Christian Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 3:20
20All are going to the same 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, “This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.” 19For the fate of the children of Adam and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. 21Who knows if the spirits of the children of Adam go upward and the spirits of animals go downward to the earth? 22I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?
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
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:20
- Ecclesiastes 3:21Who knows if the spirits of the children of Adam go upward and the spirits of animals go downward to the earth?
- Ecclesiastes 6:6And if a person lives a thousand years twice, but does not experience happiness, do not both go to the same place?
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
- Genesis 25:8He took his last breath and died at a good old age, old and contented, and he was gathered to his people.
- Numbers 27:13After you have seen it, you will also be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was.
- Job 7:9As a cloud fades away and vanishes, so the one who goes down to Sheol will never rise again.
- Job 17:13If I await Sheol as my home, spread out my bed in darkness,
- Job 30:24Yet no one would stretch out his hand against a ruined person when he cries out to him for help because of his distress.
- Psalms 49:14Like sheep they are headed for Sheol; Death will shepherd them. The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their form will waste away in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.
- Genesis 3:19You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”
- Job 10:9Please remember that you formed me like clay. Will you now return me to dust?
- Job 34:15every living thing 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 the dust.
- Daniel 12:2Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal 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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