New International Version
Ecclesiastes 3:20
20All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
Ecclesiastes 3:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
- English Standard Version (ESV)All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.
- New King James Version (NKJV)All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Both go to the same place—they came from dust and they return to dust.
Context of Ecclesiastes 3:20
18I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” 22So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
Read all of Ecclesiastes 3Ecclesiastes 3:20 word by word
הַכֹּ֥ל הוֹלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־מָק֣וֹם אֶחָ֑ד הַכֹּל֙ הָיָ֣ה מִן־הֶֽעָפָ֔ר וְהַכֹּ֖ל שָׁ֥ב אֶל־הֶעָפָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:20
- Ecclesiastes 3:21Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
- Ecclesiastes 6:6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
- Genesis 25:8Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.
- Numbers 27:13After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was,
- Job 7:9As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return.
- Job 17:13If the only home I hope for is the grave, if I spread out my bed in the realm of darkness,
- Job 30:24“Surely no one lays a hand on a broken man when he cries for help in his distress.
- Psalms 49:14They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
- Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
- Job 10:9Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again?
- Job 34:15all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
- Psalms 104:29When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
- Daniel 12:2Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20All go unto one place - "Man was born To die, nor aught exceeds in this respect The vilest brute. Both transient, frail, and vain, Draw the same breath; alike grow old, decay, And then expire: both to one grave descend; There blended lie, to native dust return'd." - C.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. 20from dust...to dust: The Teacher talks about God's judgment on human rebellion in Eden (see Genesis 3:19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-22Ec 3:1-22. Earthly pursuits are no doubt lawful in their proper time and order (Ec 3:1-8), but unprofitable when out of time and place; as for instance, when pursued as the solid and chief good (Ec 3:9, 10); whereas God makes everything beautiful in its season, which man obscurely comprehends (Ec 3:11). God allows man to enjoy moderately and virtuously His earthly gifts (Ec 3:12, 13). What consoles us amidst the instability of earthly blessings is, God's…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 3:20
In the dictionaries
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
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