Ecclesiastes 9:1

Ecclesiastes 9:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
• New International Version (NIV)So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:1

Now, I have carefully thought about all this, and I explain it in this way: Righteous people and wise people, along with their accomplishments, are in God’s hands. No one knows whether there will be love or hatred. 2Everything turns out the same way for everyone. All people will share the same destiny, whether they are righteous, wicked, or good, clean or unclean, whether they offer sacrifices or don’t offer sacrifices. Good people are treated like sinners. People who take oaths are treated like those who are afraid to take oaths. 3This is the tragedy of everything that happens under the sun: Everyone shares the same destiny. Moreover, the hearts of mortals are full of evil. Madness is in their hearts while they are still alive. After that, they join the dead.

Ecclesiastes 9:1 word by word

כִּ֣י אֶת־כָּל־זֶ֞ה נָתַ֤תִּי אֶל־לִבִּי֙ וְלָב֣וּר אֶת־כָּל־זֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הַצַּדִּיקִ֧ים וְהַחֲכָמִ֛ים וַעֲבָדֵיהֶ֖ם בְּיַ֣ד הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים גַּֽם־אַהֲבָ֣ה גַם־שִׂנְאָ֗ה אֵ֤ין יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם הַכֹּ֖ל לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For all this I consideredנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• in my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• even to declareבּוּרbûr · to explainH952
• all this, that the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• and the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• and their worksעֲבָד‛ăbâd · workH5652
• in the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• no manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• knowethיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• eitherגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• loveאַהֲבָה'ahăbâh · loveH160
• or hatredשִׂנְאָהώin'âh · hatingH8135
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:1

• Ecclesiastes 1:17I’ve used my mind to understand wisdom and knowledge as well as madness and stupidity. ⌞Now⌟ I know that this is ⌞like⌟ trying to catch the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 7:25I turned my attention to study, to explore, and to seek out wisdom and the reason for things. I learned that wickedness is stupid and foolishness is madness.
• Ecclesiastes 8:16When I carefully considered how to study wisdom and how to look at the work that is done on earth (even going without sleep day and night),
• Ecclesiastes 12:9Besides being wise, the spokesman also taught the people what he knew. He very carefully thought about it, studied it, and arranged it in many proverbs.
• Ecclesiastes 8:14There is something being done on earth that is pointless. Righteous people suffer for what the wicked do, and wicked people get what the righteous deserve. I say that even this is pointless.
• Deuteronomy 33:3You certainly love your people. All your holy ones are in your hands. They bow at your feet to receive your instructions.
• 1 Samuel 2:9He safeguards the steps of his faithful ones, but wicked people are silenced in darkness because humans cannot succeed by their own strength.
• 2 Samuel 15:25The king told Zadok, “Take God’s ark back to the city. If the Lord looks favorably on me, he will allow me to come back and see both it and its dwelling place again.
• Job 5:8“But I would seek God’s help and present my case to him.
• Psalms 10:14You have seen ⌞it⌟; yes, you have taken note of trouble and grief and placed them under your control. The victim entrusts himself to you. You alone have been the helper of orphans.
• Psalms 31:5Into your hands I entrust my spirit. You have rescued me, O Lord, God of truth.
• Psalms 37:5Entrust your ways to the Lord. Trust him, and he will act ⌞on your behalf⌟.
• Proverbs 16:3Entrust your efforts to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
• Isaiah 26:12O Lord, you will establish peace for us, since you have done everything for us.
• Isaiah 49:1Listen to me, you islands. Pay attention, you people far away. Before I was born, the Lord chose me. While I was in my mother’s womb, he recorded my name.
• Jeremiah 1:18Today I have made you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up to the whole land. You will be able to stand up to Judah’s kings, its officials, its priests, and ⌞all⌟ the common people.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God - This is a continuation of the preceding subject; and here the wise man draws a conclusion from what he had seen, and from the well-known character of God, that the righteous, the wise, and their conduct, were all in the hand of God, protected by his power, and safe in his approbation: but we cannot judge from the occurrences which take place in life who are the objects of God's love or…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1A good man‘s trust in God is set forth as a counterpoise to our Ignorance of the ways of Providence. In the hand of God - Under His special protection (Deuteronomy 33:3 ff) as righteous, and under His direction Proverbs 21:1 as people. No man … - literally, both love and also hatred man knoweth not: all are before them. Love and hatred here mean the ordinary outward tokens of God‘s favor or displeasure, i. e., prosperity and adversity. “Man knoweth not”…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Good and bad men fare alike as to this world. (Eccl. 9:1-3) All men must die, Their portion as to this life. (Eccl. 9:4-10) Disappointments common. (Eccl. 9:11,12) Benefits of wisdom. (Eccl. 9:13-18) Verses 1-3 We are not to think our searching into the word or works of God useless, because we cannot explain all difficulties. We may learn many things good for ourselves and useful to others. But man cannot always decide who are objects of God's special…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Man does not know what lies ahead: There is no promise that doing good will bring rewards in this life (see Ecclesiastes 3:17–22; 8:10–15; 12:14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-18Ec 9:1-18. 1. declare--rather, explore; the result of my exploring is this, that "the righteous, &c., are in the hand of God. No man knoweth either the love or hatred (of God to them) by all that is before them," that is, by what is outwardly seen in His present dealings (Ec 8:14, 17). However, from the sense of the same words, in Ec 9:6, "love and hatred" seem to be the feelings of the wicked towards the righteous, whereby they caused to the latter…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Providence
• Synagogue, the Great

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