Ecclesiastes 9:3

Ecclesiastes 9:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
• New International Version (NIV)This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.
• English Standard Version (ESV)This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:3

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. 2It 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. This 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. 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.

Ecclesiastes 9:3 word by word

זֶ֣ה׀ רָ֗ע בְּכֹ֤ל אֲשֶֽׁר־נַעֲשָׂה֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כִּֽי־מִקְרֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד לַכֹּ֑ל וְגַ֣ם לֵ֣ב בְּֽנֵי־הָ֠אָדָם מָלֵא־רָ֨ע וְהוֹלֵל֤וֹת בִּלְבָבָם֙ בְּחַיֵּיהֶ֔ם וְאַחֲרָ֖יו אֶל־הַמֵּתִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• Thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• is an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• in everythingכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• is doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
• the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• the sunכִּיkîy · forH3588
• There is oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• fateמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
• Furthermoreגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• the heartsלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• of menבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• are full ofמָלֵאmâlê' · fullH4392
• evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• and madnessהוֹלֵלָהhôlêlâh · madnessH1947
• ·לֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• while they are aliveחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• and afterwardאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• theyאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:3

• Ecclesiastes 8:11When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
• Genesis 6:5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.
• Genesis 8:21When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.
• Job 15:16how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
• Psalms 51:5Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
• Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
• Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
• Mark 7:21For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
• Romans 1:29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,
• Ecclesiastes 1:17So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
• Luke 6:11But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with rage and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
• Luke 15:17Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death!
• Acts 26:11I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
• 2 Peter 2:16But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
• Ecclesiastes 12:7before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The heart of the sons of men is full of evil - No wonder then that the curse of God should be frequent in the earth.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Compare Ecclesiastes 8:11. The seeming indiscriminateness of the course of events tends to encourage evil-disposed men in their folly.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3When authorities delay punishments, including death, people may continue their reckless behavior and increase their wrongdoing and foolishness.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Translate, "There is an evil above all (evils) that are done," &c., namely, that not only "there is one event to all," but "also the heart of the sons of men" makes this fact a reason for "madly" persisting in "evil while they live, and after that," &c., sin is "madness." the dead--(Pr 2:18; 9:18).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:3

• Death
• Depravity of Man
• Heart

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Madness
• Remember
• Reward
• Chance
• Hap; Haply
• Psalms, Book of
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wisdom

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