A commentary on Ecclesiastes — Edition Insights

A Two-Column Reading Experience

The original print edition presented the Authorized Version on the left page and Dale's own paraphrase on the facing right page, a layout that the digital transcription preserves by placing both versions in two columns before the commentary. This structure invites the reader to compare the familiar King James wording with Dale's often more literal or explanatory rendering. For example, in his treatment of Ecclesiastes 8:11–13, Dale paraphrases "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily" as "there is no speedy execution of sentence for doing evil," then unpacks the Hebrew syntax in detail. The commentary that follows each verse pair is dense with philological notes, making the book as much a reference tool as a continuous reading.

Dale's Method of Textual Emendation

Dale frequently proposes emendations to the Hebrew text based on the LXX and other ancient versions. In his analysis of Ecclesiastes 8:12, he notes that the Masoretic text reads ḥaṭṭā ("a sinning") but argues that the LXX, Symmachus, Aquila, and Theodotion all read differently, suggesting the original may have been mā‘aṭ or mē‘ēt. He reconstructs the sense as "a wickedly mistaking one does evil from the time and from the prolongation of it to HIM," a reading that ties back to the hypocritical sinners mentioned earlier. Such interventions are typical: Dale does not simply accept the received text but weighs variant readings, often concluding that the LXX preserves a more original wording. This critical stance makes the commentary valuable for students of textual criticism.

Voice and Pace in the Commentary

Dale's prose is precise and occasionally abrupt, shifting rapidly between paraphrase, grammatical analysis, and theological reflection. In the passage on Ecclesiastes 8:12–13, he moves from a literal rendering ("It amounts to this, there is nothing inflicted as a penalty of doing the evil speedily") to a parenthetical remark on the repetition of the word "evil," then to a discussion of the Hebrew root ḥṭ’. The pace is uneven: long, multi-clause sentences give way to terse observations like "a very impressive figure: the lengthened shadow of the old sinner's years." This variation mirrors the commentator's dual role as linguist and preacher, and it demands careful reading. The digital edition's standardization of punctuation and expansion of abbreviations slightly smooths Dale's original typography, but the underlying rhythm remains intact.

Readers approaching Dale's commentary should be prepared for a work that prioritizes philological detail over devotional application. The book rewards those willing to follow its intricate arguments about Hebrew roots, LXX variants, and syntactic structures. Because the excerpts cover only a portion of the commentary, the consistency of Dale's method across the entire book cannot be fully assessed, but the sample suggests a rigorous, if occasionally idiosyncratic, engagement with the text.

There’s something tender in Dale’s stubborn preference for the Septuagint’s strange phrasings—he trusted the old worn paths over the tidy ones. It reminds me of how Ecclesiastes itself keeps circling back to what’s lasting. Lately I’ve been lingering over A Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ Based on the Broadus Harmony in the Revised Version — Key Ideas to Explore, and the same unhurried patience seems to live there, lining up four voices side by side without smoothing their edges.