheleth emphasizes “the stultifying and frustrating effect of time and change upon human effort.”37

Murphy follows this line of thinking and reads Eccl 3:2–8 as a statement of strong determinism denying Qoheleth any chance to believe in a beneficent deity.38

However, neither Barr nor Murphy takes into account the fact that Qoheleth follows the Old Testament wisdom tradition which perceives “time” as to be set and ordered by God. For example, Job beseeches God to appoint a time for his plight to be remembered and, by implication, to be ended (Job 14:13). The psalmist speaks of God as the one who sets the time for everything (Ps 75:1) and has the power to choose what to do at a given moment (Ps 69:13; cf. 2 Sam 24:15). The psalmist also attributes the times for the activities of the moon and the sun as being appointed by God (Ps 104:19; cf., Jer 33:20). Qoheleth fully understands that only God is in control of time. Therefore, humanity should accept this fact, learn to recognize the divinely appointed times, and respond to them appropriately.

Fox identifies two meanings of t(: (1) “temporally defined: a segment of time of any duration,” and (2) “substantively defined: events and their

configurations,” with the second meaning being the predominant one in the book of

35 _{T. Kronholm, “t(,” TDOT 11:438. See also Anthony Tomasino, “t(,” NIDOTTE 3:564-}

67.

36 _{Von Rad believes that “with him [Qoheleth] the Wisdom literature lost its last contact with}

Israel’s old way of thinking in terms of saving history.” See Gerhard von Rad, The Theology of Israel’s Historical Traditions (vol. 1 of Old Testament Theology; New York: Harper & Row, 1962), 455. See also Henry W. Robinson, Inspiration and Revelation in the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon, 1946), 121. Galling attributes to Qoheleth the invention and development of Geschichtlichkeit, “historicity,” of human life. See Kurt Galling, “Das Rätsel der Zeit im Urteil Kohelets (Koh 3, 1–15),” ZTK 58 (1961): 1-15, 1.Barr, however, identifies no “drastic innovation” in Qoheleth’s understanding of time. See James Barr, Biblical Words for Time (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), 99-100.

37 _{Barr, Biblical Words for Time, 98.}

38 _{Murphy states: “We may readily grant ignorance and lack of control of our births and}

deaths, but the religious person lets this rest in the beneficent Providence of God. Qoheleth will have none of this. He seizes upon this poem on time in order to underscore the sad human condition. These are God’s times, not our times. They happen to us; they are under divine control...This is a fantastic statement of divine sabotage.” See Murphy, Ecclesiastes, 39. Loader also views the list of activities mentioned in Eccl 3:2–8 as descriptive and deterministic. See Loader, Polar Structures in the Book of Qoheleth, 29, 32. For a systematic examination of determinism in the Book of Ecclesiastes, see Dominic Rudman, Determinism in the Book of Ecclesiastes (JSOTSup 316; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001).

Ecclesiastes.39 He presumes “a less rigid sort of determinism,” for, he claims, Qoheleth believes in God’s control, but he “does not hold to a strict fatalism.” God has the power to predetermine what may happen and when; yet he chooses when to use it.40 Thus, for Qoheleth, “every type of event and deed has an ‘et, a set of

circumstances (whether recurrent or unique) in which it is appropriate.”41 Therefore, one should do everything in its appropriate time by adapting “to the constraints of reality” instead of straining against them.42

Schultz offers a different interpretation of Qoheleth’s view of time. He suggests that “it is important both to discern and to act decisively at the right time, rather than passively accepting God’s ordering of the time with moderation or resignation.”43

It seems that the catalogue of times is presented in the book to instruct people to follow the right time for any activity in order to labour profitably. Following Fox, Schultz also points out that Qoheleth names the activities that humans can

control to some degree, except for the moments of birth and death; thus any work can be profitable if the appropriate times are recognized and appropriate activities are performed.44

Both Fox and Schultz see Qoheleth encouraging his audience to strive to find profit in the fruit of their labour. However, trying to discern the appropriate times to gain greater benefits from one’s enterprises could become another kind of “work,” which would bring frustration, pain and vexation. This occurs, as Qoheleth points out later, because nobody could understand what God is doing in the world (Eccl 3:11). Moreover, Qoheleth is trying to move his audience to see the profit in the activity itself and, thus, accepting what God is doing and responding accordingly.

Wilch understands t( as indentifying an “occasion or a situation as a given opportunity” for any activity or experience. In Qoheleth’s thought, this opportunity is always God-given. The term t( is not synonymous with kairo,z 45and does not refer to a critical or decision-required moment; rather t( refers to all situations that happen

39 _{Fox, A Time to Tear Down, 195-96.} 40 _{Fox, A Time to Tear Down, 197.} 41

Fox, A Time to Tear Down, 200.

42 _{Fox, A Time to Tear Down, 205.} 43 _{Schultz, “A Sense of Timing,” 267.}

44 _{Schultz, “A Sense of Timing,” 267. See also Fox, A Time to Tear Down, 201.} 45 _{LXX translates t( as kairoz in the book of Ecclesiastes.}

in a daily life, involving all possible outcomes.46 Wilch rejects a deterministic interpretation of this term, and argues that, according to Qoheleth, God has ordered nature and the universe so that individuals could lead ordered lives, waiting for and accepting an opportune occasion.

Wilch’s definition of _{t( is helpful as it reflects Qoheleth’s understanding of} the attitude of contentment in life. Those who strive to change the time (t() or situation find their efforts unsatisfactory. Yet, those who consider each occasion and time (t() as a gift from God are truly wise, “the wise heart knows the time (t() and way” (cf. Eccl 8:5b).47

A wise and contented person acknowledges an opportunity and its limits and does not strive for something outside of his grasp. “The right times may be discerned by anyone, but only the God-fearing is wise enough to limit himself to the extent of the possibility given by God.”48

Qoheleth desires his audience to develop and maintain an attitude of “living according to the occasion”49

(Eccl 3:1–8), which is based on the fear of and faith in God and expressed in a life of contentment (Eccl 3:12–14).

By implication, Qoheleth also speaks about inappropriate times for a particular activity. Qoheleth thinks that such actions bring about consequences which result in premature death. He demonstrates in his teaching that inappropriate behaviour regarding speaking will result in God destroying the work of one’s hands (Eccl 5:5), while being too righteous or too wise will cause self-destruction (Eccl 7:16). Qoheleth also believes that wickedness and folly ultimately bring about premature death, “why should you die before your time (t()” (Eccl 7:17).50 Therefore, he points out that a wise person should recognize an opportunity in any given situation without trying to foresee the future, which might become an enticing snare for those who desire to plan for it (Eccl 8:6–8).51 Humanity cannot change the times given to them by God!

46

Wilch Time and Event, 124.

47 _{Cf. Isaiah describes the successive actions of a farmer who plants his crops in an orderly}

fashion to receive good results (Isa 28:24–26).

48 _{Wilch, Time and Event, 127-28.} 49

Wilch, Time and Event, 128.

50 _{Cf. Job speaks of persons dying “before their time” (Job 22:16) indicating that premature}

death contradicts the natural order of things and should not happen on a regular basis. Premature death seems to speak to the moral character of the person. When a person does not align himself with God’s intent for his life, an early demise is seen as a punishment for sin. See Chapter 1.2.1 The Theme of Death in the Book of Ecclesiastes.