Ecclesiastes 7:2

Ecclesiastes 7:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
• New International Version (NIV)It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.
• English Standard Version (ESV)It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.

Context of Ecclesiastes 7:2

1A good name is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you’re born. It is better to go to a funeral than to a banquet because that is where everyone will end up. Everyone who is alive should take this to heart! 3Sorrow is better than laughter because, in spite of a sad face, the heart can be joyful. 4The minds of wise people think about funerals, but the minds of fools think about banquets.

Ecclesiastes 7:2 word by word

ט֞וֹב לָלֶ֣כֶת אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֗בֶל מִלֶּ֙כֶת֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה בַּאֲשֶׁ֕ר ה֖וּא ס֣וֹף כָּל־הָאָדָ֑ם וְהַחַ֖י יִתֵּ֥ן אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• to goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• of mourningאֵ֫בֶל'êbel · mourningH60
• of feastingמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
• forבַאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · in whichH834
• the endסוֹףsôph · endH5490
• of all menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• and the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
• will layנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• to his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:2

• Genesis 48:1Later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim ⌞to see Jacob⌟.
• Genesis 49:2“Gather around and listen, sons of Jacob. Listen to your father Israel.
• Genesis 50:15Joseph’s brothers realized what their father’s death could mean. So they thought, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us? What if he decides to pay us back for all the evil we did to him?”
• Job 1:4His sons used to go to each other’s homes, where they would have parties. (Each brother took his turn having a party.) They would send someone to invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
• Isaiah 5:11How horrible it will be for those who get up early to look for a drink, who sit up late until they are drunk from wine.
• Isaiah 22:12On that day the Almighty Lord of Armies will call for crying and for mourning, for shaving your heads and for wearing sackcloth.
• Amos 6:3How horrible it will be for those who think that a day of disaster is far away. They bring the reign of violence closer.
• Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn. They will be comforted.
• Matthew 14:6When Herod celebrated his birthday, Herodias’ daughter danced for his guests. Herod was so delighted with her that
• 1 Peter 4:3You spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. You were promiscuous, had sinful desires, got drunk, went to wild parties, and took part in the forbidden worship of false gods.
• Numbers 23:10The descendants of Jacob are like specks of dust. Who can count them or number even one-fourth of the people of Israel? Let me die the death of innocent people. Let my end be like theirs.”
• Deuteronomy 32:29If only they were wise enough to understand this and realize what will happen to them!
• Romans 6:21What did you gain by doing those things? You’re ashamed of what you used to do because it ended in death.
• Philippians 3:19In the end they will be destroyed. Their own emotions are their god, and they take pride in the shameful things they do. Their minds are set on worldly things.
• Hebrews 9:27People die once, and after that they are judged.
• Deuteronomy 32:46he said to them, “Pay attention to all these warnings I’ve given you today. Then you will command your children to faithfully obey every word of these teachings.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2It is better to go to the house of mourning - Birthdays were generally kept with great festivity, and to these the wise man most probably refers; but according to his maxim, the miseries of life were so many and so oppressive that the day of a man's death was to be preferred to the day of his birth. But, in dependently of the allusion, it is much more profitable to visit the house of mourning for the dead than the house of festivity. In the former we find…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2That - Namely, what is seen in the house of mourning. Lay it to his heart - Consider it attentively.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4These proverbs are like the sayings in the Book of Proverbs.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Proving that it is not a sensual enjoyment of earthly goods which is meant in Ec 3:13; 5:18. A thankful use of these is right, but frequent feasting Solomon had found dangerous to piety in his own case. So Job's fear (Ec 1:4, 5). The house of feasting often shuts out thoughts of God and eternity. The sight of the dead in the "house of mourning" causes "the living" to think of their own "end."Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:2

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Amusements and Worldly Pleasures
• Bereavement
• Death
• Sympathy

In the dictionaries

• Adversity
• Bosom
• Consider
• Crackling
• Living
• Rest
• End
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7

• 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