Ecclesiastes 3:16

Ecclesiastes 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
• New International Version (NIV)And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:16

14I realize that whatever God does will last forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken away from it. God does this so that people will fear him. 15Whatever has happened ⌞in the past⌟ is present now. Whatever is going to happen ⌞in the future⌟ has already happened ⌞in the past⌟. God will call the past to account. I saw something else under the sun: There is wickedness where justice should be found. There is wickedness where righteousness should be found. 17I thought to myself, “God will judge righteous people as well as wicked people, because there is a specific time for every activity and every work that is done.” 18I thought to myself, “God is going to test humans in order to show them that they are ⌞like⌟ animals.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16 word by word

וְע֥וֹד רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ מְק֤וֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט֙ שָׁ֣מָּה הָרֶ֔שַׁע וּמְק֥וֹם הַצֶּ֖דֶק שָׁ֥מָּה הָרָֽשַׁע׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And moreover I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• under the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• of judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• wickednessרֶ֫שַׁעresha‛ · wickednessH7562
• of righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:16

• Ecclesiastes 4:1Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have ⌞all⌟ the power. No one can comfort those who suffer.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8Don’t be surprised if you see poor people being oppressed, denied justice, or denied their rights in any district. One authority is watching over another, and they both have authorities watching over them.
• 1 Kings 21:9In these letters she wrote: “Announce a fast. Seat Naboth as leader of the people.
• Psalms 58:1Do you rulers really give fair verdicts? Do you judge Adam’s descendants fairly?
• Psalms 82:2“How long are you going to judge unfairly? How long are you going to side with wicked people?” Selah
• Psalms 94:21They join forces to take the lives of righteous people. They condemn innocent people to death.
• Isaiah 59:14Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away. Truth has fallen in the street, and honesty can’t come in.
• Micah 2:2They desire ⌞other people’s⌟ fields, so they seize them. They desire ⌞people’s⌟ houses, so they take them. They cheat a man and his family, a man and his inheritance.
• Micah 7:3Their hands are skilled in doing evil. Officials ask for gifts. Judges accept bribes. Powerful people dictate what they want. So they scheme together.
• Zephaniah 3:3Its officials are ⌞like⌟ roaring lions. Its judges are ⌞like⌟ wolves in the evening. They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.
• Matthew 26:59The chief priests and the whole council were searching for false testimony to use against Jesus in order to execute him.
• Acts 23:3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you hypocrite! You sit there and judge me by Moses’ Teachings and yet you break those teachings by ordering these men to strike me!”
• James 2:6Yet, you show no respect to poor people. Don’t rich people oppress you and drag you into court?

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The plate of judgment, that wickedness was there - The abuse of power, and the perversion of judgment, have been justly complained of in every age of the world. The following paraphrase is good: - "But what enjoyment can our labors yield, When e'en the remedy prescribed by heaven To cure disorders proves our deadliest bane? When God's vicegerents, destined to protect The weak from insolence of power, to guard Their lives and fortunes, impious robbers…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. 16the place of justice: In ancient Israel, local court proceedings took place at the city gates. The city’s elders sat there to hear and decide legal matters (for example, see Ruth 4:1–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Here a difficulty is suggested. If God "requires" events to move in their perpetual cycle, why are the wicked allowed to deal unrighteously in the place where injustice ought least of all to be; namely, "the place of judgment" (Jr 12:1)?Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:16

• Injustice
• Justice
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Dance
• Judge
• 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