Ecclesiastes 3:19

Ecclesiastes 3:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
• New International Version (NIV)Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:19

17I said to myself, ‘One day, God will judge everyone, righteous people and wicked people. He has chosen a time for everything. So there is a right time when he will judge people.’ 18I also thought, ‘God wants people to know that they are like animals. That is why he tests us. The same thing happens to humans as happens to animals. We all breathe for a time and then we die. Humans are no different to animals. Life has no purpose. 20All living things finally go to the same place. We all come from the dust of the ground. And we all go back to the dust when we die. 21Do the spirits of humans go up into the sky when we die? Do the spirits of animals go down into the ground? Nobody really knows.’

Ecclesiastes 3:19 word by word

כִּי֩ מִקְרֶ֨ה בְֽנֵי־הָאָדָ֜ם וּמִקְרֶ֣ה הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וּמִקְרֶ֤ה אֶחָד֙ לָהֶ֔ם כְּמ֥וֹת זֶה֙ כֵּ֣ן מ֣וֹת זֶ֔ה וְר֥וּחַ אֶחָ֖ד לַכֹּ֑ל וּמוֹתַ֨ר הָאָדָ֤ם מִן־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ אָ֔יִן כִּ֥י הַכֹּ֖ל הָֽבֶל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For that which befallethמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
• even one thingאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• them: as the one diethמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• the otherזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• breathרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• hath no preeminenceמוֹתָרmôthâr · advantageH4195
• vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:19

• Ecclesiastes 2:16People forget about wise people as quickly as they forget about fools. One day, nobody will remember any of them. It is true! As fools all have to die, wise people will also die.
• Psalms 49:12but people do not live for ever, even if they are very rich. They will die, just like the animals.
• Psalms 92:6Here is something that stupid people do not know. Fools do not understand it.
• 2 Samuel 14:14We must all die one day. When that happens, we are like water that is poured on the ground. We cannot pick it up again. But God does not remove our lives from us. Instead, he finds a way to bring us back to him when we have gone far away.
• Job 14:10But when people lose their strength and they die, that is the end. After they die, where do they go?
• Psalms 104:29When you turn away from them, they become very afraid. When you take away their breath, they die and they return to the dust.
• Ecclesiastes 2:20So I was very upset when I thought about all my hard work on the earth.
• Psalms 39:5Yes, you have made the days of my life only a few! The time that I live seems very short to you. Human life is only a breath, even for those who seem to be strong. Selah.
• Psalms 89:47Remember that my life is very short! People are weak and their lives seem useless. Why do you make people like that?

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts - From the present comparison of great men to beasts, the author takes occasion to enforce the subject by mentioning the state of mankind in general, with respect to the mortality of their bodies; and then, by an easy transition, touches in the next verse on the point which is of such infinite consequence to religion. As the one dieth, so dieth the other - Animal life is the same both in the man…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. 19When it comes to breathing and dying, people are like animals, but we have other advantages (for example, see Genesis 1:26–28).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Literally, "For the sons of men (Adam) are a mere chance, as also the beast is a mere chance." These words can only be the sentiments of the skeptical oppressors. God's delay in judgment gives scope for the "manifestation" of their infidelity (Ec 8:11; Psa 55:19; 2Pe 3:3,4). They are "brute beasts," morally (Ec 3:18; Jude 10); and they end by maintaining that man, physically, has no pre-eminence over the beast, both alike being "fortuities." Probably…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:19

• Animals
• Death

In the dictionaries

• Dance
• Judge
• Chance
• Preeminence
• Psalms, Book of
• 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