The big picture
Ecclesiastes 3 opens in verse 1 with “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their…”, and closes in verse 22 with “Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his…” Repeated or prominent terms include time, thing, befalleth, good, heart. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ecclesiastes · King James Version · 22Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
1–8: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the…
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 opens with “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” and reaches “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ordinary human times of birth, death, planting, uprooting, weeping, laughing, mourning, and dancing, with particular weight carried by time, keep, stones.
Context that brings the passage to life
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” The line’s distinctive content terms include heaven, purpose, season. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;” The line’s distinctive content terms include time, break, build. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
King James Version1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
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;
6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-16
9–16: What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
Ecclesiastes 3:9–16 opens with “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?” and reaches “And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ordinary human times of birth, death, planting, uprooting, weeping, laughing, mourning, and dancing, with particular weight carried by good, doeth, know.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“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 verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-16
King James Version9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11He 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.
12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
Ecclesiastes 3:17-22
17–22: I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for…
Ecclesiastes 3:17–22 opens with “I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there…” and reaches “Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ordinary human times of birth, death, planting, uprooting, weeping, laughing, mourning, and dancing, with particular weight carried by befalleth, beast, beasts.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Ecclesiastes 3:17-22
King James Version17I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ecclesiastes 3:1 begins with “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
Where the chapter turns
Ecclesiastes 3:9 forms a natural hinge: “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?”
The final note
Ecclesiastes 3:22 leaves the reader with “Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words time, thing, befalleth, good, heart, place help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does blame move through the conversation?
The man points to the woman and indirectly to God; the woman points to the serpent. Neither response repairs trust.
Where does mercy appear?
Continued life, the promise involving offspring, and clothing accompany the expulsion.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- hath
- has
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.