Ecclesiastes 9:2
Ecclesiastes 9:2 in Multiple Translations
It 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.
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.
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.
Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.
Yet we all share the same destiny—those who do right, those who do evil, the good, the religiously-observant and those that are not, those who sacrifice and those who don't. Those who do good are as those who sin, those who make vows to God are as those who don't.
All things come alike to all: and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted, and to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner, he that sweareth, as he that feareth an othe.
The whole [is] as to the whole; one event is to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, and to him who is sacrificing, and to him who is not sacrificing; as [is] the good, so [is] the sinner, he who is swearing as he who is fearing an oath.
All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.
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.
But all things are kept uncertain for the time to come, because all things equally happen to the just and to the wicked, to the good and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him that offereth victims, and to him that despiseth sacrifices. As the good is, so also is the sinner: as the perjured, so he also that sweareth truth.
But we know that some time in the future we will all die; it does not matter whether we act righteously or wickedly, whether we are good or whether we are bad, whether we are acceptable for worshiping God or whether we have done things to cause us to be unacceptable; it does not matter if we offer sacrifices to God or if we do not; it does not matter if we do what we have promised God that we will do or if we do not; we all die. The same thing will happen to good people and to sinful people, to those who solemnly promise to do things for God and to those who are afraid to make such promises.
Berean Amplified Bible — Ecclesiastes 9:2
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 9:2 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
הַ/כֹּ֞ל
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֣ר
לַ/כֹּ֗ל
מִקְרֶ֨ה
אֶחָ֜ד
לַ/צַּדִּ֤יק
וְ/לָ/רָשָׁע֙
לַ/טּוֹב֙
וְ/לַ/טָּה֣וֹר
וְ/לַ/טָּמֵ֔א
וְ/לַ/זֹּבֵ֔חַ
וְ/לַ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר
אֵינֶ֣/נּוּ
זֹבֵ֑חַ
כַּ/טּוֹב֙
כַּֽ/חֹטֶ֔א
הַ/נִּשְׁבָּ֕ע
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר
שְׁבוּעָ֥ה
יָרֵֽא
הַ/כֹּ֞ל
kôl
H3605
all
Art | N-ms
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֣ר
ʼăsher
H834
which
Prep | Rel
לַ/כֹּ֗ל
kôl
H3605
all
Prep | N-ms
מִקְרֶ֨ה
miqreh
H4745
accident
N-ms
אֶחָ֜ד
ʼechâd
H259
one
Adj
לַ/צַּדִּ֤יק
tsaddîyq
H6662
righteous
Prep | Adj
וְ/לָ/רָשָׁע֙
râshâʻ
H7563
wicked
Conj | Prep | Adj
לַ/טּוֹב֙
ṭôwb
H2896
pleasant
Prep | Adj
וְ/לַ/טָּה֣וֹר
ṭâhôwr
H2889
pure
Conj | Prep | Adj
וְ/לַ/טָּמֵ֔א
ṭâmêʼ
H2931
unclean
Conj | Prep | Adj
וְ/לַ/זֹּבֵ֔חַ
zâbach
H2076
to sacrifice
Conj | Prep | V-Qal
וְ/לַ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר
ʼăsher
H834
which
Conj | Prep | Rel
אֵינֶ֣/נּוּ
ʼayin
H369
nothing
Part | Suff
זֹבֵ֑חַ
zâbach
H2076
to sacrifice
V-Qal
כַּ/טּוֹב֙
ṭôwb
H2896
pleasant
Prep | Adj
כַּֽ/חֹטֶ֔א
châṭâʼ
H2398
to sin
Prep | V-Qal
הַ/נִּשְׁבָּ֕ע
shâbaʻ
H7650
to swear
Art | V-Niphal
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר
ʼăsher
H834
which
Prep | Rel
שְׁבוּעָ֥ה
shᵉbûwʻâh
H7621
oath
N-fs
יָרֵֽא
yârêʼ
H3372
to fear
V-Qal
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 9:2
הַ/כֹּ֞ל
kôl
H3605
"all"
Art | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֣ר
ʼăsher
H834
"which"
Prep | Rel
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when
Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.
לַ/כֹּ֗ל
kôl
H3605
"all"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
מִקְרֶ֨ה
miqreh
H4745
"accident"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means an unexpected event or accident, like something that happens by chance. It appears in the Bible to describe an unforeseen meeting or occurrence, as seen in various KJV translations. It is used to convey a sense of surprise or coincidence.
Definition: 1) unforeseen meeting or event, accident, happening, chance, fortune 1a) accident, chance 1b) fortune, fate
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: something befallen, befalleth, chance, event, hap(-peneth). See also: Ruth 2:3; Ecclesiastes 2:15; Ecclesiastes 9:3.
אֶחָ֜ד
ʼechâd
H259
"one"
Adj
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Definition: 1) one (number) 1a) one (number) 1b) each, every 1c) a certain 1d) an (indefinite article) 1e) only, once, once for all 1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one 1g) first 1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
Usage: Occurs in 739 OT verses. KJV: a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together, See also: Genesis 1:5; Exodus 36:26; Numbers 7:70.
לַ/צַּדִּ֤יק
tsaddîyq
H6662
"righteous"
Prep | Adj
Means being just or righteous, as seen in government, personal conduct, or character, often describing someone made right with God. It appears in descriptions of King David and other biblical leaders. The concept is central to the Bible's teachings on morality and ethics.
Definition: 1) just, lawful, righteous 1a) just, righteous (in government) 1b) just, right (in one's cause) 1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character) 1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God) 1e) right, correct, lawful
Usage: Occurs in 197 OT verses. KJV: just, lawful, righteous (man). See also: Genesis 6:9; Proverbs 10:31; Psalms 1:5.
וְ/לָ/רָשָׁע֙
râshâʻ
H7563
"wicked"
Conj | Prep | Adj
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Definition: 1) wicked, criminal 1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst) 1b) wicked (hostile to God) 1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Usage: Occurs in 248 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong. See also: Genesis 18:23; Psalms 101:8; Psalms 1:1.
לַ/טּוֹב֙
ṭôwb
H2896
"pleasant"
Prep | Adj
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means good or welfare, describing something that is beneficial or pleasing, like a good deed or a happy time. It is used in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms. This word is often translated as 'good' or 'beautiful'.
Definition: adj 1) good, pleasant, agreeable 1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses) 1b) pleasant (to the higher nature) 1c) good, excellent (of its kind) 1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation 1e) good, appropriate, becoming 1f) better (comparative) 1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature) 1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature) 1i) good, kind, benign 1j) good, right (ethical) Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)
Usage: Occurs in 521 OT verses. KJV: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant, [phrase] pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favoured). See also: Genesis 1:4; Ruth 2:22; 2 Chronicles 3:8.
וְ/לַ/טָּה֣וֹר
ṭâhôwr
H2889
"pure"
Conj | Prep | Adj
Tahor means pure or clean, and can refer to physical, moral, or ceremonial purity. In the Bible, it describes clean animals and morally upright people. It is often used to describe something as fair or pure.
Definition: 1) pure, clean 1a) clean (ceremonially-of animals) 1b) pure (physically) 1c) pure, clean (morally, ethically)
Usage: Occurs in 86 OT verses. KJV: clean, fair, pure(-ness). See also: Genesis 7:2; Leviticus 13:40; Psalms 12:7.
וְ/לַ/טָּמֵ֔א
ṭâmêʼ
H2931
"unclean"
Conj | Prep | Adj
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to be unclean in a spiritual sense, often due to sin or impurity, as seen in Leviticus. It can refer to people, places, or things. The concept is key to understanding biblical purity laws.
Definition: 1) unclean, impure 1a) ethically and religiously 1b) ritually 1c) of places
Usage: Occurs in 78 OT verses. KJV: defiled, [phrase] infamous, polluted(-tion), unclean. See also: Leviticus 5:2; Numbers 9:6; Isaiah 6:5.
וְ/לַ/זֹּבֵ֔חַ
zâbach
H2076
"to sacrifice"
Conj | Prep | V-Qal
To sacrifice means to slaughter an animal, usually for a religious offering, as seen in the Bible's instructions for worship. This term is used in many contexts, including sacrifices for eating or in divine judgment. It's often translated as 'kill' or 'offer' in the KJV.
Definition: 1) to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to slaughter for sacrifice 1a2) to slaughter for eating 1a3) to slaughter in divine judgment 1b) (Piel) to sacrifice, offer sacrifice Aramaic equivalent: de.vach (דְּבַח "to sacrifice" H1684)
Usage: Occurs in 127 OT verses. KJV: kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay. See also: Genesis 31:54; 1 Kings 8:62; Psalms 4:6.
וְ/לַ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר
ʼăsher
H834
"which"
Conj | Prep | Rel
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when
Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.
אֵינֶ֣/נּוּ
ʼayin
H369
"nothing"
Part | Suff
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Definition: 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן). See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 14:27; 1 Kings 15:22.
זֹבֵ֑חַ
zâbach
H2076
"to sacrifice"
V-Qal
To sacrifice means to slaughter an animal, usually for a religious offering, as seen in the Bible's instructions for worship. This term is used in many contexts, including sacrifices for eating or in divine judgment. It's often translated as 'kill' or 'offer' in the KJV.
Definition: 1) to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to slaughter for sacrifice 1a2) to slaughter for eating 1a3) to slaughter in divine judgment 1b) (Piel) to sacrifice, offer sacrifice Aramaic equivalent: de.vach (דְּבַח "to sacrifice" H1684)
Usage: Occurs in 127 OT verses. KJV: kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay. See also: Genesis 31:54; 1 Kings 8:62; Psalms 4:6.
כַּ/טּוֹב֙
ṭôwb
H2896
"pleasant"
Prep | Adj
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means good or welfare, describing something that is beneficial or pleasing, like a good deed or a happy time. It is used in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms. This word is often translated as 'good' or 'beautiful'.
Definition: adj 1) good, pleasant, agreeable 1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses) 1b) pleasant (to the higher nature) 1c) good, excellent (of its kind) 1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation 1e) good, appropriate, becoming 1f) better (comparative) 1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature) 1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature) 1i) good, kind, benign 1j) good, right (ethical) Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)
Usage: Occurs in 521 OT verses. KJV: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant, [phrase] pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favoured). See also: Genesis 1:4; Ruth 2:22; 2 Chronicles 3:8.
כַּֽ/חֹטֶ֔א
châṭâʼ
H2398
"to sin"
Prep | V-Qal
To sin means to miss the mark or go wrong, incurring guilt or penalty, and can also mean to repent or make amends. It is used in the Bible to describe wrongdoing and its consequences.
Definition: 1) to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to miss 1a2) to sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty 1a3) to incur guilt, incur penalty by sin, forfeit 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to bear loss 1b2) to make a sin-offering 1b3) to purify from sin 1b4) to purify from uncleanness 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to miss the mark 1c2) to induce to sin, cause to sin 1c3) to bring into guilt or condemnation or punishment 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to miss oneself, lose oneself, wander from the way 1d2) to purify oneself from uncleanness
Usage: Occurs in 220 OT verses. KJV: bear the blame, cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass. See also: Genesis 20:6; 1 Kings 15:34; Psalms 4:5.
הַ/נִּשְׁבָּ֕ע
shâbaʻ
H7650
"to swear"
Art | V-Niphal
This Hebrew word means to swear an oath, like making a promise or vow. In the Bible, it is used when someone is making a serious promise, often with God as a witness. The KJV translates it as adjure or take an oath.
Definition: 1) to swear, adjure 1a) (Qal) sworn (participle) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to swear, take an oath 1b2) to swear (of Jehovah by Himself) 1b3) to curse 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to take an oath 1c2) to adjure
Usage: Occurs in 175 OT verses. KJV: adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for H7646 (שָׂבַע)), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear. See also: Genesis 21:23; Judges 21:18; Psalms 15:4.
כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר
ʼăsher
H834
"which"
Prep | Rel
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when
Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.
שְׁבוּעָ֥ה
shᵉbûwʻâh
H7621
"oath"
N-fs
This word means an oath or curse, like a promise or vow. In the Bible, it appears in Numbers 5:21 and Deuteronomy 29:12, referring to God's oath. The KJV translates it as 'oath' or 'curse'.
Definition: 1) oath, curse 1a) oath 1a1) attesting of innocence 1a2) curse 1b) oath (of Jehovah)
Usage: Occurs in 29 OT verses. KJV: curse, oath, [idiom] sworn. See also: Genesis 24:8; 2 Samuel 21:7; Psalms 105:9.
יָרֵֽא
yârêʼ
H3372
"to fear"
V-Qal
This Hebrew word means to fear or revere, and is used to describe being afraid or standing in awe of something, like God's power. It appears in the Bible to convey a sense of respect or reverence. In the KJV, it's translated as 'affright' or 'reverence'.
Definition: : frightening(DANGER) 1) to fear, revere, be afraid 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to fear, be afraid 1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed 1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared 1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe 1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe 1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify 2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour
Usage: Occurs in 318 OT verses. KJV: affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing). See also: Genesis 3:10; 1 Samuel 12:18; Psalms 3:7.
Study Notes — Ecclesiastes 9:2
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Context — Death Comes to Good and Bad
1So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.
2It 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.
3This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead. 4There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malachi 3:18 | So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” |
| 2 | Ecclesiastes 2:14–16 | The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both. So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile. For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool! |
| 3 | 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 laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts. |
| 4 | Job 9:22 | It is all the same, and so I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ |
| 5 | Psalms 73:3 | For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. |
| 6 | Malachi 3:15 | So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’” |
| 7 | Ecclesiastes 2:26 | To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. |
| 8 | Ecclesiastes 7:18 | It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings. |
| 9 | Ecclesiastes 8:12–14 | Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence. Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow. There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile. |
| 10 | Ecclesiastes 6:6 | even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? |
Ecclesiastes 9:2 Summary
[Ecclesiastes 9:2 is saying that in this life, both good and bad people can experience similar things, like death and hardship, but this doesn't mean that God doesn't care or that He's not just. As stated in Romans 8:28, God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, and as stated in Psalm 73:17, our trust and hope are in God's goodness and justice. We can trust that God is sovereign and just, and that He will ultimately make everything right (Psalm 37:1-7).]
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ecclesiastes 9:2 mean that God treats the righteous and wicked the same?
No, Ecclesiastes 9:2 is not saying that God treats the righteous and wicked the same, but rather that in this life, they often experience similar outcomes, as seen in the verse, but ultimately, God will judge each person according to their deeds, as stated in Romans 2:6 and Revelation 20:12-13.
Is the author of Ecclesiastes saying that it doesn't matter how we live our lives?
The author is not saying that our actions have no consequences, but rather that in this life, the righteous and wicked may experience similar circumstances, but as stated in Psalm 73:17, our trust and hope are in God's goodness and justice, which will be fully revealed in the end.
What does it mean that 'there is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked'?
This phrase means that in this life, both the righteous and wicked will experience death and other common human experiences, but as stated in Hebrews 9:27, the ultimate fate of each person will be determined by their relationship with God, and not by their earthly experiences.
How can we trust God when it seems like the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer?
We can trust God because He is sovereign and just, and as stated in Psalm 37:1-7 and Jeremiah 29:11, He has a plan to prosper us and give us hope, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I have seen the righteous and wicked experience similar outcomes in life, and how has this affected my faith?
- How can I trust God's goodness and justice when it seems like the wicked are prospering and the righteous are suffering?
- In what ways can I live my life in a way that honors God, even when it seems like my actions may not have immediate consequences?
- How can I balance the reality of Ecclesiastes 9:2 with the promise of Psalm 37:1-7, which says that God will prosper the righteous?
Gill's Exposition on Ecclesiastes 9:2
All [things come] alike to all,.... That is, all outward things in this life, good and bad men share in alike; which proves that neither love nor hatred can be known by them: so the emperor Mark
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ecclesiastes 9:2
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
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:2
All things come alike to all; the good and evil things of this world do equally happen to good and bad men. The clean; either, 1. Morally clean or holy men. Or, 2. Legally, who made conscience of keeping himself pure from all legal defilements, according to the law then in force, and consequently from all other sins upon the same ground. That sacrificeth; that worshippeth God sincerely, though it be to his cost. As is the good, so is the sinner, as to all outward things. That sweareth, to wit, customarily, unnecessarily, rashly, without due consideration and reverence, or falsely and wickedly. For otherwise that some swearing was then allowed, and in some cases required, none do or can deny. That feareth an oath; who is afraid of offending God, or abusing his name, by vain, or rash, or false oaths.
Trapp's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:2
Ecclesiastes 9:2 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.Ver. 2. All things come alike to all.] Health, wealth, honours, &c., are cast upon good men and bad men promiscuously. God makes a scatter of them, as it were; good men gather them, bad men scramble for them. The whole Turkish empire, saith Luther, is nothing else but a crust cast by heaven’ s great housekeeper to his dogs. And he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.] No surer sign of a profane person, than common and customary swearing. Neither any so good an evidence of a gracious heart, as not only to forbear it, for so one may do by education, and civil conversation, but to "fear an oath" out of an awful regard to the Divine Majesty. Plato and other heathens shall rise up and condemn our common swearers; for they, when they would swear, said no more but Ex animi sententia, or if they would swear by their Jupiter, out of the mere dread and reverence of his name, they forbare to mention him. Clinias the Pythagorean, out of this regard, would rather undergo a mulct of three talents, than swear. The Merindolians, those ancient French Protestants, were known by this through all the country of Provence, that they would not swear, nor easily be brought to take an oath, except it were in judgment, or making some solemn covenant. Nihil est nisi mica panis.
Suidas. Acts and Mon., 865.
Ellicott's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:2
(2) He that sweareth.—Zechariah 5:3.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:2
Verse 2. 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 favour individual cases. Nor does he design that his approbation or disapprobation shall be shown by any of these occurrences. Every holy man has a testimony of God's approbation in his own heart; and this makes him truly happy, let outward things be as they may. And, in general, what the wicked suffer is the fruit of their own doings. But the general state of nature as to what are called natural evils, is just as it ought to be. There is evil enough to show that man has fallen from God, and good enough to show that God deals with him in mercy. I cannot see that there is any rational cause for me to stumble at the dispensations of Divine Providence on these accounts.
Cambridge Bible on Ecclesiastes 9:2
2. All things come alike to all] As before, the seeker sees no order or purpose in the chances and changes of life. Earthquakes, pestilences, tempests make no discrimination between good and evil. As with the melancholy emphasis of iteration, the various forms of contrasted characters are grouped together. “The righteous and the wicked” point to men’s conduct relative to their neighbours, the “good and pure” (the first word is probably added to shew that a moral and not merely a ceremonial purity is meant) to what we call “self-regarding” actions, the self-reverence of purity in act and thought. “Sacrifice” is the outward expression of man’s relation to God. “The good” and “the sinner” are wider in their range and express the totality of character. The last group is not without difficulty. As commonly interpreted, “he that sweareth” is the man who swears falsely or rashly, as in Zechariah 5:3, he “that feareth an oath” is either the man who looks on its obligation with a solemn awe, or one whose communication is Yea, yea, Nay, nay, and who shrinks in reverential awe from any formal use of the Divine Name. On this view, the words probably point to the tendency of thought which was developed in the teaching of the Essenes, who placed every oath on the same level as perjury (Jos. Wars, ii. 8, § 6), and was in part sanctioned in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:33-37). It may be noted, however, that in all the other groups, the good side is placed first, and I do not feel quite sure that it is not so in this case also. The man “that sweareth” may be he who does what most religious Jews held to be their duty, truthfully and well (comp Deuteronomy 6:13; Isaiah 65:16; Psalms 63:11), he who “fears the oath,” may be the man whose “coward conscience” makes him shrink from the oath either of compurgation on the part of an accused person (comp.
Aristot. Rhet. i. 27), or of testimony. The former was in frequent use in Jewish as in Greek trials. Comp. Exodus 22:10-11; 1 Kings 8:31; 2 Chronicles 6:22; Numbers 5:19-22. It may be added that this view agrees better with the language about “the oath of God” in ch. Ecclesiastes 5:2.
Barnes' Notes on Ecclesiastes 9:2
Event - See Ecclesiastes 2:14 note. Sweareth - i. e., Swears lightly or profanely.
Whedon's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:2
2. All things come alike to all — Hebrew, Both come just so to all; to the good and to all others; that is, come from no possible foresight of any.
Sermons on Ecclesiastes 9:2
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The Last Day Return to Discernment - Part 2 by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of unity and agreement among believers. He quotes from Psalm 50:22, warning those who forget God that they will face conseque |
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Epistle 51 by George Fox | George Fox emphasizes the significance of the cross in overcoming the carnal nature, which is the source of falsehood and seduction. He explains that embracing the cross leads to a |
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Epistle 44 by George Fox | George Fox preaches about the importance of waiting upon the unlimited power and spirit of the Lord to experience unity, crucify the flesh, mortify evil desires, and put off sin. H |
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Epistle 46 by George Fox | George Fox emphasizes the importance of unity in the light of Christ, urging all believers to walk in this light which leads to repentance and oneness in faith. He warns against th |
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God Changeth Not by Joshua Daniel | In this sermon, Joshua Daniel discusses the need for a revival of faith and a return to God's unchanging truth. He emphasizes that while God and the gospel remain constant, it is o |
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I Am the God That Changeth Not by Joshua Daniel | In this sermon, Joshua Daniel emphasizes the importance of recognizing our accountability to God. He warns that without the blessing of God and the guidance of His Word, we are los |
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A Cry Against Wicked Youth! by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson delivers a powerful sermon titled 'A Cry Against Wicked Youth!' where he draws parallels between the wickedness of Nineveh and the moral decline of modern youth. He |