Berean Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 3:20
20All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.
Ecclesiastes 3:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
- New International Version (NIV)All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
- English Standard Version (ESV)All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.
- New King James Version (NKJV)All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
Context of Ecclesiastes 3:20
18I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.” 19For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile. All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. 21Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth? 22I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?
Read all of Ecclesiastes 3Ecclesiastes 3:20 word by word
הַכֹּ֥ל הוֹלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־מָק֣וֹם אֶחָ֑ד הַכֹּל֙ הָיָ֣ה מִן־הֶֽעָפָ֔ר וְהַכֹּ֖ל שָׁ֥ב אֶל־הֶעָפָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:20
- Ecclesiastes 3:21Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?
- Ecclesiastes 6:6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- Genesis 25:8And at a ripe old age he breathed his last and died, old and contented, and was gathered to his people.
- Numbers 27:13After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was;
- Job 7:9As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up.
- Job 17:13If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness,
- Job 30:24Yet no one stretches out his hand against a ruined man when he cries for help in his distress.
- Psalms 49:14Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.
- Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
- Job 10:9Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?
- Job 34:15all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
- Psalms 104:29When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to dust.
- Daniel 12:2And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20All go unto one place - "Man was born To die, nor aught exceeds in this respect The vilest brute. Both transient, frail, and vain, Draw the same breath; alike grow old, decay, And then expire: both to one grave descend; There blended lie, to native dust return'd." - C.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 That great anomaly in the moral government of this world, the seemingly unequal distribution of rewards and punishments, will be rectified by God, who has future times and events under His control Ecclesiastes 3:16-17. As for people, they are placed by God, who is their teacher, in a humble condition, even on a level with inferior animals, by death, that great instance of their subjection to vanity Ecclesiastes 3:18-19, which reduces to its…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 Without the fear of the Lord, man is but vanity; set that aside, and judges will not use their power well. And there is another Judge that stands before the door. With God there is a time for the redressing of grievances, though as yet we see it not. Solomon seems to express his wish that men might perceive, that by choosing this world as their portion, they brought themselves to a level with the beasts, without being free, as they are, from…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20from dust...to dust: The Teacher talks about God's judgment on human rebellion in Eden (see Genesis 3:19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-22Ec 3:1-22. Earthly pursuits are no doubt lawful in their proper time and order (Ec 3:1-8), but unprofitable when out of time and place; as for instance, when pursued as the solid and chief good (Ec 3:9, 10); whereas God makes everything beautiful in its season, which man obscurely comprehends (Ec 3:11). God allows man to enjoy moderately and virtuously His earthly gifts (Ec 3:12, 13). What consoles us amidst the instability of earthly blessings is, God's…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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