Ecclesiastes 1:2 – Smoke, Smoke, It’s All Smoke

SUMMARY

Here the theme of the book is announced: “All is vanity.”

ANALYSIS

The Hebrew word traditionally translated as “vanity” is hevel. The literal meaning is a breath of air or a puff of wind (see IsaiahIsaiah, son of Amoz, who prophesied in Jerusalem, is included among the prophets of the eighth century BCE (along with Amos, Hosea, and Micah)--preachers who boldly proclaimed God's word of judgment against the economic, social, and religious disorders of their time. More 57:13). A puff of wind or smoke is insubstantial and temporary. This is what hevel conveys throughout the book.