Ecclesiastes 9:2
in Ecclesiastes 9It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
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.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 9
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
However, they may be explained as Solomon's language. He repeats the sentiment already implied in Ec 2:14; 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 falsely.
This site's exposition
It is the same for all
on Ecclesiastes 9:2-3
There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, and for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. Verse 3 calls this an evil and adds that the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Except that our belief in Christ raises us up to heaven and promises eternity to our souls, the physical conditions of life are the same for us as for the brutes.
"All things come alike to all; the same fate awaits the righteous and the wicked, the good and the clean and the unclean, the one who brings a sacrifice and the one who does not. As is the good man so is the sinner, as is the one who swears, so is the one who fears an oath.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 9 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"But all things are reserved for the future." Here the third point is noted, namely the reason for uncertainty, which arises from this, that in the present, recompense is not made according to merits, but is reserved for the future. And therefore he says thus: …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
All things come alike to all,....
(2.) The righteous sacrifice, that is, they make conscience of worshipping God according to his will, both with inward and outward worship; the wicked sacrifice not, that is, they live in the neglect of God's worship and grudge to part with any thing for his honour. What is the Almighty, that they should serve him?
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
All 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 cases. Nor does he design that his approbation or disapprobation shall be shown by any of these occurrences.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Event - See Ecc 2:14 note. Sweareth - i. e., Swears lightly or profanely.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַכֹּ֞ל | hakol | <the> all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר | kaasher | [is] just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לַכֹּ֗ל | lakol | for <the> all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִקְרֶ֨ה | mikreh | fate | H4745 → | 10 times |
| אֶחָ֜ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לַצַּדִּ֤יק | latzadik | [belongs] to the righteous | H6662 → | 206 times |
| וְלָרָשָׁע֙ | velarasha' | and to the wicked | H7563 → | 263 times |
| לַטּוֹב֙ | latov | to the good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| וְלַטָּה֣וֹר | velatahor | and to the clean | H2889 → | |
| וְלַטָּמֵ֔א | velatame' | and to the unclean | H2931 → | |
| וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַ | velazoveach | and to the [one who] sacrifices | H2076 → | |
| וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר | velaasher | and to [one] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֵינֶ֣נּוּ | ʾeinenu | not he | H369 → | 789 times |
| זֹבֵ֑חַ | zoveach | [is] sacrificing | H2076 → | |
| כַּטּוֹב֙ | katov | as the good [person] | H2896 → | 538 times |
| כַּֽחֹטֶ֔א | kachote' | as the sinner | H2398 → | 238 times |
| הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕ע | hanishba' | the [one who] swears an oath | H7650 → | |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שְׁבוּעָ֥ה | shevuah | an oath | H7621 → | |
| יָרֵֽא׃ | yare' | [one] fearing | H3373 → | 64 times |
| וְלָרַע | velara' | and to the evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
הַכֹּ֞ל<the> all
hakolH3605 →5413 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר[is] just as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
לַכֹּ֗לfor <the> all
lakolH3605 →5413 times
מִקְרֶ֨הfate
mikrehH4745 →10 times
אֶחָ֜דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
לַצַּדִּ֤יק[belongs] to the righteous
latzadikH6662 →206 times
וְלָרָשָׁע֙and to the wicked
velarasha'H7563 →263 times
לַטּוֹב֙to the good
latovH2896 →538 times
וְלַטָּה֣וֹרand to the clean
velatahorH2889 →
וְלַטָּמֵ֔אand to the unclean
velatame'H2931 →
וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַand to the [one who] sacrifices
velazoveachH2076 →
וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖רand to [one] who
velaasherH834 →5497 times
אֵינֶ֣נּוּnot he
ʾeinenuH369 →789 times
זֹבֵ֑חַ[is] sacrificing
zoveachH2076 →
כַּטּוֹב֙as the good [person]
katovH2896 →538 times
כַּֽחֹטֶ֔אas the sinner
kachote'H2398 →238 times
הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕עthe [one who] swears an oath
hanishba'H7650 →
כַּאֲשֶׁ֖רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
שְׁבוּעָ֥הan oath
shevuahH7621 →
יָרֵֽא׃[one] fearing
yare'H3373 →64 times
וְלָרַעand to the evil
velara'H7451 →662 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
Malachi 3:5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud…
it leads to
- James 5:8–9
You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
- Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
- Deuteronomy 5:11
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
- James 5:4
Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
- James 5:8–9
Through
Malachi 3:18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
it leads to
- Matthew 25:46
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- Genesis 18:25
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the…
- Psalms 58:10–11
The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Matthew 25:46
Through
Psalms 73:3For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
it leads to
- Job 21:7
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
- Job 21:7
Where this verse is studied
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 9 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 9; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, LETTER 108.27; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.