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 also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him. 15Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past. I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness. 17I thought to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appropriate time for every activity, and there is a time of judgment for every deed. 18I also thought to myself, “It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly 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 4:1So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on earth. This is what I saw: The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one delivers them from the power of their oppressors.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!
• 1 Kings 21:9This is what she wrote: “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people.
• Psalms 58:1Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? Do you judge people fairly?
• Psalms 82:2He says, “How long will you make unjust legal decisions and show favoritism to the wicked? (Selah)
• Psalms 94:21They conspire against the blameless, and condemn to death the innocent.
• Isaiah 59:14Justice is driven back; godliness stands far off. Indeed, honesty stumbles in the city square and morality is not even able to enter.
• Micah 2:2They confiscate the fields they desire, and seize the houses they want. They defraud people of their homes, and deprive people of the land they have inherited.
• Micah 7:3They are determined to be experts at doing evil; government officials and judges take bribes, prominent men make demands, and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them.
• Zephaniah 3:3Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning.
• Matthew 26:59The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death.
• Acts 23:3Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law you order me to be struck?”
• James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?

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
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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