Matthew Poole and continuators on Ecclesiastes 12:5

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high , and fears shall be in the way , and the almond-tree shall flourish , and the grashopper shall be a burden , and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home , and the mourners go about the streets:

The passion of Fear is observed to be most incident to old Men, of which divers Reasons may be given.

Either 1. Of high things, lest they should fall upon them. Or rather 2. Of high places, of going up hills or stairs, which is very irksom to them, because of their weakness, and weariness, and giddiness, and danger, or dread of falling. And this clause, together with the next may be rendred thus, and that agreeably to the Hebrew Text, Also they shall be afraid and terrified (Two words expressing the same thing, which is very frequent in the Hebrew,) of that which is high in the way. When they walk abroad they will dread to go up any high or s[illegible: 1+ letters]eep places.

Lest as they are walking, they should stumble, or fall, or be thrust down, or some infirmity or mischief should befall them.

Their heads shall be as full of gray Hairs, as the Almond-Tree is of white Flowers. Such Metaphors are not unusual in other Authors. Hence Sophocles calls a gray or hoary Head flowry, and again, covered with white flowers.

If it doth accidentally hop up and rest upon them. They cannot endure the least burden, being indeed a burden to themselves. But the words may be, and are by others rendred, the locust (as the ancient Interpreters, and many others render it; or, as ours, and some others, the grashopper, which comes to the same thing; for these two sorts of insects are much of the same nature and shape,) shall be a burden to itself. And by the locust or grashopper may be understood either 1. The old Man himself, who bears some resemblance to it, in shape, by reason of the bones sticking out, in the constitution of the Body, which is drie and withering, and in the Legs and Arms which are slender, the flesh being consumed. Or 2. The Back, which fitly follows after the Head upon which the Almond-Tree flourished, in which the strength of the Body lay, and which formerly was able to bear great burdens, but now, through its weakness and crookedness, is a burden too heavy for itself. And some of the Jewish and other Interpreters understand this word, which others render locust or grashopper, to be some part of the Body, either the Back-bone, or the head of the Thigh-bone, or the Ankle-bone, any of which may well be said to be heavy or burdensome to itself, when it moves slowly and listlesly, and not without difficulty and trouble.

To wit, of Meats, and Drinks, and Musick, and other carnal Delights, which are vehemently desired by men in the heat of their Youth, but are unsavoury to old men; of which see an Instance, 2 Sam. 19. 35. It is true, the former Expressions are metaphorical, but the two next following are proper, and to be understood literally, and so may this clause also.

Is travelling towards it, & every day nearer to it than other.

From this place of his pilgrimage into the Grave, from whence he must never return into this world, and into the state and place of the future Life, which is unchangeable and everlasting.

Either such as were hired to that end, of whom see on Ier. 9. 17. Mat. 9. 23. & 11. 17. or true Mourners, near Relations, and dear Friends, accompany the dead Corps through the streets to the Grave.