The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 9:2 Explained

Ecclesiastes 9:2

KJV: 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.

YLT: The 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.

Darby: All 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ecclesiastes 9:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 9

1  like things happen to good and bad
4  there is a necessity of death unto men
7  Comfort is all their portion in this life
11  God's providence rules over all
13  wisdom is better than strength

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 9:2 mean?

All things [come] alike to all event [happens] one to the righteous and the wicked to the good and the clean and the unclean and to him who sacrifices and him who not does sacrifice as the is good so the [is] sinner He who takes an oath as an oath [he] who fears
הַכֹּ֞ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר לַכֹּ֗ל מִקְרֶ֨ה אֶחָ֜ד לַצַּדִּ֤יק וְלָרָשָׁע֙ לַטּוֹב֙ וְלַטָּה֣וֹר וְלַטָּמֵ֔א וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַ וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ זֹבֵ֑חַ כַּטּוֹב֙ כַּֽחֹטֶ֔א הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕ע כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר שְׁבוּעָ֥ה יָרֵֽא

הַכֹּ֞ל  All  things  [come] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר  alike 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לַכֹּ֗ל  to  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מִקְרֶ֨ה  event  [happens] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִקְרֶה  
Sense: unforeseen meeting or event, accident, happening, chance, fortune.
אֶחָ֜ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
לַצַּדִּ֤יק  to  the  righteous 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
וְלָרָשָׁע֙  and  the  wicked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
לַטּוֹב֙  to  the  good 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וְלַטָּה֣וֹר  and  the  clean 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָהֹור  
Sense: pure, clean.
וְלַטָּמֵ֔א  and  the  unclean 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָמֵא  
Sense: unclean, impure.
וְלַזֹּבֵ֔חַ  and  to  him  who  sacrifices 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר  and  him  who 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
זֹבֵ֑חַ  does  sacrifice 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
כַּטּוֹב֙  as  the  is  good 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
כַּֽחֹטֶ֔א  so  the  [is]  sinner 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
הַנִּשְׁבָּ֕ע  He  who  takes  an  oath 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
שְׁבוּעָ֥ה  an  oath 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: oath, curse.
יָרֵֽא  [he]  who  fears 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.