Ecclesiastes 3:11
in Ecclesiastes 3He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
KJV
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 3
Commentary
14 notes on this verseI have seen, he says, the material world that preoccupies human minds, that which God gave to the human race prior to its cleansing so that they would occupy themselves. He means here that the beauty of the material world is temporal, not eternal. For, …
This site's exposition
He has made everything beautiful in its time
The verse carries two claims, He has made everything beautiful in its time and He has also set eternity in the hearts of men. The Hebrew olam can mean the world or age, a mind ranging past its moment, or eternity, which Delitzsch and Gill both take here.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Of all these things there is not one either idle or useless. Not even the meanest of them—the hair, or the nails, or such like—is so; but all have their service to do, and all their contribution to make, some of them to the soundness …
"What gain, then, has the worker in exchange for all his toil? I have observed the task which God has given the sons of man to be concerned with: He made everything beautiful in its time; He has also put an enigma into their minds so that man cannot comprehend what God has done from the beginning to end."
Indeed, an evil observer of the times has this age in his jaws and strives with a great effort to wipe out the image of God, having chosen to fight against him from the beginning until the end.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
And he explains what that affliction is, namely of consideration; whence he says: He has made all things good in their time; whence Ecclesiasticus 39: "All the works of the Lord are good, and in its hour he will supply every work. It is not …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He hath set - It is true, God hath put the world into mens hearts, or made them capable of observing all the dispensations of God in the world; but this is to be understood with a limitation, because there are some more mysterious works of God, which no man can fully, understand, because he cannot search them out from the beginning to the end.
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
We see but the middle of God's works, not from the beginning of them (then we should see how admirably the plan was laid in the divine counsels), nor to the end of them, which crowns the action (then we should see the product to be glorious), but we must wait till the veil be rent, and not arraign God's proceedings nor pretend to pass judgment on them.
Which is here added to prove the principal proposition, That all things below are vain, and happiness is not to be found in them, because of their great uncertainty, and mutability, and transitoriness, and because they are so much out of the reach and power of men, and wholly in the disposal of God.
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time,....
The vanity of worldly honour and power, which are abused for the support of oppression and persecution if men be not governed by the fear of God in the use of them,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Rather, He hath made all (the travail, Ecc 3:10) beautiful (fit, in harmony with the whole work of God) in its time; also He hath set eternity in their heart (i. e., the heart of the sons of men, Ecc 3:10). The word, translated “world” in the text, and “eternity” in this note, is used seven times in Ecclesiastes. The interpretation “eternity,” is conceived in the sense of a long indefinite period of time, in accordance with the use of the word throughout this book, and the rest of the Old Testament.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This incapacity for "finding out" (comprehending) God's work is chiefly the fruit of the fall. The worldling ever since, not knowing God's time and order, labors in vain, because out of time and place.
Beautiful in his time - God’s works are well done; there are order, harmony, and beauty in them all. Even the caterpillar is a finished beauty in all the changes through which it passes, when its structure is properly examined, and the ends kept in view in which each change is to issue. Nothing of this kind can be said of the works of man. The most finished works of art are bungling jobs, when compared with the meanest operation of nature. He hath set the world in their heart - העולם haolam, that hidden time - the period beyond the present, - Eternity. The proper translation of this clause is the following: “Also that eternity hath he placed in their heart, without which man could not find out the work which God hath made from the commencement to the end.” God has deeply rooted the idea of eternity in every human heart; and every considerate man sees, that all the operations of God refer to that endless duration. See Ecc 3:14. And it is only in eternity that man will be able to discover what God has designed by the various works he has formed.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Beautiful in its time. In its proper time, it is beautiful that reward be given for good deeds, but at the time of evil, it is appropriate for meting out punishment for evil deeds.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
I know. Now, since the time of visitation [death] is concealed, that there is nothing better for man than to rejoice with his portion and to do that which is good in his Creator’s eyes, while he is yet alive.
I saw the painful business and punishment which the Lord gave to the children of men who are wicked, to afflict them therewith.
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. 4 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
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַכֹּ֥ל | hakol | <the> everything | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עָשָׂ֖ה | ʾasah | he has made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| יָפֶ֣ה | yapeh | beautiful | H3303 → | |
| בְעִתּ֑וֹ | veito | in time its | H6256 → | 296 times |
| גַּ֤ם | gam | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעֹלָם֙ | haolam | <the> perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
| נָתַ֣ן | natan | he has put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בְּלִבָּ֔ם | belibam | in heart their | H3820 → | 595 times |
| מִבְּלִ֞י | mibeli | because not | H1097 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֧ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִמְצָ֣א | yimtza' | he will find | H4672 → | 455 times |
| הָאָדָ֗ם | haadam | <the> humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֛ה | hamaaseh | the work | H4639 → | 236 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֥ה | ʾasah | he has done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| מֵרֹ֥אשׁ | merosh | from beginning | H7218 → | 599 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| סֽוֹף׃ | sof | end | H5490 → | 5 times |
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַכֹּ֥ל<the> everything
hakolH3605 →5413 times
עָשָׂ֖הhe has made
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
יָפֶ֣הbeautiful
yapehH3303 →
בְעִתּ֑וֹin time its
veitoH6256 →296 times
גַּ֤םalso
gamH1571 →769 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעֹלָם֙<the> perpetuity
haolamH5769 →438 times
נָתַ֣ןhe has put
natanH5414 →2011 times
בְּלִבָּ֔םin heart their
belibamH3820 →595 times
מִבְּלִ֞יbecause not
mibeliH1097 →
אֲשֶׁ֧רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִמְצָ֣אhe will find
yimtza'H4672 →455 times
הָאָדָ֗ם<the> humankind
haadamH120 →551 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֛הthe work
hamaasehH4639 →236 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֥הhe has done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
מֵרֹ֥אשׁfrom beginning
meroshH7218 →599 times
וְעַד־and to
vead-H5704 →1261 times
סֽוֹף׃end
sofH5490 →5 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
Romans 11:33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
it leads to
- Job 11:7–9
Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 5:9
the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 92:5
How great are Your works, O LORD, how deep are Your thoughts!
- Colossians 2:2–3
that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,
- Romans 2:4
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
- Job 11:7–9
Through
Job 5:9the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.
it leads to
- Psalms 40:5
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us— none can compare to You— if I proclaim and declare them, they are more than I…
- Job 9:10
He does great things beyond searching out, and wonders without number.
- Psalms 40:5
Through
Job 11:7Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
it leads to
- Romans 11:33
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 11:33
Where this verse is studied
By subject
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About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3; Dionysius of Alexandria, FRAGMENT 1:4; Evagrius Ponticus, SCHOLIA ON ECCLESIASTES 15:3.10-13; Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes; Gregory of Neocaesarea, PARAPHRASE OF ECCLESIASTES 3:11; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.