Ecclesiastes 9:2

Ecclesiastes 9:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
• New International Version (NIV)All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:2

1I thought about all these things so that I could understand them. I realized that God controls what happens to people. That includes righteous people and wise people. God decides the things that they do. Nobody knows what will happen in their lives. Other people may love them, or they may hate them. But there is something which happens to everyone. It happens to righteous people and it happens to wicked people. It happens to good people and it happens to bad people. It happens to people who are clean in front of God and it happens to people who are unclean. It happens to people who offer sacrifices to God and it happens to people who do not do that. It happens to good people and to people who turn away from God. It happens to people who make promises to God. It also happens to people who are afraid to do that. 3Finally, the same thing happens to everyone on the earth. That seems to be a terrible thing. People choose to do evil things. While they are alive, they choose to live like fools. And after that, they die. 4Anyone who is alive in the world has some hope for good things in the future. It is better to be a dog that is alive than to be a lion that is dead.

Ecclesiastes 9:2 word by word

הַכֹּ֞ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר לַכֹּ֗ל מִקְרֶ֨ה אֶחָ֜ד לַצַּדִּ֤יק וְלָרָשָׁע֙ לַטּוֹב֙ וְלָרַע וְלַטָּה֣וֹר וְלַטָּמֵ֔א וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַ וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ זֹבֵ֑חַ כַּטּוֹב֙ כַּֽחֹטֶ֔א הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕ע כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר שְׁבוּעָ֥ה יָרֵֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• eventמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
• to the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• and to the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• to the goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• and to the cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
• and to the uncleanטָמֵאţâmê' · uncleanH2931
• to him that sacrificethזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• and to him thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the sinnerחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
• he that swearethשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• that fearethיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
• an oathשְׁבוּעָהshebû‛âh · oathH7621

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:2

• Ecclesiastes 2:14Wise people can see where they are going. Foolish people walk in the dark. But at the end of their lives, there is no difference. They both die.
• Job 21:7Why do wicked people continue to live for a long time? The older they become, the more power they have.
• Psalms 73:3When I saw that wicked people had plenty of things, I was jealous of those proud people.
• Malachi 3:15But it is proud people that God blesses! Yes, it is the people who do evil things who become rich! God does not even punish people who like to test him. That is what we think.” ’
• Ecclesiastes 2:26God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to people who please him. Wicked people may work hard and become rich. But God takes away their valuable things and he gives them to someone who pleases him. So their hard work has no purpose. It is like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 7:18Remember both these things. Do not forget either of them. You can do that if you respect God and you obey him.
• Ecclesiastes 8:12People who do lots of wicked things may live for a long time. But if someone respects and obeys God, they will surely enjoy a good life.
• Genesis 24:3You must make a serious promise to me in front of the Lord. He is the God who rules both heaven and earth. I am living among the Canaanite people, but you must promise this to me: Do not get a Canaanite woman to be a wife for my son.
• Joshua 2:17The men said to her, ‘If you do what we say, we will do what we have promised.
• 1 Samuel 14:26The men saw all the honey but none of them ate any of it. They were afraid that God would curse them.
• Ezekiel 17:18Judah's king did not obey his agreement with the king of Babylon. He had promised to serve Babylon's king but instead he turned against him. He did not do what he had promised to do, so he will not escape.
• Zechariah 5:3Then the angel said to me, ‘The words on the paper tell about bad events for the whole earth. This will be in future years. On one side of the paper, it says that a man must not rob anyone. If he does, people will send him away from his own country. On the other side of the paper, it says that a man must not speak false words. If he does, people will send him away from his own country.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2All things come alike to all - This is very generally true; but God often makes a difference and his faithful followers witness many interventions of Divine Providence in their behalf. But there are general blessings, and general natural evils, that equally affect the just and the unjust. But in this all is right; the evils that are in nature are the effects of the Fall of man; and God will not suspend general laws, or alter them, to favor individual…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Event - See Ecclesiastes 2:14 note. Sweareth - i. e., Swears lightly or profanely.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Everyone's fate is to eventually die.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-102. All things ... alike--not universally; but as to death. Ec 9:2-10 are made by Holden the objection of a skeptical sensualist. However, they may be explained as Solomon's language. He repeats the sentiment already implied in Ec 2:14; 3:20; 8:14. one event--not eternally; but death is common to all. good--morally. clean--ceremonially. sacrificeth--alike to Josiah who sacrificed to God, and to Ahab who made sacrifice to Him cease. sweareth--rashly and…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Chance
• Hap; Haply
• Psalms, Book of
• Sacrifice
• 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