Ecclesiastes 1:6

The wind. Heb. ruach, “wind,” a word that always implies activity. It is used many times in connection with God’s various activities in the economy of the plan of salvation.

Turneth about. A picture of ceaseless activity and repetition. The “north” and “south” are mentioned in contrast with the “east” and “west” of v. 5, the places of the rising and the setting of the sun.

Whirleth about continually. Four times in the Hebrew of this verse word forms derived from the root “to turn,” “to circle about,” are used, by way of stressing ceaseless activity and repetition. The word is also used of Joshua’s army marching around Jericho (Joshua 6:3, 15), and of the Israelites’ having “compassed mount Seir many days” (Deut. 2:1,3).

Solomon was not complaining of the ceaseless cycles of nature, but saw in them a parallel to the cycles of human life (Eccl. 1:4). Is man’s life, from generation to generation, a mere matter of repetition, with no more sublime object in view? Will there not be a climax to the life of the human race? Does not God have an eternal purpose that will eventually supersede this seemingly endless repetition of human activity from generation to generation?

The scientific accuracy of the description here given of the motion of air masses about the surface of the earth is unparalleled in ancient literature and reveals an insight into the laws of nature greatly superior to that of most men in ancient times.