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 good oil, And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every person, And the living takes it to heart. 3Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. 4The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

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

• It is betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• to goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• to a houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• of mourningאֵ֫בֶל'êbel · mourningH60
• Thanמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• of feastingמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
• Becauseבַאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · in whichH834
• endסוֹףsôph · endH5490
• of everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• personאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• And the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
• takesנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:2

• Genesis 48:1Now it came about after these things that Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him.
• Genesis 49:2Gather together and listen, sons of Jacob; Yes, listen to Israel your father.
• Genesis 50:15When Joseph’s brothers had seen that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!”
• Job 1:4His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send word and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
• Isaiah 5:11Woe to those who rise early in the morning so that they may pursue intoxicating drink, Who stay up late in the evening so that wine may inflame them!
• Isaiah 22:12Therefore on that day the Lord God of armies called you to weeping, to wailing, To shaving the head, and to wearing sackcloth.
• Amos 6:3Are you postponing the day of disaster, And would you bring near the seat of violence?
• Matthew 5:4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
• Matthew 14:6But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,
• 1 Peter 4:3For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries.
• Numbers 23:10Who has counted the dust of Jacob, Or the number of the fourth part of Israel? May I die the death of the upright, And may my end be like his!”
• Deuteronomy 32:29If only they were wise and they understood this; If only they would discern their future!
• Romans 6:21Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
• Philippians 3:19whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things.
• Hebrews 9:27And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this comes judgment,
• Deuteronomy 32:46he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you will command your sons to follow carefully, all the words of this Law.

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