This then forms the first division of the book. By these eight instances Koheleth proves the existence of unceasing toilsome care and resultless progression in all human things. He proceeds in the next place to give his own personal experience, in the form of an autobiography to the same effect. All commentators, even those who deny that Solomon himself was the author of this book, are agreed that he is the hero, and that his life and experience form the groundwork of what is here set before us. │ SECTION II.――_Containing a │ more formal discussion of the │ problem of human existence, │ drawn from the Preacher’s own │ observation and experience._ │ 12 ¶ I the Preacher was king │ Now, I myself, the Preacher, over Israel in Jerusalem. │ was king over Israel in │ Jerusalem, (12.) =I= (emphatic) =Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.= Ginsburg supposes that by this declaration that he _was_ king, he intends to imply that he was so no longer; but not only does the LXX. render by an imperfect, but the same word occurs in precisely the same form at Exodus ii. 22, and clearly at the time there mentioned Moses continued to be a stranger in Midian. The object in stating this fact is rather to show that as a king he possessed peculiar facilities for making the investigation, an account of which follows. 13 And I gave my heart to │ and I took the greatest pains seek and search out by wisdom │ to seek out and to investigate concerning all _things_ that │ by means of wisdom everything are done under heaven: this │ that is done within the limits sore travail hath God given │ of this world; how it is a to the sons of man ¹to be │ painful uncertainty appointed exercised therewith. │ of God to the human race that │ they should be distracted with ¹ _Or_, to afflict them. │ it.