Ecclesiastes 9:2

Ecclesiastes 9:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.

Context of Ecclesiastes 9:2

1So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them. All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. 3This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. 4Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

Ecclesiastes 9:2 word by word

הַכֹּ֞ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר לַכֹּ֗ל מִקְרֶ֨ה אֶחָ֜ד לַצַּדִּ֤יק וְלָרָשָׁע֙ לַטּוֹב֙ וְלָרַע וְלַטָּה֣וֹר וְלַטָּמֵ֔א וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַ וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ זֹבֵ֑חַ כַּטּוֹב֙ כַּֽחֹטֶ֔א הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕ע כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר שְׁבוּעָ֥ה יָרֵֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• eventמִקְרֶהmiqreh · accidentH4745
• to the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• and to the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• to the goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• and to the cleanטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
• and to the uncleanטָמֵאţâmê' · uncleanH2931
• to him that sacrificethזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• and to him thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the sinnerחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
• he that swearethשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• that fearethיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
• an oathשְׁבוּעָהshebû‛âh · oathH7621

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:2

• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.
• Job 21:7Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
• Psalms 73:3For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
• Malachi 3:15But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’ ”
• Ecclesiastes 2:26To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
• Ecclesiastes 8:12Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.
• Genesis 24:3I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
• Joshua 2:17Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us
• 1 Samuel 14:26When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.
• Ezekiel 17:18He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.
• Zechariah 5:3And he said to me, “This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2All things come alike to all - This is very generally true; but God often makes a difference and his faithful followers witness many interventions of Divine Providence in their behalf. But there are general blessings, and general natural evils, that equally affect the just and the unjust. But in this all is right; the evils that are in nature are the effects of the Fall of man; and God will not suspend general laws, or alter them, to favor individual…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Event - See Ecclesiastes 2:14 note. Sweareth - i. e., Swears lightly or profanely.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Everyone's fate is to eventually die.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-102. All things ... alike--not universally; but as to death. Ec 9:2-10 are made by Holden the objection of a skeptical sensualist. However, they may be explained as Solomon's language. He repeats the sentiment already implied in Ec 2:14; 3:20; 8:14. one event--not eternally; but death is common to all. good--morally. clean--ceremonially. sacrificeth--alike to Josiah who sacrificed to God, and to Ahab who made sacrifice to Him cease. sweareth--rashly and…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Event
• Evil
• Remember
• Reward
• Chance
• Hap; Haply
• Psalms, Book of
• Sacrifice
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wisdom

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9

• 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