Ecclesiastes 9 · Verse 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.
Ecclesiastes 9:2, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 9:2 in other translations

BSBIt 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.
WEBAll 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.
ASVAll 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.
YLTThe 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.
DARBYAll things come alike to all: 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; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
BBEBecause 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.
WebsterAll 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.

What does Ecclesiastes 9:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. All things ... alike--not universally; but as to death. Ec 9:2-10 are made by Holden the objection of a skeptical sensualist. However, they may be explained as Solomon's language. He repeats the sentiment already implied in Ec 2:14; 3:20; 8:14. one event--not eternally; but death is common to all. good--morally. clean--ceremonially. sacrificeth--alike to Josiah who sacrificed to God, and to Ahab who made sacrifice to Him cease. sweareth--rashly and falsely.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
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 favor 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:1-3

Good and bad men fare alike as to this world. (Eccl. 9:1-3) All men must die, Their portion as to this life. (Eccl. 9:4-10) Disappointments common. (Eccl. 9:11,12) Benefits of wisdom. (Eccl. 9:13-18) Verses 1-3 We are not to think our searching into the word or works of God useless, because we cannot explain all difficulties. We may learn many things good for ourselves and useful to others. But man cannot always…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 9:1-3 →

Ecclesiastes 9:2 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.

הַכֹּ֞לha.Kol<the> allH3605
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רka.'a.Sher[is] just asH834
לַכֹּ֗לla.Kolfor <the> allH3605
מִקְרֶ֨הmik.RehfateH4745
אֶחָ֜ד'e.ChadoneH259
לַצַּדִּ֤יקla.tza.Dik[belongs] to the righteousH6662
וְלָרָשָׁע֙ve.la.ra.Sha'and to the wickedH7563
לַטּוֹב֙la.tOvto the goodH2896
וְלָרַעve.la.Ra'and to the evilH7451
וְלַטָּה֣וֹרve.la.ta.Horand to the cleanH2889
וְלַטָּמֵ֔אve.la.ta.Me'and to the uncleanH2931
וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַve.la.zo.Ve.achand to the [one who] sacrificesH2076
וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖רve.la.'a.Sherand to [one] whoH834
אֵינֶ֣נּוּ'ei.Ne.nunot heH369
זֹבֵ֑חַzo.Ve.ach[is] sacrificingH2076
כַּטּוֹב֙ka.tOvas the good [person]H2896
כַּֽחֹטֶ֔אka.cho.Te'as the sinnerH2398
הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕עha.nish.Ba'the [one who] swears an oathH7650
כַּאֲשֶׁ֖רka.'a.Sherjust asH834
שְׁבוּעָ֥הshe.vu.'Ahan oathH7621
יָרֵֽא\׃ya.Re'[one] fearingH3373

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 9:2

  • Malachi 3:18

    Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:14-16

    The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

  • Job 9:22

    This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

  • Psalms 73:3

    For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

  • Malachi 3:5

    And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Malachi 3:15

    And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

  • Ecclesiastes 7:2

    It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

  • Job 21:7-34

    Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. …

  • Genesis 24:8-9

    And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

  • Ecclesiastes 8:12-14

    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. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:26

    For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Joshua 2:17-20

    And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
alike.
2:14-16; Job 21:7-34; Ps 73:3; Mal 3:15
as is.
2:26; 7:18; 8:12-14
feareth.
Ge 24:3,8,9; Jos 2:17-20; 1Sa 14:26; Eze 17:18,19; Zec 5:3,4
Mal 3:5,18

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

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 9:1

    For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:3

    This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 9

Ecclesiastes 9:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Todo acontece de la misma manera á todos: un mismo suceso ocurre al justo y al impío; al bueno y al limpio y al no limpio; al que sacrifica, y al que no sacrifica: como el bueno, así el que peca; el que jura, como el que teme el juramento.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tout arrive également à tous: un même événement au juste et au méchant, au bon et au pur, et à l’impur, à celui qui sacrifie et à celui qui ne sacrifie pas; comme l’homme de bien, ainsi le pécheur; celui qui jure, comme celui qui craint le serment.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Alles ist gleicherweise für alle:einerlei Geschick für den Gerechten und den Gesetzlosen, für den Guten und den Reinen und den Unreinen, und für den, der opfert, und den, der nicht opfert: wie der Gute, so der Sünder, der, welcher schwört, wie der, welcher den Eid fürchtet.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sed omnia in futurum servantur incerta, eo quod universa æque eveniant justo et impio, bono et malo, mundo et immundo, immolanti victimas et sacrificia contemnenti. Sicut bonus, sic et peccator; ut perjurus, ita et ille qui verum dejerat.