Ecclesiastes 3:2

Ecclesiastes 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
• English Standard Version (ESV)a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
• New King James Version (NKJV)A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;
• New Living Translation (NLT)A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:2

1There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Ecclesiastes 3:2 word by word

עֵ֥ת לָלֶ֖דֶת וְעֵ֣ת לָמ֑וּת עֵ֣ת לָטַ֔עַת וְעֵ֖ת לַעֲק֥וֹר נָטֽוּעַ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• to be bornיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• to dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• to plantנָטַעnâţa‛ · to plantH5193
• to pluck upעָקַר‛âqar · to uprootH6131

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:2

• Genesis 17:21But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
• Genesis 21:1Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.
• 1 Samuel 2:5Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
• 1 Kings 13:2By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’ ”
• 2 Kings 4:16“About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”
• Psalms 113:9He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord.
• Isaiah 54:1“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord.
• Luke 1:13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
• John 16:21A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
• Acts 7:17“As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.
• Galatians 4:4But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
• Genesis 47:29When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,
• Numbers 20:24“Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.
• Numbers 27:12Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites.
• Deuteronomy 3:23At that time I pleaded with the Lord:
• Deuteronomy 34:5And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A time to be born, and a time to die - plant - "As in its mother's womb the embryo lies A space determined; to full growth arrived, From its dark prison bursts, and sees the light; So is the period fix'd when man shall drop Into the grave - A time there is to plant, And sow; another time to pluck and reap. Even nations have their destined rise and fall: Awhile they thrive; and for destruction ripe, When grown, are rooted up like wither'd plants."Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-8We cannot control when we are born or when we die (Ecclesiastes 8:8), but we must live wisely between those events. plant and...uproot: Make wise agricultural decisions during the natural seasons. In ancient Israel, times to kill included capital punishment and war. During mourning, people in the Near East often tore their clothes. There is a time to hate, even for God (Psalms 5:5; 11:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. time to die--(Psa 31:15; He 9:27). plant--A man can no more reverse the times and order of "planting," and of "digging up," and transplanting, than he can alter the times fixed for his "birth" and "death." To try to "plant" out of season is vanity, however good in season; so to make earthly things the chief end is vanity, however good they be in order and season. Gill takes it, not so well, figuratively (Jr 18:7, 9; Am 9:15; Mt 15:13).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:2

• Death

In the dictionaries

• Dance
• Judge
• Providence
• 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