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

1Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: The righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. People don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. 2Everything is the same for everyone: There is one 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 sacrifice. As it is for the good, so also it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who takes an oath, so also for the one who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live; after that they go to the dead. 4But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• an evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• that are doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• eventמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
• unto all: yea, also the heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• of the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• is fullמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
• of evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• and madnessהוֹלֵלָהhôlêlâh · madnessH1947
• in their heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• while they liveחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• and afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• to the deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:3

• Ecclesiastes 8:11Because the sentence against an evil act is not carried out quickly, the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit evil.
• Genesis 6:5When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time,
• Genesis 8:21When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, he said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of human beings, even though the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth onward. And I will never again strike down every living thing as I have done.
• Job 15:16how much less one who is revolting and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
• Psalms 51:5Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
• Jeremiah 17:9The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable — who can understand it?
• Matthew 15:19For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.
• Mark 7:21For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders,
• Romans 1:29They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,
• Ecclesiastes 1:17I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and examine wisdom and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness.
• Luke 6:11They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.
• Luke 15:17When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!
• Acts 26:11In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.
• 2 Peter 2:16but received a rebuke for his lawlessness: A speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
• Ecclesiastes 12:7and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, 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