Ecclesiastes 3:5

Ecclesiastes 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
• English Standard Version (ESV)a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
• New King James Version (NKJV)A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
• New Living Translation (NLT)A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:5

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, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

Ecclesiastes 3:5 word by word

עֵ֚ת לְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְ אֲבָנִ֔ים וְעֵ֖ת כְּנ֣וֹס אֲבָנִ֑ים עֵ֣ת לַחֲב֔וֹק וְעֵ֖ת לִרְחֹ֥ק מֵחַבֵּֽק׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• to cast awayשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
• stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• to gatherכָּנַסkânas · to gatherH3664
• to embraceחָבַקchâbaq · to embraceH2263
• to refrainרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:5

• Joshua 4:3and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”
• Joshua 10:27At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.
• 2 Samuel 18:17They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.
• 2 Kings 3:25They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it.
• Exodus 19:15Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
• 1 Samuel 21:4But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here—provided the men have kept themselves from women.”
• Joel 2:16Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
• 1 Corinthians 7:5Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5A time to cast away stones, - to gather stones, - to embrace, - to refrain - "One while domestic cares abortive prove, And then successful. Nature now invites Connubial pleasures: but, when languid grown, No less rejects."Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Stones may be regarded either as materials for building, or as impediments to the fertility of land (see 2 Kings 3:19, 2 Kings 3:25; Isaiah 5:2).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. 55. cast away stones--as out of a garden or vineyard (Is 5:2). gather--for building; figuratively, the Gentiles, once castaway stones, were in due time made parts of the spiritual building (Ep 2:19, 20), and children of Abraham (Mt 3:9); so the restored Jews hereafter (Psa 102:13, 14; Zec 9:16). refrain ... embracing--(Joe 2:16; 1Co 7:5, 6).Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Dance
• Judge
• Embrace
• 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