Ecclesiastes 3:3
Ecclesiastes 3:3 in Multiple Translations
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up;
A time of killing, and a time of healing. A time of tearing down, and a time of building up.
A time to slay, and a time to heale: a time to breake downe, and a time to builde.
A time to slay, And a time to heal, A time to break down, And a time to build up.
a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build.
There is a time to kill people, and there is a time to heal people. There is a time to tear things down, and there is a time to build things.
Berean Amplified Bible — Ecclesiastes 3:3
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Ecclesiastes 3:3 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עֵ֤ת
לַ/הֲרוֹג֙
וְ/עֵ֣ת
לִ/רְפּ֔וֹא
עֵ֥ת
לִ/פְר֖וֹץ
וְ/עֵ֥ת
לִ/בְנֽוֹת
עֵ֤ת
ʻêth
H6256
time
N-cs
לַ/הֲרוֹג֙
hârag
H2026
to kill
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
וְ/עֵ֣ת
ʻêth
H6256
time
Conj | N-cs
לִ/רְפּ֔וֹא
râphâʼ
H7495
to heal
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
עֵ֥ת
ʻêth
H6256
time
N-cs
לִ/פְר֖וֹץ
pârats
H6555
to break through
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
וְ/עֵ֥ת
ʻêth
H6256
time
Conj | N-cs
לִ/בְנֽוֹת
bânâh
H1129
to build
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Ecclesiastes 3:3
עֵ֤ת
ʻêth
H6256
"time"
N-cs
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Definition: 1) time 1a) time (of an event) 1b) time (usual) 1c) experiences, fortunes 1d) occurrence, occasion
Usage: Occurs in 258 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. See also: Genesis 8:11; 2 Chronicles 35:17; Psalms 1:3.
לַ/הֲרוֹג֙
hârag
H2026
"to kill"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
To kill or slay with intent, as seen in the Bible when God instructs the Israelites to destroy certain nations. This word is used in various forms, including to murder or destroy. It appears in books like Exodus and Deuteronomy.
Definition: 1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to kill, slay 1a2) to destroy, ruin 1b) (Niphal) to be killed 1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain
Usage: Occurs in 158 OT verses. KJV: destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 4:8; 2 Kings 8:12; Psalms 10:8.
וְ/עֵ֣ת
ʻêth
H6256
"time"
Conj | N-cs
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Definition: 1) time 1a) time (of an event) 1b) time (usual) 1c) experiences, fortunes 1d) occurrence, occasion
Usage: Occurs in 258 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. See also: Genesis 8:11; 2 Chronicles 35:17; Psalms 1:3.
לִ/רְפּ֔וֹא
râphâʼ
H7495
"to heal"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to heal or mend, often referring to God's power to cure physical or emotional hurts, as seen in Psalm 103:3.
Definition: 1) to heal, make healthful 1a) (Qal) to heal 1a1) of God 1a2) healer, physician (of men) 1a3) of hurts of nations involving restored favour (fig) 1a4) of individual distresses (fig) 1b) (Niphal) to be healed 1b1) literal (of persons) 1b2) of water, pottery 1b3) of national hurts (fig) 1b4) of personal distress (fig) 1c) (Piel) to heal 1c1) literal 1c2) of national defects or hurts (fig) 1d) (Hithpael) in order to get healed (infinitive)
Usage: Occurs in 62 OT verses. KJV: cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, [idiom] thoroughly, make whole. See H7503 (רָפָה). See also: Genesis 20:17; Psalms 107:20; Psalms 6:3.
עֵ֥ת
ʻêth
H6256
"time"
N-cs
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Definition: 1) time 1a) time (of an event) 1b) time (usual) 1c) experiences, fortunes 1d) occurrence, occasion
Usage: Occurs in 258 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. See also: Genesis 8:11; 2 Chronicles 35:17; Psalms 1:3.
לִ/פְר֖וֹץ
pârats
H6555
"to break through"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
To break through means to burst out or force one's way, like when a baby is born or a wall is broken down. This word is used in many situations, like when God breaks through to help someone or when a crowd breaks out in violence.
Definition: 1) to break through or down or over, burst, breach 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to break or burst out (from womb or enclosure) 1a2) to break through or down, make a breach in 1a3) to break into 1a4) to break open 1a5) to break up, break in pieces 1a6) to break out (violently) upon 1a7) to break over (limits), increase 1a8) to use violence 1a9) to burst open 1a10) to spread, distribute 1b) (Niphal) to be broken through 1c) (Pual) to be broken down 1d) (Hithpael) to break away
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] abroad, (make a) breach, break (away, down, -er, forth, in, up), burst out, come (spread) abroad, compel, disperse, grow, increase, open, press, scatter, urge. See also: Genesis 28:14; 2 Chronicles 25:23; Psalms 60:3.
וְ/עֵ֥ת
ʻêth
H6256
"time"
Conj | N-cs
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Definition: 1) time 1a) time (of an event) 1b) time (usual) 1c) experiences, fortunes 1d) occurrence, occasion
Usage: Occurs in 258 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. See also: Genesis 8:11; 2 Chronicles 35:17; Psalms 1:3.
לִ/בְנֽוֹת
bânâh
H1129
"to build"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
The Hebrew word bânâh means to build something, like a house or a family. It can also mean to establish or repair something, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: 1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to build, rebuild 1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be built 1b2) to be rebuilt 1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.) 1b4) established (made permanent) 1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine) Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)
Usage: Occurs in 345 OT verses. KJV: (begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 2:22; 1 Kings 8:48; 2 Chronicles 20:8.
Study Notes — Ecclesiastes 3:3
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Ecclesiastes 3:3 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Ecclesiastes 3:3
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ecclesiastes 3:3
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:3
- Trapp's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:3
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:3
- Cambridge Bible on Ecclesiastes 3:3
- Whedon's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:3
- Sermons on Ecclesiastes 3:3
Context — To Everything There Is a Season
1To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,
4a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hosea 6:1–2 | Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence. |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 2:6 | The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 45:4 | Thus Jeremiah was to say to Baruch: “This is what the LORD says: Throughout the land I will demolish what I have built and uproot what I have planted. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 31:28 | Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, to demolish, destroy, and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 32:39 | See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand. |
| 6 | Isaiah 44:26 | who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’ |
| 7 | Isaiah 5:5–6 | Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.” |
| 8 | Jeremiah 33:6 | Nevertheless, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal its people and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. |
| 9 | Daniel 9:25–27 | Know and understand this: From the issuance of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed. And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him. ” |
| 10 | Isaiah 38:5–20 | “Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended. This is a writing by Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery: I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.” I said, “I will never again see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world. My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me. I composed myself until the morning. Like a lion He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me. I chirp like a swallow or crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security.” What can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this. I will walk slowly all my years because of the anguish of my soul. O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live. Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness. The LORD will save me; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD. |
Ecclesiastes 3:3 Summary
[This verse is saying that there is a right time for everything, including difficult things like killing and breaking down, but also beautiful things like healing and building. It's a reminder that life is full of ups and downs, and that we need to trust God's sovereignty and goodness, as seen in Psalm 23:4. We need to be flexible and adaptable, and trust that God is working everything out for our good, as seen in Romans 8:28. By trusting in God's timing and sovereignty, we can find peace and rest, even in the midst of challenging circumstances.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to have a time to kill and a time to heal?
This verse is not promoting violence, but rather acknowledging that in a fallen world, there are times when difficult decisions must be made, such as in self-defense or in the context of war, as seen in Deuteronomy 20:1-4, but it also highlights the importance of healing and restoration, as seen in Psalm 107:20.
How can we know when it's time to break down and when it's time to build?
This requires discernment and wisdom, seeking God's guidance through prayer and His Word, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6, and being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, as seen in Romans 8:14.
Is this verse saying that our actions are predetermined by God?
No, this verse is not promoting fatalism, but rather emphasizing that there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven, as seen in Ecclesiastes 3:1, and that God is sovereign over all things, as seen in Psalm 103:19.
How does this verse relate to our everyday lives?
This verse reminds us that life is full of ups and downs, and that we must be flexible and adaptable, trusting in God's sovereignty and goodness, as seen in Jeremiah 29:11, and being mindful of the seasons and times in our own lives, as seen in Psalm 1:3.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I need to trust God's timing and sovereignty, and how can I practically apply this verse to those situations?
- How can I balance the need to break down and rebuild in my own life, and what role does God's guidance play in this process?
- What are some ways that I can be a part of God's healing and restoration in the world around me, and how can I partner with Him in this work?
- How can I cultivate a sense of discernment and wisdom in my life, so that I can know when it's time to take action and when it's time to wait?
- What are some ways that I can trust God's goodness and sovereignty, even in the midst of difficult or uncertain circumstances?
Gill's Exposition on Ecclesiastes 3:3
A time to kill, and a time to heal,.... A time to kill may be meant of a violent death, as a time to die is of a natural one; so the Targum, "a time to kill in war;'' or else, by the hand of the
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ecclesiastes 3:3
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to kill - namely, judicially, criminals; or, in wars of self-defense; not in malice. Out of this time and order, killing is murder.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:3
A time to kill; when a man shall die a violent death, either by chance, as , or by the sentence of the magistrate, or by the hands of murderers. A time to heal; when he who seemed to be mortally wounded shall be healed and restored. A time to break down; when houses shall be demolished, either by the fancy of the owner, or by the rage of other men, or otherwise.
Trapp's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:3
Ecclesiastes 3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;Ver. 3. A time to kill,] viz., To cut off corrupt members by the sword of justice or of war, ne pars sincera trahatur: There is a cruel mercy, saith one; There is a pious cruelty, saith another. "But cursed is he that doth the Lord’ s work negligently; and cursed is he that (in a good cause, and upon a good calling) keepeth back his sword from blood." But that soldier can never answer it before God, that striketh not more as a justice of peace than as a soldier of fortune. A time to break down, and a time to build up.] This and the rest, though every one knows to be so in common experience, yet one and the same thing (in effect) is oft repeated, that it may be once remembered - viz., that this whole world is nothing else but a mass of mutabilities; that every man, every state, everything is a planet, whose spherical revolutions are some of longer, some of shorter continuance. Omnia versantur in perpetuo ascensu et descendu, there is a perpetual ascending and descending of life and state.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:3
Verse 3. A time to kill, - heal, - break down, - build up] "The healing art, when out of season used, Pernicious proves, and serves to hasten death. But timely medicines drooping nature raise, And health restore. - Now, Justice wields her sword With wholesome rigour, nor the offender spares: But Mercy now is more expedient found. On crazy fabrics ill-timed cost bestow'd No purpose answers, when discretion bids To pull them down, and wait a season fit To build anew."
Cambridge Bible on Ecclesiastes 3:3
3. a time to kill, and a time to heal] The first group had brought together natural death and natural birth. This includes in the induction the death which man inflicts in battle or single combat, in attack or self-defence, or in administering justice, and with it the verb that includes all the resources of the healing art which can raise men from all but actual death. Here also there is an appointed order, and man’s wisdom lies in accepting it. This, rather than a fatalistic theory of Necessity, as being what man cannot, even if he will, resist, seems the thought expressed. The wise man knows when to slay and when to heal. a time to break down, and a time to build up] The grouping reminds us as before of Jer 1:10 and may possibly be extended so as to take in a figurative as well as a literal building. We may perhaps trace an allusive reference, if not to the text, yet to the thought which it expresses, in St Paul’s language in Galatians 2:18, “If I build again the things which I destroyed I make myself a transgressor.” His wisdom lay in recognising that the “fulness of time” had come for breaking down the old structure of Judaism and building up the new structure of the kingdom of God. Of the mere literal sense we have a striking illustration in the paraphrase of the words of Elisha to Gehazi (2 Kings 5:26) as given in the Christian Year. “Is this a time to plant and build,Add house to house and field to field?”
Whedon's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:3
3. A time to heal — Literally, to save. These verses give opposites, and the opposite of to kill is to save, that is, to save life.
Sermons on Ecclesiastes 3:3
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Are You a Bruised Reed? by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of God's promises and the ministry of encouragement. He references Isaiah and the Old Testament to highlight the rich promise |
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Spiritual Times and Seasons by J.C. Philpot | J.C. Philpot preaches on the vanity of all creature enjoyments and the importance of experiencing the killing and healing work of grace in the soul. Through the examples of King So |
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Unrest by Duncan Campbell | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the urgency of preaching the gospel and doing the work of God while there is still time. He shares a story about a man who had a picture of |
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God's Problem With a Soul by Alan Redpath | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the struggle of God for the soul of a nation, using the book of Hosea as a reference. He emphasizes the importance of turning to the Lord and |
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Redemptions and Creation by Art Katz | This sermon emphasizes the need for a sanctified place for God's presence, acknowledging human powerlessness and the importance of kindling faith to see God's power in times of cri |
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God's Purpose for Afflictions by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Skip leads the congregation in a study of the book of Hosea, specifically focusing on chapters five through seven. He encourages the audience to read these c |
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K-087 From Grave to Resurrection by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of resurrection and its centrality in the lives of believers. He starts by highlighting the magnitude of the issue at hand, su |