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 know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him. 15That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by. Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. 18I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16 word by word

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

• Furthermoreעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
• I have seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
• the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• in the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• of justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• thereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• wickednessרֶ֫שַׁעresha‛ · wickednessH7562
• of righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:16

• Ecclesiastes 4:1Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.
• 1 Kings 21:9Now she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people;
• Psalms 58:1Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
• Psalms 82:2How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah.
• Psalms 94:21They band themselves together against the life of the righteous And condemn the innocent to death.
• Isaiah 59:14Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter.
• Micah 2:2They covet fields and then seize them, And houses, and take them away. They rob a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.
• Micah 7:3Concerning evil, both hands do it well. The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe, And a great man speaks the desire of his soul; So they weave it together.
• Zephaniah 3:3Her princes within her are roaring lions, Her judges are wolves at evening; They leave nothing for the morning.
• Matthew 26:59Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.
• Acts 23:3Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?”
• James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally 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