The Book Of Ecclesiastes

Who is the Author?

The word Ecclesiastes is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Qoheleth, used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament). In the New Testament, Ecclesia is used as a title for God’s assembled people, the church. Ecclesiastes literally means “leader of the assembly” and has been given English equivalents including teacher, president, speaker, professor, and pundit.1 The author is generally believed to be King Solomon, even though his name does not appear in this book as it does in Proverbs and Song of Solomon. Several passages, however, suggest that Solomon is the author. (1) The author identifies himself as a son of David who was king in Jerusalem (1:1, 12). (2) He refers to himself as having gained more wisdom than anyone who has ruled God’s people (1:16) and as the writer of many proverbs (12:9). (3) His kingdom was known for its wealth, prosperity, and magnificence (2:4–9). All these elements fit the biblical description of King Solomon. Also, Jewish tradition attributes the book to Solomon. On the other hand, the fact that his name is not explicitly recorded in Ecclesiastes (as in his other two books) may suggest that someone else was involved inputting the book together. It’s best to assume that the book came from Solomon but that perhaps it was gathered and compiled into its present form by some later person, similar to the way certain parts of the book of Proverbs were collected and assembled.2