Ecclesiastes 3:2
New International Version
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

New Living Translation
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.

English Standard Version
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

Berean Standard Bible
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

King James Bible
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

New King James Version
A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

New American Standard Bible
A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

NASB 1995
A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

NASB 1977
A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.

Legacy Standard Bible
A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

Amplified Bible
A time to be born and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

Christian Standard Bible
a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot;

American Standard Version
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A time to be born and a time to die, the time to plant and the time to uproot the plant

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A time of birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;

Contemporary English Version
There is a time for birth and death, planting and reaping,

Douay-Rheims Bible
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

English Revised Version
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pull out what was planted,

Good News Translation
He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up,

International Standard Version
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

JPS Tanakh 1917
A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Literal Standard Version
A time to bring forth, | And a time to die. A time to plant, | And a time to eradicate the planted.

Majority Standard Bible
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

New American Bible
A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

NET Bible
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;

New Revised Standard Version
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

New Heart English Bible
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Webster's Bible Translation
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

World English Bible
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Young's Literal Translation
A time to bring forth, And a time to die. A time to plant, And a time to eradicate the planted.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
To Everything There is a Season
1To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: 2a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,…

Cross References
Hebrews 9:27
Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,

Job 14:5
Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,


Treasury of Scripture

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

time to be born

Genesis 17:21
But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

Genesis 21:1,2
And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken…

1 Samuel 2:5
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

and a time

Genesis 47:29
And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:

Numbers 20:24-28
Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah…

Numbers 27:12-14
And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel…

Jump to Previous
Birth Born Death Die Forth Plant Planted Planting Pluck Time Uproot Uprooting
Jump to Next
Birth Born Death Die Forth Plant Planted Planting Pluck Time Uproot Uprooting
Ecclesiastes 3
1. by the necessary change of times, vanity is added to human travail
11. is an excellence in God's works
16. as for man, God shall judge his works hereafter, though here he be like a beast














(2) The list of times and seasons is ranged in Hebrew MSS. and printed books in two parallel columns.

A time to die.--Job 14:5.

Verse 2. - A time to be born, and a time to die. Throughout the succeeding catalogue marked contrasts are exhibited in pairs, beginning with the entrance and close of life, the rest of the list being occupied with events and circumstances which intervene between those two extremities. The words rendered, "a time to be born," might more naturally mean "a time to bear;" καιρὸς τοῦ τεκεῖν, Septuagint; as the verb is in the infinitive active, which, in this particular verb, is not elsewhere found used in the passive sense, though other verbs are so used sometimes, as in Jeremiah 25:34. In the first case the catalogue commences with the beginning of life; in the second, with the season of full maturity: "Those who at one time give life to others, at another have themselves to yield to the law of death" (Wright). The contrast points to the passive rendering. There is no question of untimely birth or suicide; in the common order of events birth and death have each their appointed season, which comes to pass without man's interference, being directed by a higher law. "It is appointed unto men once to die" (Hebrews 9:27). Koheleth's teaching was perverted by sensualists, as we read in Wisd. 2:2, 3, 5. A time to plant. After speaking of human life it is natural to turn to vegetable life, which runs in parallel lines with man's existence. Thus Job, having intimated the shortness of life and the certainty of death, proceeds to speak of the tree, contrasting its revivifying powers with the hopelessness of man's decay (Job 14:5, etc.). And to pluck up that which is planted. This last operation may refer to the transplanting of trees and shrubs, or to the gathering of the fruits of the earth in order to make room for new agricultural works. But having regard to the opposition in all the members of the series, we should rather consider the "plucking up" as equivalent to destroying, if we plant trees, a time comes when we cut them down, and this is their final cause. Some commentators see in this clause an allusion to the settling and uprooting of kingdoms and nations, as Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 18:9. etc. but this could not have been the idea in Koheleth's mind.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
a time
עֵ֥ת (‘êṯ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

to be born
לָלֶ֖דֶת (lā·le·ḏeṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

and a time
וְעֵ֣ת (wə·‘êṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

to die,
לָמ֑וּת (lā·mūṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

a time
עֵ֣ת (‘êṯ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

to plant
לָטַ֔עַת (lā·ṭa·‘aṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5193: To strike in, fix, to plant

and a time
וְעֵ֖ת (wə·‘êṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

to uproot,
לַעֲק֥וֹר (la·‘ă·qō·wr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6131: To pluck up, to hamstring, to exterminate


Links
Ecclesiastes 3:2 NIV
Ecclesiastes 3:2 NLT
Ecclesiastes 3:2 ESV
Ecclesiastes 3:2 NASB
Ecclesiastes 3:2 KJV

Ecclesiastes 3:2 BibleApps.com
Ecclesiastes 3:2 Biblia Paralela
Ecclesiastes 3:2 Chinese Bible
Ecclesiastes 3:2 French Bible
Ecclesiastes 3:2 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 3:2 A time to be born (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Top of Page
Top of Page