1:2 Briefly states the author’s theme (see 12:8 and note). Meaningless! This key term occurs 39 times in the book. The Hebrew for it (hebel) originally meant “breath” (Ps 39:5, 11; 62:9; 144:4; cf. Ge 4:2 and note). The basic thrust of Ecclesiastes is that all of life is meaningless (useless, hollow, futile, empty) if it is not rightly related to God. Only when based on God and his word is life worthwhile (see note on 2:24–25). Everything. See v. 8; whatever human beings undertake apart from God.