New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 3:16
16Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.
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 Living Translation (NLT)I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt!
Context of Ecclesiastes 3:16
14I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him. 15That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past. Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there. 17I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” 18I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”
Read all of Ecclesiastes 3Ecclesiastes 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.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 3:16
- Ecclesiastes 4:1Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
- 1 Kings 21:9She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people;
- Psalms 58:1Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
- Psalms 82:2How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
- Psalms 94:21They gather together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood.
- Isaiah 59:14Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.
- Micah 2:2They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.
- Micah 7:3That they may successfully do evil with both hands— The prince asks for gifts, The judge seeks a bribe, And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together.
- Zephaniah 3:3Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves That leave not a bone till morning.
- Matthew 26:59Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,
- Acts 23:3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
- James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag 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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries