Ecclesiastes 3 · Verse 14

Ecclesiastes 3:14

I 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.
Ecclesiastes 3:14, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 3:14 in other translations

BSBI know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.
WEBI know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
ASVI know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him.
YLTI have known that all that God doth is to the age, to it nothing is to be added, and from it nothing is to be withdrawn; and God hath wrought that they do fear before Him.
DARBYI know that whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever; there is nothing to be added to it, nor anything to be taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
BBEI am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.
WebsterI know that, whatever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

What does Ecclesiastes 3:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. (1Sa 3:12; 2Sa 23:5; Psa 89:34; Mt 24:35; Jas 1:17). for ever--as opposed to man's perishing labors (Ec 2:15-18). any thing taken from it--opposed to man's "crooked and wanting" works (Ec 1:15; 7:13). The event of man's labors depends wholly on God's immutable purpose. Man's part, therefore, is to do and enjoy every earthly thing in its proper season (Ec 3:12, 13), not setting aside God's order, but observing deep reverence towards God; for the mysteriousness and unchangeableness of God's purposes are designed to lead "man to fear before Him." Man knows not the event of each act: otherwise he would think himself independent of God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever - לעולם leolam, for eternity; in reference to that grand consummation of men and things intimated in Ecc 3:11. God has produced no being that he intends ultimately to destroy. He made every thing in reference to eternity; and, however matter may be changed and refined, animal and intellectual beings shall not be deprived of their existence. The brute creation shall be restored, and all human spirits shall live for ever; the pure in a state of supreme and endless blessedness, the impure in a state of indestructible misery. Nothing can be put to it - No new order of beings, whether animate or inanimate, can be produced. God will not create more; man cannot add. Nor any thing taken from it - Nothing can be annihilated; no power but that which can create can destroy. And whatever he has done, he intended to be a means of impressing a just sense of his being, providence, mercy, and judgments, upon the souls of men. A proper consideration of God's works has a tendency to make man a religious creature; that is, to impress his mind with a sense of the existence of the Supreme Being, and the reverence that is due to him. In this sense the fear of God is frequently taken in Scripture. The Hebrew of this clause is strongly emphatic: והאלהים עשה שייראו מלפניו vehaelohim asah sheiyireu millephanaiv; "And the gods he hath done, that they might fear from before his faces." Even the doctrine of the eternal Trinity in Unity may be collected from numberless appearances in nature. A consideration of the herb trefoil is said to have been the means of fully convincing the learned Erasmus of the truth of the assertion, These Three are One: and yet three distinct. He saw the same root, the same fibres, the same pulpy substance, the same membraneous covering, the same color, the same taste, the same smell, in every part; and yet the three leaves distinct: but each and all a continuation of the stem, and proceeding from the same root. Such a fact as this may at least illustrate the doctrine. An intelligent shepherd, whom he met upon the mountains, is said to have exhibited the herb, and the illustration while discoursing on certain difficulties in the Christian faith. When a child, I heard a learned man relate this fact.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3:11-15

Every thing is as God made it; not as it appears to us. We have the world so much in our hearts, are so taken up with thoughts and cares of worldly things, that we have neither time nor spirit to see God's hand in them. The world has not only gained possession of the heart, but has formed thoughts against the beauty of God's works. We mistake if we think we were born for ourselves; no, it is our business to do good…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 3:11-15 →

Ecclesiastes 3:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

יָדַ֗עְתִּיya.Da'.tiI knowH3045
כִּ֠יkithatH3588
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherthatH834
יַעֲשֶׂ֤הya.'a.Sehhe doesH6213
הָאֱלֹהִים֙ha.'E.lo.Him<the> GodH430
ה֚וּאhu'itH1931
יִהְיֶ֣הyih.Yehit will beH1961
לְעוֹלָ֔םle.'o.Lamfor everH5769
עָלָיו֙'a.Lavto itH5921
אֵ֣ין'einnotH369
לְהוֹסִ֔יףle.ho.Sifto addH3254
וּמִמֶּ֖נּוּu.mi.Me.nuand from itH4480
אֵ֣ין'einnotH369
לִגְרֹ֑עַlig.Ro.a'to take awayH1639
וְהָאֱלֹהִ֣יםve.ha.'E.lo.Himand <the> GodH430
עָשָׂ֔ה'a.Sahhe has actedH6213
שֶׁיִּֽרְא֖וּshei.yir.'Uthat people will fearH3372
מִלְּפָנָֽיו\׃mi.le.fa.Navfrom to before himH6440

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 3:14

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • Psalms 33:11

    The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

  • Romans 11:36

    For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

  • Acts 5:39

    But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

  • Proverbs 30:6

    Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

  • Titus 1:2

    In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

  • Proverbs 21:30

    There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

  • Daniel 11:2-4

    And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.

  • Psalms 119:90-91

    Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

  • Ephesians 3:11

    According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

  • Ecclesiastes 8:12-13

    Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

  • Psalms 64:9

    And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
whatsoever.
Ps 33:11; 119:90,91; Isa 46:10; Da 4:34,35; Ac 2:23; 4:28; Ro 11:36
Eph 3:11; Tit 1:2; Jas 1:17
nothing.
Ps 76:10; Pr 19:21; 21:30; 30:6; Isa 10:12-15; Da 8:8; 11:2-4
Joh 19:10,11,28-37; Ac 5:39
God doeth it.
Ps 64:9; Isa 59:18,19; Re 15:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 3:13

    And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

  • Ecclesiastes 3:14

    I 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 3:15

    That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 3

Ecclesiastes 3:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		He entendido que todo lo que Dios hace, eso será perpetuo: sobre aquello no se añadirá, ni de ello se disminuirá; y hácelo Dios, para que delante de él teman los hombres.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		J’ai connu que tout ce que Dieu fait subsiste à toujours; il n’y a rien à y ajouter, ni rien à en retrancher; et Dieu le fait, afin que, devant lui, on craigne.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich habe erkannt, daß alles, was Gott tut, für ewig sein wird: es ist ihm nichts hinzuzufügen, und nichts davon wegzunehmen; und Gott hat es also gemacht, damit man sich vor ihm fürchte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Didici quod omnia opera quæ fecit Deus perseverent in perpetuum; non possumus eis quidquam addere, nec auferre, quæ fecit Deus ut timeatur.