Berean Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:2
2It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad,1 for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.
Ecclesiastes 9:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
- New International Version (NIV)All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.
- New King James Version (NKJV)All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.
Context of Ecclesiastes 9:2
1So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate. It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow. 3This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead. 4There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 9Ecclesiastes 9:2 word by word
הַכֹּ֞ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר לַכֹּ֗ל מִקְרֶ֨ה אֶחָ֜ד לַצַּדִּ֤יק וְלָרָשָׁע֙ לַטּוֹב֙ וְלָרַע וְלַטָּה֣וֹר וְלַטָּמֵ֔א וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַ וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ זֹבֵ֑חַ כַּטּוֹב֙ כַּֽחֹטֶ֔א הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕ע כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר שְׁבוּעָ֥ה יָרֵֽא׃Read the interlinear
- It is the sameכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- It is the sameכַּאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · as whichH834
- There is a commonאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- fateמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
- for the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
- and the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
- for the goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- for the cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
- and the uncleanטָמֵאţâmê' · uncleanH2931
- for the one who sacrificesזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
- and the oneאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- who does notאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- so it is for the sinnerחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- as it is for the one who makes a vowשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- for the one who refusesיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
- to take a vowשְׁבוּעָהshebû‛âh · oathH7621
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:2
- Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
- Job 21:7Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
- Psalms 73:3For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Malachi 3:15So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’”
- Ecclesiastes 2:26To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
- Ecclesiastes 8:12Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.
- Genesis 24:3and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
- Joshua 2:17The men said to her, “We will not be bound by this oath you made us swear
- 1 Samuel 14:26And when they entered the forest and saw the flowing honey, not one of them put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.
- Ezekiel 17:18He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Seeing that he gave his hand in pledge yet did all these things, he will not escape!’
- Zechariah 5:3Then he told me, “This is the curse that is going out over the face of all the land, for according to one side of the scroll, every thief will be removed; and according to the other side, every perjurer will be removed.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2All things come alike to all - This is very generally true; but God often makes a difference and his faithful followers witness many interventions of Divine Providence in their behalf. But there are general blessings, and general natural evils, that equally affect the just and the unjust. But in this all is right; the evils that are in nature are the effects of the Fall of man; and God will not suspend general laws, or alter them, to favor individual…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Event - See Ecclesiastes 2:14 note. Sweareth - i. e., Swears lightly or profanely.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Everyone's fate is to eventually die.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-102. All things ... alike--not universally; but as to death. Ec 9:2-10 are made by Holden the objection of a skeptical sensualist. However, they may be explained as Solomon's language. He repeats the sentiment already implied in Ec 2:14; 3:20; 8:14. one event--not eternally; but death is common to all. good--morally. clean--ceremonially. sacrificeth--alike to Josiah who sacrificed to God, and to Ahab who made sacrifice to Him cease. sweareth--rashly and…Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Ecclesiastes 9:2 LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; Hebrew does not include and the bad. ↩
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9
- 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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Commentaries