Ecclesiastes 3:2

Ecclesiastes 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
• New International Version (NIV)a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
• English Standard Version (ESV)a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
• New King James Version (NKJV)A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:2

1There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; 3a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; 4a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;

Ecclesiastes 3:2 word by word

עֵ֥ת לָלֶ֖דֶת וְעֵ֣ת לָמ֑וּת עֵ֣ת לָטַ֔עַת וְעֵ֖ת לַעֲק֥וֹר נָטֽוּעַ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• to be bornיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• to dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• to plantנָטַעnâţa‛ · to plantH5193
• to pluck upעָקַר‛âqar · to uprootH6131

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:2

• Genesis 17:21But I will confirm my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”
• Genesis 21:1The Lord came to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.
• 1 Samuel 2:5Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more. The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away.
• 1 Kings 13:2The man of God cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord: “Altar, altar, this is what the Lord says, ‘A son will be born to the house of David, named Josiah, and he will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who are burning incense on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’”
• 2 Kings 4:16Elisha said, “At this time next year you will have a son in your arms.” Then she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your servant.”
• Psalms 113:9He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!
• Isaiah 54:1“Rejoice, childless one, who did not give birth; burst into song and shout, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
• Luke 1:13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
• John 16:21When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.
• Acts 7:17“As the time was approaching to fulfill the promise that God had made to Abraham, the people flourished and multiplied in Egypt
• Galatians 4:4When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
• Genesis 47:29When the time approached for him to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor with you, put your hand under my thigh and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt.
• Numbers 20:24“Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land I have given the Israelites, because you both rebelled against my command at the Waters of Meribah.
• Numbers 27:12Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range and see the land that I have given the Israelites.
• Deuteronomy 3:23“At that time I begged the Lord:
• Deuteronomy 34:5So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the Lord’s word.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A time to be born, and a time to die - plant - "As in its mother's womb the embryo lies A space determined; to full growth arrived, From its dark prison bursts, and sees the light; So is the period fix'd when man shall drop Into the grave - A time there is to plant, And sow; another time to pluck and reap. Even nations have their destined rise and fall: Awhile they thrive; and for destruction ripe, When grown, are rooted up like wither'd plants."Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-8We cannot control when we are born or when we die (Ecclesiastes 8:8), but we must live wisely between those events. plant and...uproot: Make wise agricultural decisions during the natural seasons. In ancient Israel, times to kill included capital punishment and war. During mourning, people in the Near East often tore their clothes. There is a time to hate, even for God (Psalms 5:5; 11:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. time to die--(Psa 31:15; He 9:27). plant--A man can no more reverse the times and order of "planting," and of "digging up," and transplanting, than he can alter the times fixed for his "birth" and "death." To try to "plant" out of season is vanity, however good in season; so to make earthly things the chief end is vanity, however good they be in order and season. Gill takes it, not so well, figuratively (Jr 18:7, 9; Am 9:15; Mt 15:13).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:2

• Death

In the dictionaries

• Dance
• Judge
• Providence
• 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