EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 1:4
4Old people die and then their children live after them. But the earth continues and it never changes.
Ecclesiastes 1:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
- New International Version (NIV)Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
- New King James Version (NKJV)One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.
Context of Ecclesiastes 1:4
2The Teacher says, ‘Nothing has a purpose. Nothing that ever happens has a purpose.’ 3People work very hard while they live on the earth. But in the end, what do they receive in return for their work? Old people die and then their children live after them. But the earth continues and it never changes. 5The sun rises in the morning and it disappears in the evening. Then it quickly moves to rise again the next morning. 6The wind blows to the south. Then it turns to the north. It blows in every direction. Then it starts again.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 1Ecclesiastes 1:4 word by word
דּ֤וֹר הֹלֵךְ֙ וְד֣וֹר בָּ֔א וְהָאָ֖רֶץ לְעוֹלָ֥ם עֹמָֽדֶת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:4
- Ecclesiastes 6:12Nobody knows the best way for us to live our lives. We live for only a few years and our lives seem to have no purpose. Our lives quickly disappear, like a shadow. Nobody can tell us what will happen on the earth after our death.
- Genesis 5:3When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son who was like him. Adam called him Seth.
- Genesis 11:20When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug.
- Genesis 36:9This is a list of Esau's descendants, the Edomites. They lived in the hill country of Seir.
- Genesis 47:9Jacob replied, ‘I have been alive for 130 years. My years have been few, and they have been difficult. I have not lived for as long as my ancestors lived.’
- Exodus 1:6After some time, Joseph died. Joseph's brothers and all his generation also died.
- Exodus 6:16These are the names of the sons of Levi, from the oldest to the youngest: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Levi himself lived for 137 years.
- Psalms 89:47Remember that my life is very short! People are weak and their lives seem useless. Why do you make people like that?
- Psalms 90:9Your anger gives us trouble all through our lives. Then our lives end in a short groan.
- Zechariah 1:5That was a long time ago. Your ancestors have been dead for a long time. So have the prophets.
- Psalms 102:24So I pray, ‘My God, please do not let me die now, in the middle of my life. The years of your life continue for ever!
- Psalms 104:5You, Lord, built the earth on its strong foundations. Nothing will ever shake it from its place.
- Psalms 119:90You continue to show that people can trust you, from one century to the next. You have fixed the earth in its place, and it will remain.
- Matthew 24:35One day, the earth and the sky will have an end. But my words will be there for ever.’
- 2 Peter 3:10The great day of the Lord will suddenly happen. That will surprise people, like when someone comes to rob them. There will be a very loud noise in the sky. The whole sky will go away. Fire will burn the whole universe and it will destroy everything. The earth and everything that people have made will then become clear.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4One generation passeth away - Men succeed each other in unceasing generations: but the earth is still the same; it undergoes no change that leads to melioration, or greater perfection. And it will continue the same לעולם leolam, during the whole course of time; till the end of all things arrives.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Vanity is shown in mankind, the elements, and all that moves on earth; the same course is repeated again and again without any permanent result or real progress; and events and people alike are forgotten. Abideth - The apparent permanence of the earth increases by contrast the transitory condition of its inhabitants. Ever - The word does not here absolutely signify “eternity” (compare Ecclesiastes 3:11 note), but a certainly short period (compare Exodus…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-8Verses 4-8 All things change, and never rest. Man, after all his labour, is no nearer finding rest than the sun, the wind, or the current of the river. His soul will find no rest, if he has it not from God. The senses are soon tired, yet still craving what is untried.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Generations come and go, and individual lives often seem to pass without importance.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. earth ... for ever--(Psa 104:5). While the earth remains the same, the generations of men are ever changing; what lasting profit, then, can there be from the toils of one whose sojourn on earth, as an individual, is so brief? The "for ever" is comparative, not absolute (Psa 102:26).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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