Ecclesiastes 9:4

Ecclesiastes 9:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
• New International Version (NIV)Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
• English Standard Version (ESV)But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:4

2But 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. Anyone 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. 5People who are alive know that they will die one day. But dead people do not know anything. No more good things can happen to them. Nobody remembers them. 6Everything that they did in the world has finished. If they loved people, if they hated people, if they were jealous of people, all that has finished. They no longer having anything to do with the things that happen on the earth.

Ecclesiastes 9:4 word by word

כִּי־מִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְחֻבַּ֔ר אֶ֥ל כָּל־הַחַיִּ֖ים יֵ֣שׁ בִּטָּח֑וֹן כִּֽי־לְכֶ֤לֶב חַי֙ ה֣וּא ט֔וֹב מִן־הָאַרְיֵ֖ה הַמֵּֽת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forמִיmîy · who?H4310
• to him that isיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• joinedבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• joinedחָבַרchâbar · to uniteH2266
• to all the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
• there is hopeבִּטָּחוֹןbiţţâchôn · trustH986
• dogכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
• is betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• than a deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:4

• Job 14:7If someone cuts down a tree, the tree may not die. New branches may grow from it.
• Job 27:8When God chooses to remove wicked people, they cannot hope for any good thing. God will cause them to die.
• Isaiah 38:18Dead people in their graves cannot praise you. They cannot sing to thank you. People who go down into the deep hole of death cannot trust you to help them.
• Lamentations 3:21But then I choose to remember God, and this is my hope:
• Luke 16:26But that is not everything. Between you and us, there is a big hole. It is wide and long and deep. There is a reason why that hole is there. Nobody can cross from here to where you are. And nobody can cross from where you are to come here.”

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope - While a man lives he hopes to amend, and he hopes to have a better lot; and thus life is spent, hoping to grow better, and hoping to get more. The Vulgate has, "There is none that shall live always, nor has any hope of such a thing." Perhaps the best translation is the following: "What, therefore, is to be chosen? In him that is living there is hope." Then choose that eternal life which thou…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For to him - Rather: “Yet to him.” Notwithstanding evils, life has its advantage, and especially when compared with death. Dog - To the Hebrews a type of all that was contemptible 1 Samuel 17:43.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 The most despicable living man's state, is preferable to that of the most noble who have died impenitent. Solomon exhorts the wise and pious to cheerful confidence in God, whatever their condition in life. The meanest morsel, coming from their Father's love, in answer to prayer, will have a peculiar relish. Not that we may set our hearts upon the delights of sense, but what God has given us we may use with wisdom. The joy here described, is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6Hope for enjoyment exists only if the person hoping is alive. So, it is better to be alive (compare Ecclesiastes 6:3; 7:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. For--rather, "Nevertheless." English Version rightly reads as the Margin, Hebrew, "that is joined," instead of the text, "who is to be chosen?" hope--not of mere temporal good (Job 14:7); but of yet repenting and being saved. dog--metaphor for the vilest persons (1Sa 24:14). lion--the noblest of animals (Pr 30:30). better--as to hope of salvation; the noblest who die unconverted have no hope; the vilest, so long as they have life, have hope.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:4

• Death
• Hades
• Lion

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Canon of the Old Testament
• Dead
• 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