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;
• New International Version (NIV)a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
• 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;

Context of Ecclesiastes 3:2

1For everything there is a season and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted; 3a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up; 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 will I establish with Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”
• Genesis 21:1Then Adonai visited Sarah just as He had said, and Adonai did for Sarah just as He had spoken.
• 1 Samuel 2:5Those full hire themselves for bread, but those starving hunger no more. Even the barren gives birth to seven, but she with many sons languishes.
• 1 Kings 13:2He cried out against the altar with the word of Adonai and said: “O altar, altar, thus says Adonai, behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and upon you will he sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’”
• 2 Kings 4:16Then he said, “At this season next year, you will be embracing a son.” But she said, “No, my lord, do not lie to your handmaid, man of God.”
• Psalms 113:9He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother of children. Halleluyah!
• Isaiah 54:1“Sing, barren one, who has not given birth. burst into singing and shout, you who have not travailed. For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married one,” says Adonai.
• Luke 1:13But the angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to your son, and you will name him John.
• John 16:21“When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her hour has come. But when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, because of the joy that a human being has been born into the world.
• Acts 7:17“But as the time drew near for the promise God had sworn to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt—
• Galatians 4:4But when the fullness of time came, God sent out His Son, born of a woman and born under law—
• Genesis 47:29As the time of Israel’s death drew near, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please put your hand under my thigh and show me faithful kindness. Please do not bury me in Egypt.
• Numbers 20:24“Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land, which I have given to Bnei-Yisrael, because you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.
• Numbers 27:12Then Adonai said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range and look at the land that I have given to Bnei-Yisrael.
• Deuteronomy 3:23“I pleaded with Adonai at that time, saying,
• Deuteronomy 34:5So Moses the servant of Adonai died there in the land of Moab, as was from the mouth of Adonai.

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