Ecclesiastes 3

The original text was written in Hebrew. This chapter is divided into 22 verses.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes Codex Leningradensis (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=35-37}}{{efn|Since the anti-Jewish riots in Aleppo in 1947 the whole book has been missing from the Aleppo Codex.{{citation | author=P. W. Skehan | contribution=BIBLE (TEXTS) | title=New Catholic Encyclopedia | edition=2nd | volume=2 | publisher=Gale | year=2003 | pages=355–362}}}}

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^A; 5th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73–74}} The Greek text is probably derived from the work of Aquila of Sinope or his followers.{{sfn|Weeks|2007|p=423}}

The New King James Version divides this chapter into three sections:

• {{bibleref2|Ecclesiastes|3:1-8|NKJV}} = Everything Has Its Time
• {{bibleref2|Ecclesiastes|3:9-15|NKJV}} = The God-Given Task
• {{bibleref2|Ecclesiastes|3:16-22|NKJV}} = Injustice Seems to Prevail

The section calls to 'a view of God's sovereignty which both reassures and yet sobers' the readers, because God is in control, but it remains mysterious.{{sfn|Eaton|1994|p=612}} The NewCity Editor's Letter cites these verses as "one of the world’s earlier and best-known poems".[https://newcity.com/2018/10/25/editors-letter-november-2018/ Editor's Letter: November 2018]. Brian Hieggelke. NewCity, October 25, 2018.

:To every thing there is a season,

::A time for every purpose under the heaven:{{bibleverse|Ecclesiastes|3:1|KJV}} KJV

'There is purposefulness in life' as God always has the oversight over the seasons (cf. {{bibleverse|Psalm|31:15|KJV}}: my times are in your hands).{{sfn|Eaton|1994|p=612}}

• "Season" ({{langx|he|זְמָ֑ן}}, {{Strong-number|zə-mān|H|2165}}[https://biblehub.com/text/ecclesiastes/3-12.htm Hebrew Text Analysis: Ecclesiastes 3:12]. Biblehub.com): refers to "appointed or definite time".
• "Time" (Hebrew: {{lang|he|עת}}, {{Strong-number|‘êṯ|H|6256}}): means 'occasion',{{sfn|Eaton|1994|p=612}} 'period/season' or 'circumstances'.
• "Purpose": from Hebrew word {{lang|he|חֵפֶץ}}, {{Strong-number|chephets|H|2656}}, which can be translated as "delight" or "pleasure" (cf. {{bibleverse|Psalm|1:2|KJV}}).

{{bibleverse|Ecclesiastes|3:2-8|KJV|Verses 2-8}} give a list of times for major activities, according to God's plan. It forms a poem, where two Hebrew words are contrasted with two other Hebrew words in each verse.Chilton et al 2008 pp. 292–293 The examples are related to the body, mind and soul.Stedman, Ray C. (1999) Is This All There Is to Life? Answer from Ecclesiastes. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Discovery House Publishers. First published as "Solomon's Secret". Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press. 1985. It gives vivid illustration to the statement in verse 1 "that every action or event will come to pass", with the explanation in verse 11 that God made everything "suitable for its time".{{sfn|Weeks|2007|p=424}} The context of the poem is the lack of freedom in human life, dictated by external and natural constraints as well as no control when one is born or dies, alongside the human incapacity to discern a deeper purpose in life, while being understood as an 'affirmation of the beauty of the life that God has given to human race'.

The question in verse 9 reminds that the desired 'gain' is hard to find, becoming 'the divinely quest for meaningfulness' (verse 10), but only within the limit of human understanding (verse 11). The phrase 'I know' starts each of two sections (verses 12–13 and 14–15) to discern the question.{{sfn|Eaton|1994|p=612}}

: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.{{bibleverse|Ecclesiastes|3:11|KJV}} KJV

God who made everything suitable for its time is also the one placing a sense of past and future (lit. 'eternity') into human consciousness, although paradoxically despite knowing the reality of this eternity (transcending the moment), human beings can cope only with the moment.{{sfn|Coogan|2007|p=947 Hebrew Bible}}

:I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.{{bibleverse|Ecclesiastes|3:12|KJV}} KJV

• "To do good" (Hebrew: {{lang|he|לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת ט֖וֹב}}, {{Strong-number|la-‘ă-shōṯ|H|6213}} {{Strong-number|ṭōḇ|H|2896}}): is 'to practice a happy life', which is better expressed as 'enjoy good'.{{sfn|Eaton|1994|p=613}}

: And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.{{bibleverse|Ecclesiastes|3:13|KJV}}: KJV

Eaton sees this verse as a reminder that 'provision and contentment are gifts of God'.{{sfn|Eaton|1994|p=613}}

:That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past.{{bibleverse|Ecclesiastes|3:15|NKJV}}: NKJV

American theologian Albert Barnes notes the difficulty in reading the King James Version's text: That which hath been is now ..., which he attributes to the word "is" being "erroneously printed" in Roman characters, as it does not appear in the Hebrew: it should have been italicised as an added word, and "now" would have read better as "already",Barnes, A. (1884), [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/ecclesiastes/3.htm Barnes' Notes] on Ecclesiastes 3, accessed 16 September 2022 as in several more recent translations such as the New King James Version show above.

God as the controller uses injustices to show that without him human beings are no different from animals (verse 18), in their dying (verses 19–20), and in the appreciation they receive after death (verse 21), so as the conclusion: 'the remedy to life's enigma is to live on God's goodness'.{{sfn|Eaton|1994|p=613}}

:All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.{{bibleverse|Ecclesiastes|3:20|KJV}} KJV

• Vier ernste Gesänge, a cycle of four songs for bass and piano by Johannes Brahms written in 1896; the first part is taken from {{bibleverse|Ecclesiastes|3:19–22|KJV}}.{{cite web| last = Palmer| first = John| year = 2012| title = Vier ernste Gesänge (4), for voice & piano (Four Serious Songs), Op. 121| publisher= Allmusic| url = http://www.allmusic.com/work/vier-ernste-gesnge-4-for-voice--piano-four-serious-songs-op-121-c40214| access-date = 21 April 2012}}
• The first phrase of verse 11 becomes an inspiration for the popular hymn "In His Time, in His Time" (song and lyrics by Diane Ball in 1978).[https://hymnary.org/text/in_his_time_in_his_time "In his time, in his time"]. Hymnary.org
• "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)", a song written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s, which the Byrds scored a 1965 hit with. The lyrics, except for the title which is repeated throughout the song and the final two lines, are adapted word-for-word from the English King James Version of {{sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Ecclesiastes|chapter=3|verse=1|range=-8}}.{{cite web | title=King Solomon's Writings|publisher=United Church of God: An International Association|url= https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-study-course/bible-study-course-lesson-2/king-solomons-writings| access-date =2009-08-21}} The song became an international hit in late 1965 when it was covered by the American folk rock band The Byrds.{{cite web|title=Turn! Turn! Turn! – Byrds Version|publisher=Allmusic|url={{Allmusic| class =song|id=t2736425| pure_url=yes}} |access-date=2009-07-30}} In the U.S., the song holds distinction as the number one hit with the oldest lyrics.{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/pete-seeger-s-role-in-ending-israeli-house-demolitions-1.4618|title=Pete Seeger's role in ending Israeli house demolitions |last=Hasson|first=Nir| date=2009-11-08|publisher=Haaretz |access-date=2009-11-08 |quote=The lyrics of the song "Turn, Turn, Turn" are the words of King Solomon from the book of Ecclesiastes. "All around the world, songs are being written that use old public domain material, and I think it's only fair that some of the money from the songs go to the country or place of origin, even though the composer may be long dead or unknown," Seeger said in an interview with Acoustic Guitar magazine in 2002, "With 'Turn, Turn, Turn' I wanted to send 45 percent, because [in addition to the music] I did write six words and one more word repeated three times, so I figured I'd keep five percent of the royalties for the words. I was going to send it to London, where I am sure the committee that oversees the use of the King James version exists, and they probably could use a little cash. But then I realized, why not send it to where the words were originally written?"}}

• Related Bible parts: Ecclesiastes 8, Romans 2

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|editor-first1=Bruce| editor-last1=Chilton| title= The Cambridge Companion to the Bible | editor-first2= Howard Clark| editor-last2= Kee | editor-first3= Eric M. | editor-last3= Meyers | editor-first4= John | editor-last4= Rogerson| editor-first5= Amy-Jill| editor-last5= Levine | editor-first6= Anthony J.| editor-last6= Saldarini|edition= 2nd| publisher= Cambridge University Press| date= 2008| isbn= 9780521691406}}
• {{cite book|last= Coogan|first = Michael David| author-link= Michael D. Coogan |title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48

|editor-last1=Coogan |editor-first1=Michael David |editor-first2=Marc Zvi |editor-last2= Brettler |editor-first3=Carol Ann |editor-last3= Newsom|editor-first4= Pheme |editor-last4= Perkins|edition=Augmented 3rd |publisher = Oxford University Press |year =2007 |isbn = 9780195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}}

• {{cite book|last= Eaton| first= Michael A. | chapter= Ecclesiastes| editor-last=Carson |editor-first=D. A. |title=New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition| editor-link= D. A. Carson| editor-last2= France |editor-first2= R. T. | editor2-link= R. T. France |editor-first3=J. A. |editor-last3= Motyer | editor3-link = J. Alec Motyer| editor-first4= G. J. |editor-last4= Wenham | editor4-link = Gordon Wenham| edition=4, illustrated, reprint, revised| publisher= Inter-Varsity Press | date= 1994| isbn = 9780851106489 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uveHQgAACAAJ |pages= 609–618}}
• {{cite book|last= Halley| first= Henry H.| author-link= Henry Hampton Halley| title= Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary |edition=24th (revised)|publisher= Zondervan Publishing House |date= 1965 |url= https://archive.org/details/halleysbiblehand00henr |url-access= registration| isbn= 0-310-25720-4}}
• {{cite book|last= Weeks | first= Stuart |chapter = 20. Ecclesiastes | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John| editor-last1=Barton |editor1-link = John Barton (theologian) | editor-first2=John| editor-last2= Muddiman |editor2-link = John Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press |edition= first (paperback) | date = 2007 | pages = 423–429 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ| access-date=February 6, 2019}}
• {{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | author-link = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year= 1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes |isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

• {{cite journal |last1=Brisson |first1=E. Carson |title=Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 |journal=Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology |date=2001 |volume=55 |issue=3 |pages=292–295 |doi=10.1177/002096430005500307|s2cid=163117150 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Blenkinsopp |first1=Joseph |title=Ecclesiastes 3.1-15: Another Interpretation |journal=Journal for the Study of the Old Testament |date=1995 |volume=20 |issue=66 |pages=55–64 |doi=10.1177/030908929502006603|s2cid=171050024 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Jarick |first1=John |title=The Hebrew Book of Changes: Reflections on Hakkōl Hebel and Lakkōl Zemān in Ecclesiastes |journal=Journal for the Study of the Old Testament |date=2000 |volume=25 |issue=90 |pages=79–99 |doi=10.1177/030908920002509006|s2cid=170509074 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=GREENWOOD |first1=KYLE R. |title=Debating Wisdom: The Role of Voice in Ecclesiastes |journal=The Catholic Biblical Quarterly |date=2012 |volume=74 |issue=3 |pages=476–491 |jstor=43727985 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43727985 |issn=0008-7912}}
• {{cite book |last1=Crenshaw |first1=James L. |title=Ecclesiastes: A Commentary |date=1987 |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |isbn=978-0-664-22803-3 |language=en}}
• {{cite book |last1=Fox |first1=Michael V. |title=The JPS Bible Commentary: Ecclesiastes |date=2004 |publisher=Jewish Publication Society |isbn=978-0-8276-0965-5 |language=en}}
• {{cite book |last1=Longman |first1=Tremper |title=The Book of Ecclesiastes |date=1998 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |isbn=978-0-8028-2366-3 |language=en}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Dell |first1=Katharine |title=The Cycle of Life in Ecclesiastes |journal=Vetus Testamentum |date=2009 |volume=59 |issue=2 |pages=181–189 |doi=10.1163/156853309X413372}}
• {{cite journal|title=A Note on the Exegesis of Ecclesiastes 3 15b|author=Salters, R B.|journal=Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft|volume=88|issue= 3|date=1976|pages=419–|id={{ProQuest|1818010}}}}

{{wikisource|Ecclesiastes (Bible)|Ecclesiastes}}

{{wiktionary|Ecclesiastes}}

• Jewish translations:
• [https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16464/jewish/Chapter-3.htm Kohelet – Ecclesiastes - Chapter 3 (Judaica Press)] translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
• [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Ecclesiastes+3 Online Bible at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=25&chapter=3&version=9 Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 King James Version]
• {{librivox book | title=Ecclesiastes}} Various versions

{{Ecclesiastes}}

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