The Book of Ecclesiastes

Allen Ng

June 6, 2011

Did Solomon write Ecclesiastes?

            According to tradition, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes; however, through literary analysis of textual evidence this assertion is proven this otherwise.

The structure of Ecclesiastes is separated into three sections, the opening, the thoughts, and the closing.  Both the opening and the closing of the book Ecclesiastes is in third person perspective, establishing an editor, who much latter added to the text (Coogan 481). 

This editor introduces Koheleth, as “son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecc. 1:1).  Thus assuming Koheleth is Solomon.  This is a hasty generalization fallacy because, “nowhere in the book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s name mentioned; and conversely, Koheleth does not occur elsewhere in the Bible” (JSB 1604-1605).