Ecclesiastes 3:16

Ecclesiastes 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
• New International Version (NIV)And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:16

14I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of him. 15Whatever is, has already been, and whatever will be, already is. However, God seeks justice for the persecuted. I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness. 17I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every work.” 18I said to myself, “This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16 word by word

וְע֥וֹד רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ מְק֤וֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט֙ שָׁ֣מָּה הָרֶ֔שַׁע וּמְק֥וֹם הַצֶּ֖דֶק שָׁ֥מָּה הָרָֽשַׁע׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And moreover I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• of judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• wickednessרֶ֫שַׁעresha‛ · wickednessH7562
• of righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:16

• Ecclesiastes 4:1Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.
• 1 Kings 21:9In the letters, she wrote: Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people.
• Psalms 58:1Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones? Do you judge people fairly?
• Psalms 82:2“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?Selah
• Psalms 94:21They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.
• Isaiah 59:14Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far off. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.
• Micah 2:2They covet fields and seize them; they also take houses. They deprive a man of his home, a person of his inheritance.
• Micah 7:3Both hands are good at accomplishing evil: the official and the judge demand a bribe; when the powerful man communicates his evil desire, they plot it together.
• Zephaniah 3:3The princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are wolves of the night, which leave nothing for the morning.
• Matthew 26:59The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death,
• Acts 23:3Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You are sitting there judging me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law are you ordering me to be struck?”
• James 2:6Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court?

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The plate of judgment, that wickedness was there - The abuse of power, and the perversion of judgment, have been justly complained of in every age of the world. The following paraphrase is good: - "But what enjoyment can our labors yield, When e'en the remedy prescribed by heaven To cure disorders proves our deadliest bane? When God's vicegerents, destined to protect The weak from insolence of power, to guard Their lives and fortunes, impious robbers…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. 16the place of justice: In ancient Israel, local court proceedings took place at the city gates. The city’s elders sat there to hear and decide legal matters (for example, see Ruth 4:1–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Here a difficulty is suggested. If God "requires" events to move in their perpetual cycle, why are the wicked allowed to deal unrighteously in the place where injustice ought least of all to be; namely, "the place of judgment" (Jr 12:1)?Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:16

• Injustice
• Justice
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Dance
• Judge
• Synagogue, the Great

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