Ecclesiasʹtes (5 syl.)

One of the books in the Old Testament, arranged next to Proverbs, generally ascribed to Solomon, because it says (verse 1), “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” This seems, so far, to confirm the authorship to Solomon; but verse 12 says, “I, the Preacher, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem,” which seems to intimate that he was once a king, but was so no longer. If so, it could not be Solomon, who died king of the twelve tribes. “Son of David” often means a descendant of David, Christ himself being so called.