Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on Ecclesiastes 1:2

2. The theme proposed of the first part of his discourse.

Vanity of vanities--Hebraism for the most utter vanity. So "holy of holies" (Ex 26:33); "servant of servants" (Ge 9:25). The repetition increases the force.

all--Hebrew, "the all"; all without exception, namely, earthly things.

vanity--not in themselves, for God maketh nothing in vain (1Ti 4:4, 5), but vain when put in the place of God and made the end, instead of the means (Psa 39:5, 6; 62:9; Mt 6:33); vain, also, because of the "vanity" to which they are "subjected" by the fall (Ro 8:20).