Ecclesiastes 1:10
in Ecclesiastes 1Is there a case where one can say, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
KJV
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 1
Commentary
8 notes on this verse"Is there anything whereof it may be said, see this is new? It has already been for ages, which were before us. "Symmachus translated this more clearly: "Do you think there is a man who is able to say: look this is new, it has already been done before because it was before us." But he agrees with his predecessors that there is nothing new in the world, and that there is none that is able to live and say: 'look this is new', since everything that he thought he had shown to be new, already existed in former times.
This site's exposition
What has been will be again
on Ecclesiastes 1:9-11
What has been will be again rules out novelty as an answer to the question of gain, since there is nothing new under the sun. Verse 10 imagines someone saying Look, this is new and replies that it existed in the ages before. Verse 11 carries the point into memory.
This site's exposition
this is new
Clarke hears the thing itself speak, as if anything under the sun could say, Look, this is new. Jerome cites Symmachus, who pictures a man who says he has found something new and learns it was done before him. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown observe that ages is plural.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
He shows that nothing remains in newness, neither with respect to being nor with respect to becoming. Therefore he says: "What is it that has been?" He asks and he himself responds: "The same that shall be." Similarly it follows: "What is it that has …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, see, this is new?....
Let them name any thing which they take to be new, and though perhaps we cannot make it to appear, for want of the records of former times, yet we have reason to conclude that it has been already of old time, which was before us. What is there in the kingdom of nature of which we may say, This is new?
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
old time--Hebrew, "ages." which was--The Hebrew plural cannot be joined to the verb singular. Therefore translate: "It hath been in the ages before; certainly it hath been before us" [HOLDEN].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Is there any thing, etc. - The original is beautiful. “Is there any thing which will say, See this! it is new?” Men may say this of their discoveries, etc.; but universal nature says, It is not new. It has been, and it will be.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Also of the later generations that are to come. After us, will have no recollection in the generations that will be after them.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יֵ֥שׁ | yesh | [is] there? | H3426 → | 140 times |
| דָּבָ֛ר | davar | anything | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| שֶׁיֹּאמַ֥ר | sheiyomar | that anyone will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| רְאֵה־ | reeh- | see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| זֶ֖ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| חָדָ֣שׁ | chadash | [is] new | H2319 → | |
| ה֑וּא | hu' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| כְּבָר֙ | kevar | already | H3528 → | 9 times |
| הָיָ֣ה | hayah | it has been | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְעֹֽלָמִ֔ים | leolamim | to ancient times | H5769 → | 438 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיָ֖ה | hayah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מִלְּפָנֵֽנוּ׃ | milefanenu | from to before us | H6440 → | 2123 times |
יֵ֥שׁ[is] there?
yeshH3426 →140 times
דָּבָ֛רanything
davarH1697 →1440 times
שֶׁיֹּאמַ֥רthat anyone will say
sheiyomarH559 →5305 times
רְאֵה־see
reeh-H7200 →1300 times
זֶ֖הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
חָדָ֣שׁ[is] new
chadashH2319 →
ה֑וּאit
hu'H1931 →1879 times
כְּבָר֙already
kevarH3528 →9 times
הָיָ֣הit has been
hayahH1961 →3559 times
לְעֹֽלָמִ֔יםto ancient times
leolamimH5769 →438 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הָיָ֖הit was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
מִלְּפָנֵֽנוּ׃from to before us
milefanenuH6440 →2123 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 5:12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
it leads to
- Luke 6:23
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.
- James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
- Colossians 3:24
because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- 1 Peter 4:13
But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.
- Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
- Luke 6:23
Through
Acts 7:51You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 10:16
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.
- Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.
- Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to…
- Deuteronomy 10:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.