Towards a New Understanding of the Word “Qohelet”

Abstract

The Book of Ecclesiastes poses numerous complex puzzles for the reader, and although it has been commented on for over 2,000 years, some questions still remain unanswered. One of them is the self-identification of the author as "Qohelet". This term, absent from any other biblical or extra-biblical book of that time, has been interpreted differently. Contemporary interpretations often associate it with a sage writing his work during the Ptolemaic period and his intellectual activity. The aim of this article is to examine the occurrence and meaning of the word "Qohelet" and to verify the assumption that it refers to the actual, anonymous author of the work. During the analysis, it will turn out that "Qohelet" is not a (self-)designation for the actual author of the reflections collected in the book, but a veiled and indirect reference to the unique function of King Solomon, described especially in 1 Kings 8. Despite the feminine form of the word qōhelet, the book is spoken by a man. The feminine verb in Eccl 7:27 should be considered a scribal error and corrected according to the pattern in Eccl 12:8.